Burkina Faso is largely wild bush country with a mixture of grass and small trees in varying proportions. Thesavanna region is mainly grassland in the rainy season and semi desert during theharmattan period (defined as the period when stormy and dustySahara winds blow dry and hot). Fauna, one of the most diverse in West Africa, includes theelephant,hippopotamus,buffalo,monkey,lions,crocodile,giraffe, various types ofantelope, and a vast variety of bird and insect life.[1] The country has 147mammal species, 330 aquatic species including 121 species offish and 2067 different plant species.[2] Of the plant species, the dominant endemic species areshea tree (Butyrospermum parkii) and thebaobab, the former plant species has immense economic value to the country.[1][3]
To ensure conservation and preservation of thewildlife of Burkina Faso, four national parks have been established. These are thePo National Park in the south-centre of the country,Arli National Park established in 1954 in the southeast,W of the Niger National Park, a trans frontier park existing since 1957 in the east borderingBenin andNiger and theDeux Balés National Park. The forests, fauna and fish have been declared part of the national estate of Burkina Faso.[1][4] In addition, theList of national parks of Burkina Faso consist of oneUNESCOBiosphere reserve, three complete reserves, six partial reserves and ten protected forests. However, according to conservation classification conducted between 1936 and 1957, the country has 78 protected areas that cover 38,369 km2 (14,814 sq mi), which accounts to about 14% of the area of the country.[5]
Wildlife area in the landlockedBurkina Faso inwestern Africa is spread over a plateau area of 270,764 km2 (104,543 sq mi). The dominant habitat types are the grassy savanna in the north with transition to the varying thin forests in the south.[1] In Burkina Fasoforest cover is around 23% of the total land area, equivalent to 6,216,400 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, down from 7,716,600 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 6,039,300 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 177,100 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 0% was reported to beprimary forest (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 16% of the forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 100% of the forest area was reported to be underpublic ownership.[6][7]
Based on ecological characteristics and climatic conditions, the country is divided under three bio-climatic zones namely, the Sahelian Zone, the Sudanian Zone and the Sudano-Guinean Zone. The Sahelian Zone covers 25% of the area of the northern part of the country, which is further subdivided under the Sahelian and sub-Sahelian sectors. In the Sahelian sector, where the rainfall is only of the order of 400 millimetres (16 in), the vegetation is mostly of shrubs and wooded grassland or steppe. The sub-Sahelian sector represents the transition zone, receives an average annual rainfall of 400–600 millimetres (16–24 in) and represents the transition between the Sahelian and Sudanian bioclimatic zones. The vegetation in this sector has moist Sudan savanna vegetation in the river valleys, while the western half is largely inhabited by humans; most of the large trees in the northern half of the sector are reported to have vanished due toclimate change. The Sudan Zone receives higher rainfall in the range of 600–1,000 millimetres (24–39 in) and is further subdivided into three sectors namely, the central plateau sector, the Mouhoun sector and the Pendjari–Mékrou sector and has widely varying vegetation depending on human occupation for agriculture and mostly savanna vegetation, predominantly wooded savanna. the Pendjari–Mékrou sector with its floodplains and many ephemeral rivers, is less populated by humans but has the largest population of mammals in the country; vultures and raptors are also reported. The Sudano-Guinean Zone in the southwest corner of the country is a humid zone with an annual rainfall in the range of 1,000–1,200 millimetres (39–47 in). It is heavily wooded with wooded savannas and gallery forests; it has the ambience of a park with its widespread vegetation ofKhaya senegalensis,Daniellia oliveri andIsoberlinia forests, tall grasses and savanna vegetation is also a dominant feature. Its human population distribution is low but the wildlife population is the second largest in the country.[5]
The area is drained by many rivers, the most important of them being theBlack Volta (Mouhoun), theRed Volta (Nazinon), and theWhite Volta (Nakambé), which flow intoGhana on the south and form theVolta River.[1]
Rainy season (June to September) is one of the four seasons in Burkina Faso; the other three being, an intermediate season from September to mid November, the summer ofharmattan season of the Sahara hot and stormy winds (mid February to mid June) and the dry and winter cool season from mid November to mid February. During the rainy season is when the shrubs and stunted trees flourish in the savanna in the northern region where rainfall incidence is about 10 inches and the rivers flow full with dense vegetation growing in the southern region of the country when the rainfall incidence is as high as 40 inches (1,000 mm).[1]
