WILDLIFE DIVISION (FORESTRY COMMISSION) REPUBLIC OF GHANA Wildlife Division Support Project (WDSP) The Ghana Butterfly Fauna and its Contribution to the Objectives of the Protected Areas System by Torben B Larsen (WDSP Report No. 63) March 2006 In collaboration with: TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ………………………………..….. 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………… 12 1. INTRODUCTION ………………………………………… 13 1.1 Background to the present mission …………………………. 13 1.2 Objectives of the present mission …………………………… 14 2. BUTTERFLIES AS INDICATOR SPECIES ……………. 16 2.1 Butterflies as indicators for overall biodiversity …………… 16 2.2 Butterflies as indicators of comparative diversity ………….. 17 2.3 Butterflies as ecological indicator species …………………. 18 2.4 Butterflies as biogeographical indicator species …………… 19 2.5 Butterflies as conservation indicators ……………………… 19 2.6 Butterflies as indicators of extinction ……………………… 20 2.7 Discussion …………………………………………………. 22 3. BUTTERFLIES OF THE PROTECTED AREAS ………. 23 3.1 Material and methods ……………………………………… 23 3.2 Ghana butterflies and the main ecological zones ………….. 24 3.3 Coverage of butterflies by the protected areas system …….. 26 3.3.1 Overall butterfly coverage by the protected areas system …… 26 3.3.2 Coverage of the endemic species west of Dahomey Gap .…… 28 3.3.3 Specific comments on the Ghana subregion endemics ….…… 31 3.3.4 Coverage of butterflies by the protected areas system in different ecological zones ……………………….………… 33 3.3.4.a Forest zone (excluding Volta Region) ……………… 33 3.3.4.b Volta Region …………………….………………….. 36 3.3.4.c Savannah zone ……………………….……………… 38 i) Forest-savannah transition ……………………… 39 ii) Guinea Savannah …………..…………………… 41 iii) Sudan Savannah ………………………………... 43 3.3.4.d Ubiquitous species …………………………………… 47 3.4 Recapitulation of coverage by the protected areas system …. 48 3.5 Conclusions on the coverage of the protected areas system ... 50 Butterflies of Ghana. WDSP Report no 63 March 2006 4. R EVIEW OF INDIVIDUAL LOCALITIES ……….…….. 51 4.1 Summaries of the protected areas system (15 locations) …… 54 4.1.1 Ankasa Resource Reserve-Nini Suhien National Park ……… 54 4.1.2 Bia National Park and Resource Reserve …………………… 56 4.1.3 Boabeng-Fiema Nature Sanctuary …………………………… 58 4.1.4 Bomfobiri Wildlife Sanctuary ……………………………….. 61 4.1.5 Bui National Park ……………………………………………. 63 4.1.6 Digya National Park ……………………………….………… 65 4.1.7 Gbele Resource Reserve …………………………………….. 67 4.1.8 Kakum National Park & Attandanso Resource Reserve …….. 69 4.1.9 Kalakpa Resource Reserve …………………………………... 72 4.1.10 Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve ………………………………... 74 4.1.11 Kyabobo National Park ……………………………………… 75 4.1.12 Mole National Park ……………………………….………….. 78 4.1.13 Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary ……………………….………..… 80 4.1.14 Shai Hills Resource Reserve ………………………………... 81 4.1.15 Wli Falls/Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary …………………… 83 4.2 Summaries of other interesting localities (8 locations) ….… 86 4.2.1 Aburi Botanical Gardens …………………………………… 86 4.2.2 Atewa Range Forest Reserve ………………………………. 88 4.2.3 Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary ……………………………….… 92 4.2.4 Bunso Arboretum and Butterfly Sanctuary ………………… 94 4.2.5 Cape Three Points Forest Reserve …………………………. 96 4.2.6 Gambaga Escarpment ……………………….……………… 98 4.2.7 Krokosua Hills Forest Reserve …………….……………….. 100 4.2.8 Tano Ofin Forest Reserve ………………….……………….. 102 5. PUBLICITY, TOURISM, RESEARCH, AND INCOME .. 104 5.1 Introductory remarks ………………………….…………… 104 5.2 Publicity …………………………………………………… 105 5.3 Tourism and ecotourism …………………………………… 107 5.4 Use of mass media …………………………………………. 108 5.5 Scientific use of the protected areas system ……………….. 109 5.6 Collecting policies ………………………………………….. 109 5.7 Staff development ………………………………………….. 110 5.8 Book on Ghana butterflies …………………………………. 112 5.9 Income-generation from butterflies ………………………… 112 5.10 A local article on butterflies from the internet …………...… 114 6. CONCLUDING REMARKS …………….………………. 116 REFERENCES ……………………………….…………….… 117 ITINERARY …………………………………………...…..… 121 3 Butterflies of Ghana. WDSP Report no 63 March 2006 APPENDICES: Appendix 1A The butterflies of the protected areas system in Ghana ……………………………….……………….. 123 Appendix 1B The butterflies of other significant localities in Ghana …………………………………….…………... 158 Appendix 2 Forest butterflies recorded in savannah localities within the protected areas system (mostly from riverine vegetation) …………………………………… 193 Appendix 3 The Guinea Savannah and Sudan Savannah butterflies of Ghana, and those of special habitats …………. .. 