Niokolo-Koba National Park

• Poaching, capture and relocation of wildlife
• Drying up of ponds and invasive species
• Illegal logging
• Livestock grazing
• Road construction project
• Potential dam construction
• Potential mining exploration and exploitation
• Loss of chimpanzee habitat
• Water pollution (ground water and surface water) due to mining

• Poaching
• Livestock grazing
• Dam construction project at Sambangalou

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/4087
Revised (finalization of indicators) in 2015, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/6232  

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/6232   

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/6232 

Total amount granted: USD 250 000 from the Government of Norway (2021-2022)

On 1 February 2024, the State Party of Senegal submitted a State of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/153/documents providing the following information:

• Implementation of the corrective measures formulated by the 2015 Reactive Monitoring Mission is continuing;
• Illegal gold panning, although significantly reduced, remains, along with poaching and stray livestock, one of the main infractions observed in the property;
• Significant efforts have been made to improve park management, notably through the strengthening of enforcement measures and the development of actions to limit stray livestock;
• Since 2016, an ecological monitoring protocol using camera traps covering 83% of the total area of the property was implemented to map the distribution of large and medium-sized wildlife and to determine the threats they face.
• In 2023, a survey of carnivores in the property identified a total of 29 lions over one year old, with an estimated population density of 0.53 lions over one year old per 100 km² and 24 wild dogs (lycaons) over one year old, with an estimated population density of 0.46 lycaons over one year old per 100 km²;
• A National Action Plan for lycaons is currently being drawn up thanks to IUCN funding;
• In 2023, several direct and indirect elephant sightings were made in the eastern part of the property, notably in the area of influence of the Petowal Mining Company (PMC) gold mine in Mako, adjacent to the property;
• According to a study published in 2021, the derby eland population in the property is estimated to be 195 individuals, with an estimated population density of 0.138 individuals/km²;
• Annual ecological monitoring in the influence area of the Mako mine has confirmed the presence of several key species, including lions, panthers, elephants, chimpanzees, buffalo, elands and roan antelopes;
• Water quality monitoring activities continue at key surveillance sites upstream and downstream of the PMC gold mine in Mako, along the Gambia River and its tributaries within the operational zone.
• Efforts to combat the invasive species Mimosa pigra are ongoing, notably through the restoration of four significant ponds between 2022 and 2023.
• The Mansadala quarry is still active, and the operating companies have hired an environmental auditing firm to assess the impacts caused and propose restoration plans for the sites already exploited;
• All measures have been taken by the Gambia River Basin Development Organisation (OMVG) to minimize or reduce the negative impacts of the Sambangalou hydroelectric dam on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
• No environmental approvals have yet been issued for the Barrick Gold mining project.

A joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring Mission took place from 26 to 30 March2024, and the report will be available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/153/documents 

The State Party has made significant efforts to improve the state of conservation of the property, by effectively implementing recommendations from the 2015 mission and making substantial progress toward achieving Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR). 

The State Party, with the support of its partners, has made considerable efforts to rehabilitate impassable tracks in order to improve the mobility of patrol teams within the property and build the capacity of its staff in the use of technological tools such as SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool), CYBERTRACKER, and CTAP (camera traps), among others. These tools, coupled with robust ecological monitoring, have been used to collect essential data on the wildlife, improving the knowledge of the current population size of emblematic species in the property. However, data on population dynamics, in particular the actual population, demographic structure and population growth rate, which can be used to determine the viability of each species in the property, are lacking. The mission reported that, with the exception of the elephant, the other characteristic species of OUV, notably chimpanzees, Derby elands, lions and lycaons, are well represented in the property. However, apart from the lycaons, the rate of encounters with the other characteristic species of OUV decreased overall between 2021 and 2023. The situation is even more concerning as regards elephants, for which no direct sighting data are available for the same period, although indirect sightings seem to indicate that the species is still present. However, the situation of the characteristic species of OUV remains concerning, especially considering that the property was inscribed on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (x) alone.