There are four importantnational parks in Burkina Faso namely, the Arli National Park existing since 1954, the Deux Balés National Park, Kaboré Tambi National Park and the W of the Niger National Park which is a trans-boundary park existing since 1957.[5]
TheArli National Park, covering an area of 76,000 hectares (190,000 acres), lies to the southwest ofArli–W–Singou complex. It borders withBenin (thePendjari River forms the boundary) and Singou Game Ranch on its northwest direction and has large network of drainage system which has vast flood plains. Within the park boundary, the Falaise de Gobnangou is a prominent hill feature with cliffs that extends over 50 kilometres (31 mi) from the southwest to the northeast. The park also has manyinselbergs. Shrub and tree-savanna (extensive growth ofIsoberlinia doka) in the non-flooded areas,Mitragyna inermis withgallery forests in seasonally flooded areas, baobabAdansonia digitata trees near old village sites are some of the vegetation types found in the park.[5]
The Deux Balés National Park, is located in central eastern Burkina Faso, withinMouhoun Province. It is situated to the west of theBlack Volta River. It has an elevation range of 235–310 metres (771–1,017 ft). The park was first established in 1937 as theforêts classées des Deux Balés ('the Deux Balés Classified Forests') with an area of 610 km2 (240 sq mi).[8] In 2001, the largest number ofelephants in West Africa were found in Deux Balés (together withBaporo Forest), estimated at four hundred of them.[9]
The Kaboré Tambi National Park is situated betweenOuagadougou and the border withGhana. It follows the course of theNazinon River. It was founded in 1976 as Pô National Park or known as Parc National Kaboré Tambi (PNKT). The park has an area of 155,000 hectares (380,000 acres) in the alluvial floodplain on both banks of the ephemeral Volta Rouge River; the river results to small water holes during the summer season. A number of small marshes and lakes also dominate the scene.[10] It maintains contiguity with the Nazinga Game Ranch of 94,000 hectares (230,000 acres) area, the Sissili Hunting Concession of 32,700 hectares (81,000 acres) ha and the village hunting zones around Nazinga and Sissili villages. The park has varied topography with geological formations of granite outcrops,lateritic plateaus and several isolated high mountains. The vegetation types found here are northern Sudan savanna, shrub savanna, tree-savanna and gallery forests. The park is home to lion, elephant, buffalo and a number of antelope species. Poaching and deforestation activities are an issue in the park. The main road from Ouagadougou toBolgatanga in northernGhana runs across the park.[5][10]
The W of the Niger National Park was created in August 1954. It is a major national park of the three countries of Niger, Benin and Burkina Faso, and is governed by the three governments. It is around ameander in theRiver Niger shaped like a "W". Until 2008, the implementation of a regional management was supported by the EU-funded Project ECOPAS (French:Ecosystèmes Protégés en Afrique Soudano-Sahélienne). The three national parks operate under the name W Transborder Park. In the three nations, the park covers about 10,000 km2 (3,900 sq mi), largely uninhabited by humans, having been until the 1970s amalarial zone of wetlands formed by the delta of the Mékrou River with the Niger, broken by rocky hills. It was declared aRamsar site in 1990. A cattle route from Mail and Niger to Tago passes through the park creating conservation problems which are proposed to be tackled through many conservation and biodiversity support programmes.[5][11]
As of 2006, Burkina Faso is considered to be one of theWest African countries with the largest faunal population.[12]
Mammals in Burkina Faso includeaardvark,African bush elephant,African civet,African clawless otter,African golden cat,African ground squirrel,West African wild dog,western dwarf buffalo,bushbuck,Cape hare,Cape hyrax,caracal,Northwest African cheetah,common chimpanzee,common genet,Dorcas gazelle,fennec fox,four-toed hedgehog,giant pangolin,West African giraffe,Egyptian wolf,Hausa genet,hippopotamus,African leopard,West African lion,olive baboon,oribi,pale fox,patas monkey,honey badger,red-fronted gazelle,reedbuck,roan antelope,rusty-spotted genet,Senegal bushbaby,serval,side-striped jackal,slender mongoose,speckle-throated otter,spotted hyena,striped hyena,striped polecat,sun squirrel,tree pangolin,warthog,water chevrotain,western hartebeest,white-tailed mongoose andAfrican wildcat.[citation needed]
Thecommon chimpanzee is consideredlocally extinct in Burkina Faso, but may be migrating back into the country during the rainy season.[13]Hyena are widespread but at low densities.[14]
Threecrocodile species are found in the wild,slender-snouted crocodile,Nile crocodile, anddwarf crocodile.[15] According toBirdLife International, there are 119 migrant birds which visit the country out of which 81 belong toPalaearctic species including two species namelyFalco naumanni (vulnerable) andGallinago media (near threatened) of global conservation concern. There are also 10Important Bird Areas (IBAs) identified which cover 20260 km2 accounting for 7.4% area of the country.
