Animals on the Edge

Ghana: Ghana Megatransect

Aims

Over the course of several months, a team of biologists will survey Ghana’s wildlife and wild habitats from its northern border south to the Atlantic Ocean.

Overview

The Ghana Megatransect project will involve a team made up of a photographer and up to 6 biologists, who will conduct a detailed survey of Ghana’s wildlife and natural habitats, ultimately producing a definitive research document that maps the country’s existing “State of the Nation”.

The survey team will trek the length of the country, following a route from the northern border with Burkina Faso, south to the Atlantic Ocean, taking in the principle wilderness areas and the mighty Lake Volta. At the end of the project, which is expected to take a year to complete, we hope to achieve the following aims:

• A complete and detailed survey of Ghana’s existing wildlife and habitats
• A plan for conservation of natural habitats and species
• An assessment on the feasibility of wildlife re-introductions
• Social and health support for local communities

Future Actions

On completion of our report, we will present a White Paper to the incumbent government with recommendations for immediate and future conservation action, and a Sustainable Financial Plan that will enable the government and local people to benefit socially and economically from the presence of the country’s wildlife in a sustainable way.