197 4 Butterflies of Ghana. WDSP Report no 63 March 2006 TABLES: Table 2.3.1. The ecological composition of the butterfly in Ghana by forest and savannah, including subtypes …………………………..…… 18 Table 2.6.1. Described forest species from west of the Dahomey Gap known to be present during the 1960-2000s, 1980-2000s, and 1990-2000s periods …………………………………………………….. 21 Table 3.1.1. Estimated number of butterfly species in the protected areas system of the Wildlife Division and in other localities of special interest. ……….. 24 Table 3.3.1. Approximate number of field-days and cumulative number of species personally collected (Oban Hills and Ghana) by Torben B. Larsen …… 27 Table 3.3.2. Species that are endemic to Africa west of the Dahomey Gap and their presence or absence from the protected areas system (GWD) ………… 29 Table 3.3.3. An annotated list of the butterflies endemic to the Ghana Subregion of West Africa (Ghana, eastern Côte d’Ivoire, and the Volta Region) …... 31 Table 3.3.4. Butterfly numbers positively recorded from Ankasa, Bia, and Kakum National Parks and the Atewa Range ………………………………….. 34 Table 3.3.5. A summary of the number of butterfly species in the savannah zones of Ghana and the percentages of the Ghana total of 925 species ………… 39 Table 3.3.6 Forest species recorded in savannah localities ………………………… 40 Table 3.3.7. Species recorded and the estimated total butterfly fauna in the Guinea Savannah localities …………………………………………………….. 42 Table 3.3.8. An annotated list of the Sudan Savannah butterflies known from Ghana …………………………………………………………….. 44 Table 3.3.9. The ubiquitous species in Ghana, their presence in the protected areas system, and their migratory status ……………………………………… 47 Table 3.4.1. The butterflies of Ghana by ecological categories and the degree of coverage by the protected areas system areas system (including Volta Region) ………………………………………………………………… 48 Table 4.0.1. Butterfly species recorded and estimated totals for selected localities Africa …………………………………………………………………… 52 Table 4.1.1. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Ankasa National Park/Nini-Suhien ………………………………….. 54 Table 4.1.2 Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Bia National Park and Resource Reserve …………………………… 56 Table 4.1.3. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Boabeng-Fiema Nature Sanctuary ………………………………....... 58 Table 4.1.4. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Bomfobiri Wildlife Sanctuary ………………………………………. 61 Table 4.1.5. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Bui National Park …………………………………………………… 63 Table 4.1.6. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Digya National Park ………………………………………………… 65 Table 4.1.7. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Gbele Resource Reserve ……………………………………………. 67 Table 4.1.8. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Kakum National Park and Attandanso Game Production Reserve …. 69 Table 4.1.9. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Kalakpa Resource Reserve …………………………………………. 72 5 Butterflies of Ghana. WDSP Report no 63 March 2006 Table 4.1.10. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve …………………………………….… 74 Table 4.1.11. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated Kyabobo National Park ………………………………………….…….. 75 Table 4.1.12. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Mole National Park …………………………………………………. 78 Table 4.1.13. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary …………………………………………… 80 Table 4.1.14. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Shai Hills Resource Reserve ………………………………………… 81 Table 4.1.15. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Wli Falls/Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary …………………………….. 83 Table 4.2.1. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Aburi Botanical Gardens ………………………………………..…… 86 Table 4.2.2. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in the Atewa Range Forest Reserve …………………………………….. 88 Table 4.2.3. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary …………………………………………… 92 Table 4.2.4. Summary of the ’guesstimate’ of species occurring in and known from Bunso Arboretum ……………………………………………….……… 94 Table 4.2.5. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Cape Three Points Forest Reserve ………………………………….. 96 Table 4.2.6. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Gambaga Scarp ……………………………………………………… 98 Table 4.2.7. Summary of the number of the butterfly species known and estimated in Krokosua Forest Reserve ……………………………………….…… 100 Table 4.2.8. Summary of the ’guesstimate’ of species occurring in and known from Tano Ofin Forest Reserve