In Burkina Faso, as of 2005, 497 bird species of various families, including 35rare oraccidental species, 12 nearthreatened species, threevulnerable species (lesser kestrelFalco naumanni,white-headed vultureTrigonoceps occipitalis andBeaudouin's snake-eagleCircaetus beaudouini) and one endangered species (Egyptian vultureNeophron percnopterus) have been reported. These cover species under several families such as: thirteen ofAnatidae, one ofNumididae (helmeted guineafowlNumida meleagris), six ofPhasianidae, one ofPodicipedidae, two ofCiconiidae, one ofAnhingidae (African darterAnhinga rufa), one ofPelecanidae (great white pelicanPelecanus onocrotalus), one ofScopidae (hamerkopScopus umbretta), seventeen ofArdeidae, five ofThreskiornithidae, one of familyPandionidae (ospreyPandion haliaetus), thirty-nine ofAccipitridae (mostly eagles, vultures and hawks), one ofSagittariidae (secretary-birdSagittarius serpentarius), eleven ofFalconidae, nine ofRallidae, one ofRallidae (African finfootPodica senegalensis), six ofOtididae, one ofGruidae (black crowned-craneBalearica pavonina), three ofBurhinidae, eleven ofCharadriidae, two ofRecurvirostridae, two ofJacanidae, eighteen ofScolopacidae, two ofTurnicidae, five ofGlareolidae, one ofRostratulidae (Greater painted-snipeRostratula benghalensis), eight ofLaridae, two ofPteroclidae, thirteen ofColumbidae, two ofPsittacidae, two ofMusophagidae, twelve ofCuculidae (cuckoos), one ofTytonidae (barn owlTyto alba), eight ofStrigidae, eight ofApodidae, one ofColiidae (blue-naped mousebirdUrocolius macrourus), one ofTrogonidae (Narina trogonApaloderma narina), nine ofAlcedinidae, eight ofMeropidae, five ofCoraciidae, one of Upupidae (Eurasian hoopoeUpupa epops, two ofPhoeniculidae, four ofBucerotidae, four ofLybiidae, two ofIndicatoridae, two ofIndicatoridae, nine ofPicidae, three ofPlatysteiridae, two ofPrionopidae, nine ofMalaconotidae, two ofCampephagidae, nine ofLaniidae, two ofOriolidae, three ofDicruridae, two ofMonarchidae, three ofCorvidae, one ofNicatoridae (western nicatorNicator chloris, nine ofAlaudidae, seventeen ofHirundinidae, one ofStenostiridae (African blue-flycatcherElminia longicauda), one ofParidae (white-shouldered black-titParus guineensis), two ofRemizidae, one ofSalpornithidae (African spotted creeperSalpornis salvadori), two ofPycnonotidae, four ofPhylloscopidae, six ofAcrocephalidae, twenty ofCisticolidae, one ofHyliotidae (yellow-bellied hyliotaHyliota flavigaster), twenty-seven species ofMuscicapidae, three ofTurdidae, three ofTimaliidae, one ofZosteropidae (northern yellow white-eyeZosterops senegalensis), nine ofSturnidae, one ofBuphagidae (yellow-billed oxpeckerBuphagus africanus), eight ofMotacillidae, four ofEmberizidae, three ofFringillidae, three ofPasseridae, nineteen ofPloceidae, nineteen ofEstrildidae and six ofViduidae.[16]
Ten Important Bird Areas (IBAs) which cover about 20,260 km2 (7,820 sq mi) (7.4% of the area of the country). These have Sudan–Guinea Savanna biome (A04) (with 30 of the 32 species of this biome), Sahel biome (A03) (with six of eight biome species) and with breeding colony ofGyps rueppellii in theArli–W–Singou Park complex (accounting for more than 1% of the global population of the species). The number of resident bird species is reported by BirdLife International as 318, out of which 119 are migratory birds. Of the migratory birds, 81 belong to Palaearctic family and two species are of global conservation concern, namelyFalco naumanni (vulnerable) andGallinago media (near threatened).[5]
The flora of Burkina Faso is composed of 2067 plant species.[2] The most important families in terms of species richness and abundance are the grasses (Poaceae) and legumes (Fabaceae).[17] Many species are distributed widely in the savannas regions of Africa. There are however two endemic plants,Pandanus brevifrugalis andIsoetes jaegeri.[2]
Approximately 15% of the country has forest cover while wooded land constitutes approximately 34% of the area. Very little closed forest can be found and this is mainly of thegallery forest type alongwaterways. The open forests include savanna of four types, namely Sahelian, Sahelian-Sudanian, Sudanian, and Sudanian-Guinean.[13] Though much of the country is dry and sparse, vegetation can vary considerably. Northern Burkina Faso consists mainly of savanna, acacia woodland, and during the wet season, prickly shrubs and stunted trees flourish.[1] Herbaceous plants include broadleaf deciduous, shrub, desert shrub, semi-desert savanna and thorny scrub. Crops includebanana,cassava,bougainvillea,cotton,guava,maize,spinach,Malabar spinach,millet,onions,papaya,sorghum,tomatoes, andyams. Most of the country consists of sparse savanna grasslands, with the occasional shrub or acacia. Although the country only has about 15% forest cover overall, there are many forests in the south, growing denser along the banks of the perennial rivers.[1] These includeDiéfoula Forest,Logoniégué Forest,Laba Forest,Dida Forest,Koulbi National Forest,Bontioli Reserve Forest,Nabere Partial Reserve Forest,Koflandé Forest,Maro Forest,Tui Forest,Deux Balés Forest,Kalio Forest,Tisse Forest,Dibon Forest,Pâ Forest,Mou Forest,Boulon Forest,Tigo Forest,Nakambe Forest andNiangoloko Forest, of which about 16% have official protection.
