CONSERVATION OF GIRAFFES IN NIGER AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
SSI
Country
Beneficiary
Total project cost
Other financial partners
SMALL-SCALE INITIATIVES PROGRAMME (SSI)
FGEF contribution
Project duration
Agreement signed on
Niger
ASGN (Association for the conservation of giraffes
in Niger)
96 500 €
ASGN (24 100 €), IGF (13 500 €), IGWG (11 400
€)
47 500 € (49%)
2 years
14 January 2010
Context
The Association for the conservation of giraffes in Niger (ASGN) has been working
for 10 years to protect West Africa's last remaining giraffe population, which is the
sole representative of the Peralta subspecies and unique in that it cohabits with
local human populations.
In the late 1990s, a “giraffe zone” was defined in Niger on the Kouré and Dallol
Bosso plateau. At the time, only about a hundred giraffes remained and the
population was in danger of extinction. The situation has now improved, with nearly
200 giraffes using an area of about 40 000 km². This “giraffe zone” is one of the
most densely populated regions in Niger. Most of the inhabitants are farmers or
herders living under very precarious conditions.
Because of demographic pressure, crop fields are rapidly expanding into the
surrounding tiger bush that the giraffes depend on for their food.
Consequently, increasing conflict between people and giraffes as available
space shrinks is the greatest threat to them in the short term. Inhabitants in the
area accuse the giraffes of eating their crops, while giraffe habitat is being
drastically reduced and replaced by crops or bare soil, thus forcing the giraffes
into new territories and habitats. Since 2008, about 20 giraffes have moved outside
their usual range to Fandou, 80 km north of Kouré.
Objectives
The main aim of this project is to prevent conflict between people and giraffes. It
concerns almost 220 villages and hamlets, with a total population of 11 000 families
(73 000 inhabitants).
Implementation and impacts
There are three main phases in the project:
- Introduction of a giraffe monitoring protocol to collect data on their movements
and understand their range. A map of giraffe distribution will be available by the end
of the two project years.
- Development of a new management plan for the giraffes’ range of distribution,
based on this map.
- Awareness and development activities for the benefit of Fandou’s population.
About 50 groups will be supported and a tree nursery will be established to help
restore the local ecosystem. Pupils at the Fandou school will have environmental
education lessons.
To find out more
www.ffem.fr
www.assgirafeniger.org
Contact for the project
[email protected] Khalid IKHIRI [email protected]
Omer DOVI, ASGN coordinator omerdovi@yahoo.