Ankasa Conservation Area

Ankasa Conservation Area
Map showing the location of Ankasa Conservation Area
Location Ghana
Nearest city Axim
Coordinates 5°17′00″N 2°39′00″W / 5.283333°N 2.65°W / 5.283333; -2.65Coordinates: 5°17′00″N 2°39′00″W / 5.283333°N 2.65°W / 5.283333; -2.65
Area 50,000 ha (190 sq mi)

The Ankasa Conversation Area is an area in southwestern Ghana, in Ghana's Western Region, about 365 kilometers west of Accra near the border with Côte d'Ivoire. It incorporates the Nini Suhien National Park in the North, and the Ankasa Forest Reserve in the South.[1]

The park is approximately 500 square kilometers, and consists largely of tropical evergreen rainforest. The Ankasa Conservation Area is the only wildlife protected area in Ghana that is located in the wet evergreen tropical high rainforest belt.[2] The Ankasa, Nini, and Suhien Rivers all pass through the park, and are known for their rapids and waterfalls. The forest has the most biological diversity of any in Ghana, with over 800 vascular plant species, 639 butterfly species, and more than 190 bird species.[2][3] Animal life includes the elephant, bongo, leopard, chimpanzee, Diana monkey, and other primates. Apart from the forest reserve which was selectively logged until 1976, the rest of the protected area is almost intact.[2]

The park includes basic camping facilities with shelters, toilets, and running water along with many facilities for sitting down and having a chat.

Ankasa Forest

References

  1. ↑ Ghana Wildlife Society:ANKASA NATIONAL PARK (Accessed June 2014)
  2. 1 2 3 Tilahun, Mesfin; Damnyag, Lawrence; Anglaaere, Luke C.N. "The Ankasa Forest Conservation Area of Ghana: Ecosystem service values and on-site REDD + opportunity cost". Forest Policy and Economics. 73: 168–176. doi:10.1016/j.forpol.2016.08.011.
  3. ↑ Hall, J. B.; Swaine, M. D. (1976). "Classification and Ecology of Closed-Canopy Forest in Ghana". Journal of Ecology. 64 (3): 913–951. doi:10.2307/2258816. JSTOR 2258816.


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