The mission also noted that the2019-2023 Development and Management Plan had expired and needs be updated as a matter of urgency.

Nevertheless, significant strides have been made in anti-poaching measures on land, air and water, thanks to the acquisition of vehicles, aircraft and boats, as well as the recruitment and training of a large number of eco-guards for the property. The mission also noted that the management team continues to improve its relations with local populations through environmental education and awareness-raising activities, as well as the promotion of community development initiatives. These efforts have produced significant results in the fight against poaching and illegal gold panning, resulting in the arrest of offenders and the seizure/destruction of their equipment. However, although the mission noted that illegal gold panning is declining slightly, it remains, along with poaching and logging, a very serious threat to the property’s OUV.

Transhumance and livestock incursions continue to represent threats to the integrity of the property, with animals observed around 10 km inside the property, near the pits resulting from the exploitation of the Mansadala quarry. To counter these threats, the State Party has installed pastoral boreholes in village land bordering the property and drawn up a bushfire management plan. Similarly, the State Party has organized a tripartite workshop (Senegal, Mali, Mauritania) on transhumance issues, and the mission notes that the implementation of the actions resulting from this workshop must be accelerated.

The lack of significant progress in mitigating the adverse impacts of extractive activities and infrastructure development within and around the property continues to be of grave concern.  The mission noted with dismay that the Mansadala basalt quarry remains operational despite the State Party’s commitment to its closure since 2011, and rehabilitation efforts for the excavation pits have yet to commence. This poses a substantial threat to the integrity and maintenance of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, necessitating immediate action. On a positive note, the Barrick Gold mining project has not commenced, and no environmental approval has been granted due to ongoing disputes with Sabadola Gold Operations (SGO). However, the mission emphasized that the environmental approval should not be contingent upon the resolution of these disputes. The Committee has expressed significant concerns regarding the many potential major negative impacts identified in the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the project. Regarding the Sambangalou Dam, the mission noted that construction activities are progressing on-site. In addition to supplementary environmental and biodiversity studies, the mission team received a copy of the ESIA report. Preliminary analysis and on-site inspections by the mission staff did not reveal direct negative impacts of the Sambangalou Dam on the property’s OUV. However, once the reservoir behind the dam is filled, potential indirect negative effects are anticipated, particularly on the distribution of large and medium-sized mammalian fauna and the alteration of park habitat due to changes in the hydrological regime of the Gambia River. It is imperative to conduct a thorough analysis of the ESIA report by IUCN, as requested by the Committee, to ensure the effective consideration of the property’s OUV in light of the potential negative impacts of the project, as indicated in the preliminary assessment of the supplementary environmental and biodiversity studies of the property.

Concerning the section of National Route 7 inside the property, the mission observed that despite commendable efforts by the State Party, eight collisions involving some ten individuals were recorded in 2023. The State Party is encouraged to continue implementing these measures to further reduce the number of collisions and to establish a protocol for the care of injured animals to reduce post-accident mortality.

In view of the above, the World Heritage Centre and IUCN commend the significant efforts made by the State Party in implementing the corrective measures. While acknowledging the substantial progress made in achieving some of the indicators, they believe that further actions are needed to achieve all DSOCR indicators.

They recommend that the property be retained on the List of World Heritage in Danger, so that the following fundamental conditions can be fully met: (a) Urgently update and implement the property’s Management and Development Plan to include an operational ecological monitoring plan focusing on the characteristic species of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), (b) Reverse the current declining trend observed in the characteristic species of OUV, (c) Immediately and definitively close the Mansadala basalt quarry, with a validated and implemented rehabilitation plan, (d) Provide necessary and sufficient assurances to the World Heritage Committee to mitigate the potential indirect negative impacts on the property arising from changes in the hydrological regime caused by the filling of the reservoir behind the Sambangalou Dam. Furthermore, the mission puts forward several key additional recommendations for the State Party.