24
Changes in Program Activities
Canceled as electricity prices were reduced during this reporting period so no longer viewed as a priority for review.
2.7 Biodiversity Conservation Background
WWF World Wide Fund together with Department of Parks and Wildlife Management DPWM have developed strong monitoring methods for Marine Turtles and Dolphins.
The monitoring includes beach surveys and in water surveys. The maps below show the survey zoning of Gambian beaches and the in-water survey for dolphins. The marine turtle nest survey
is planned from June to October 2010.
Report Period Accomplishments
In 2009, the monitoring system has been conducted by a team of 10 DPWM staff and volunteers, They were covering 50 km long and 10 m beach width 500 ha and were surveying every
Wednesday for 16 weeks.
The coast of The Gambia is a nesting ground for green turtles but at a very low rate; only 9 nests were found during the 2009 survey of the South Bank. The surveyors collected 3 strandings per
week from June to the end of August along the South Bank beaches in 2009. The area between Burfut and Sanyang has the highest rate of stranding presence.
25
Nesting sites
Moreover, the team found that many nests are poached by either communities or lodges and decided to save 3 out of 9 as shown in the photos below.
The dolphin survey has not been resumed due to the lack of boats; the procurement of boats is taking longer than expected.
The Ba-Nafaa team, together with fisherman, are also conducting a GPS survey of sole hotspots. The survey will cover the entire South Atlantic coast from Kartong to Bakau; the survey will be
completed in April 2010..
Outputs
• Report on local knowledge on sole hotspots is available • Map of Dolphin hotspots is available.
• Report and Maps of Turtles nesting and stranding sites • 2009 Turtle Survey forms
• 500 ha coast surveyed during 16 weeks
26
Key Results
• None anticipated this year
Changes in Program Activities
Dolphin survey not yet started due to lack of boats for monitoring.
Priorities for Next Reporting Period
• Sensitization for turtle nests conservation • Campaign for 2010 turtle monitoring
• Resume Dolphin monitoring • Continue the hotspots mapping with communities
2.8 Capacity Building, Communications, Outreach and Coordination Background