Poverty means thatdeforestation is a problem in the country and each year the country loses approximately 32,000 hectares of forests, to make way for agriculture and for fuelwood, which around 90% of the national population are dependent upon.[18] NumerousNGOs are active in the country, educating farmers and encouraging them to minimize land clearing and plant trees as well as cultivate the land.
Trees of note include theshea tree (known askarité in the localDioula language and the baobab.[1] Although the shea tree is indigenous to the semi-aridSahel region of West Africa, Burkina Faso contains the largest number of them.[3] The shea tree is extremely important to the Burkinabe people and is termed as "women's gold" by the villagers, because the nuts of shea tree can be collected and then processed by crushing and grinding to yieldshea butter, important in cuisine and in exports, for use in the manufacture of chocolate and cosmetics such as soap.[3] Shea nuts are the country's third most important export, after cotton and livestock; in 1997, an average tonne of unprocessed shea nuts sold domestically for CFA70,000 (US$980) and overseas for CFA1,00,000 (US$1400).[3] The most important centres of shea butter production are inSissili Province andZiro Province.[3] The bark of the tree is also used as an ingredient in traditional medicines and the shell of nut is said to be able to repelmosquitoes and is also said to protect existing trees.[3] TheBambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) is also grown in abundance; Burkina Faso produced some 20,000 tonnes in 1989, afterpeanuts (160,000 tonnes) andcowpeas (74,000 tonnes).[19] Between 1982 and 1985, an attempt was made to improve the Bambara groundnut, an initiative which involved the participation of plant breeders in the Grain Legumes Programme.[19]
The country contains populations ofVitellaria paradoxa trees, which often have problems with parasites of the familyLoranthaceae.[20] Four species ofTapinanthus (Tapinanthus dodoneifolius,Tapinanthus globiferus,Tapinanthus ophiodes andTapinanthus pentagonia) are widespread all across Burkina Faso and Mali and are also subject to being affected by pests.[20] Other trees includeAcacia,flamboyant tree,Delonix regia, andneem tree.
Fauna conservation areas were first established in 1926, which included five 'parcs de refuge' that covered 536,700 ha.[21]
Global Environment Facility (GEF) in its report to theWorld Bank to promote conservation of natural habitat in Burkina Faso reported that the biodiversity species profile of Burkina Faso contains "655 wildlife species (mammals and birds); 330 aquatic species (includes 121 fish species), and 1054 plant species (751 grass, 304 tree and brush species)", based on meagre data.[10] It was also noted that the natural habitats were found now only in parks, reserves and gazetted forests as agricultural operations dominated the scene in 70% area of the country. Theoryx,cheetah, andgiraffe are reported to be totally extinct, probably includesBurkina redneck ostrich. The nearing extinction species were reported to be black and whitecolobus,dama gazelle,leopard andtopi. This alarming situation ofloss of biodiversity resulted in creation of national operational strategies not only for rural development in 2001 but also for reforms in the wildlife and protected area sector in 1995 (a Forestry Code was introduced defining the National Forestry Policy and establishing 12 Wildlife Conservation Units covering the entire country in followed in 1996) and Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan in 2000 with the objective stated as to "ensure responsible management of biological diversity by the populations by 2025".[10]
In conservation and sustainable resources management efforts, the IBA Local Conservation Group with help from BirdLife Partners around the world have set up "site support groups" in Burkina Faso, which was initially begun in 1959 to count birds. This resulted in the training of local volunteers asornithologists. In 2009, Vogelwacht Utrecht, a Dutch regional volunteer birding group, supported efforts conserve migratory birds. Cambridgeshire Bird Club in the UK has also pitched in with support. However, all these efforts are concentrated atLake Oursi (included in theList of Ramsar wetlands of international importance) and are yet to permeate to a national scale.[22]