Foot Patrols Enhance Conservation Efforts in Threatened Forest Reserves of Coastal Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

The Dassioko Sud and Port Gauthier Forest Reserves are important wildlife refuges in southern Côte d’Ivoire, harboring several endangered mammalian taxa. Between July 2012 and June 2016, foot patrols were conducted in these reserves by teams consisting of local villagers, Société de Développement des Forêts employees, law enforcement personnel, and the authors. The purpose of the patrols was to help curb poaching and illegal farming/logging and to collect information on wildlife. Over the length of the patrol period, both reserves experienced significant declines in illegal activities, including prior to the 2014 EBOLA outbreak. Both reserves continue to be pressured by persons living in surrounding villages; however, our results demonstrate that foot patrols involving local personnel can lead to significant declines in illegal activity inside such conservation areas.