Mangroves and Ehotilé Islands

The mangrove of the Aby lagoon

The Aby lagoon has a mangrove forest, described as an important niche for birds and for fish reproduction. The lagoon covers 424 km² and is fed by the Tanoé and the Bia, whose fresh water meets the sea water at the Assinie pass. The Aby lagoon page of our source does not give an area or a map for the mangrove itself.

The Ehotilé Islands National Park

The park lies on the Aby lagoon near Assinie and Adiaké. It was created by decree on 25 April 1974 and covers 105 km², including an archipelago of 5.5 km². Six islands are named: Assokomonprès, Balouaté, Meha, Nyamouan, Elouamin and the sacred island of Bosson Assoun. It was listed as a Ramsar wetland in 2005.

Wildlife

The park counts 128 bird species in 35 families, mostly aquatic, with migratory species in the dry season. Mammals include forest species such as duikers and bushpigs, and a colony of straw-coloured fruit bats roosts on Balouaté. The manatee is described as threatened with extinction.

People

Twenty-one villages, with an official population of 32,103, live around the islands, and fishing is the main activity. Two chiefdoms, the Ehotilé and the Essouma, both claim the islands.

What we could not confirm

Our source says nothing about how to reach the park, visitor facilities or guided pirogue trips, and it does not describe threats beyond the manatee. The previous version of this page promised wildlife sightings, trip durations and local NGOs: none had a source, so we removed them. Ask your accommodation about a boat trip with a known boatman.

Sources

Wikipédia, Parc national des îles Ehotilé (a stub article, so check official sources); Wikipédia, Lagune Aby.