Gadabedji Biosphere Reserve
The Gadabedji Biosphere Reserve (GBR) is the only protected area in Niger located exclusively in the Sahel, in the north of the region of Maradi.
The reserve includes the 760 km² Gadabedji Game Reserve where the dedicated management unit team focuses most of its efforts.
Created in 1954 as a classified forest, the area became a total wildlife reserve in 1955, with the overall aim of protecting four iconic species: the North African ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus), the dama gazelle (Nanger dama), the West African giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis peralta) and the scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah). Despite this protection status, the four species locally went extinct. In 2017, due to targeted efforts and resources allocation, the reserve was awarded the Biosphere Reserve label and was identified as the reintroduction site for several emblematic species.
Challenges
Due to its location in the pastoral zone, the GBR is surrounded by villages, but also a great number of herders and their cattle. Despite the ban on all human activity within the reserve, many head of cattle are present during the day, particularly in the lean season. Additionally, the increased settlements in the area, with the seasonal crop fields associated, caused an accelerated degradation of forest cover.
Ensuring a successful collaboration with surroundings community partners is the biggest challenge for the sustainability of the protected area and the wellbeing of the people.Over the years, the GBR has faced the extinction of most of its large fauna, resulting from natural factors, notably recurrent droughts, combined with various anthropogenic pressures. The protected area now relies on reintroductions to have a restored ecosystem, requiring the mobilization of important resources.
ID Card
Year of creation:
1954
Area:
14,136.25 km²
IUCN protected area category:
Category IV: Habitat management area / Species Management Area
Sahara Conservation’s contribution
Sahara Conservation operates in the GBR in support of the Protected Area Management Unit (PAMU), an entity under the Ministry of Environment, in charge of its management.
Collaboration started in 2010, during a wildlife survey as part of a general effort initiated by the government of Niger. Monitoring has been conducted since then but mostly focused on the core area.
Sahara Conservation has been technically and financially supporting the Management Unit as well as providing training on monitoring tools and methods.
This support contributed to the overall improvements in the knowledge of the wildlife in the reserve.
Beyond monitoring of the existing wildlife, Sahara Conservation has been supporting the reintroduction program of the reserve for years. This program was initiated with the translocation of West African giraffes led by Giraffe Conservation Foundation and supported by many partners (first translocation in 2018 and the second in 2022). Since then, a team of Eco guards has been set up to monitor the released and locally born giraffes.
The second step of the reintroduction program was to bring back the North African Ostrich. The captive breeding center of Kellé, managed by Sahara Conservation since 2011, has been selected as a feeding site for reintroduction activities. The objective is to produce enough chicks to be able to transfer them to the reserve.
Additionally, initiatives have been launched to further involve local communities.
Sahara Conservation will continue its engagement with local stakeholders and pursue its support to the protected area, to achieve the overall goal of preserving its integrity and its values to provide ecosystem services for present and future generations.
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