Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. A total of 248 species has been recorded. Populations of large species such as some of the hornbills have been much reduced by poaching.

Site description The site is located 40 km south of Abengourou in the semi-deciduous forest zone and, although bordered to the south by the Comoé river and to the west by the small Bossematié river, the forest is in effect entirely surrounded by farmland. The topography is gently undulating with a series of ridges and valleys; the site is traversed by a number of small seasonal streams, but there is no permanent water. Characteristic tree species include Triplochiton scleroxylon, Khaya ivorensis, Piptadeniastrum africanum and Celtis spp. The site was selectively logged up to six times between 1960 and 1990 when exploitation stopped, leaving a canopy cover of about 40%, and in many places, particularly the valley bottoms, the understorey has been invaded by the introduced weed Chromoleana odorata. Average annual rainfall is 1,400 mm.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Beki Bosse Matie	Classified Forest	38,900	protected area contains site	22,848

Habitats

Land use

Other biodiversity The mammals Loxodonta africana cyclotis (EN) and Pan troglodytes verus (EN) occur. Some 300 species of butterfly (Lepidoptera) have been recorded.

Management considerations Bossematié is one of seven classified forests included in a German-funded forest rehabilitation programme that began in 1990 when logging ceased. Since then a number of illegal cocoa and banana plantations operating within the forest have been abandoned. Poaching has been reduced, but still occurs. Forest management includes planting of commercially valuable native tree species (e.g. Triplochiton scleroxylon) and enrichment planting of particularly degraded places.

References Waltert et al. (1999).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Bossematie Forest Reserve. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013

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