A.G Leventis Foundation Threatened Species Project
Project Overview
The Ghana Wildlife Society is implementing a long-term conservation project focused on the White-necked Picathartes (Picathartes gymnocephalus), a Vulnerable species endemic to West African forests. The project works across key forest reserves in Ghana’s Ashanti Region and beyond, combining scientific research, habitat monitoring, community engagement, and capacity building to secure the species’ future and strengthen Ghana’s broader conservation knowledge base.
Project Objectives
This project aims to strengthen the conservation of the White-necked Picathartes in Ghana by improving knowledge of its distribution and breeding ecology, updating Key Biodiversity Area designations, monitoring habitat change, and building the capacity of researchers and local communities to sustain long-term conservation action.
Project Activities
KBA assessments at Nyame Bepo, Nkrabia, Bosomtwe Range, and Fum Headwaters Forest Reserves
Procurement and distribution of shea picking and protective devices.
Training and mentorship of graduate assistants, national service personnel, interns, and community assistants
Community education and awareness campaigns
Achievements
In 2024, the project confirmed six new White-necked Picathartes nesting sites across Fum Headwaters, Nyame Bepo, and Bosomtwe Range Forest Reserves, culminating in an updated national distribution map that now incorporates eight new nesting areas identified over three years. Community engagement efforts reached over 1,200 forest-fringe community members, with notable increases in participation among women and youth. On the research front, MPhil thesis work on the species’ distribution and breeding ecology has been completed and is being prepared for publication.
