The Ziama Massif is a forested mountain range and nature reserve in the
Nzérékoré Region
The Nzérékoré Region () is one of the eight administrative regions of Guinea. Spread across an area of , its capital and largest city is Nzérékoré. Located in the south-west corner of the country, it is bordered by the countries of Sierra ...
of south-eastern
Guinea
Guinea, officially the Republic of Guinea, is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Guinea-Bissau to the northwest, Senegal to the north, Mali to the northeast, Côte d'Ivoire to the southeast, and Sier ...
.
Geography
The Ziama Massif extends from north-east to south-west, continuing southwards into Liberia as the Kpo Range. The eastern slopes are drained by the
Saint Paul River
The Saint Paul River is a river of western Africa. Its headwaters are in southeastern Guinea. Its upper portion in Guinea is known as the Diani River or Niandi River, and forms part of the boundary between Guinea and Liberia. It is known local ...
, and the western slopes by the
Lofa River
The Lofa or Loffa is a river whose headwaters originate in eastern Guinea northeast of Macenta. The river runs southwest through northeastern Liberia before draining into the North Atlantic Ocean.(1) .(2) . Historically it has also been known as ...
; both rivers drain south-west through Liberia to empty into the Atlantic Ocean. The highest points of the massif reach almost 1,400 m above sea level. The forested landscape includes valleys, plateaus, rounded ridges, rocky peaks, sheer cliffs and granite outcrops. The reserve covers an area of 116,170 ha, some 60,000 ha of which is the core, surrounded by a buffer zone. Annual rainfall ranges between 1,700–2,000 mm.
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Environment
The Ziama Massif is part of the Guinean montane forests
The Guinean montane forests are a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of West Africa.
The ecoregion occupies the portions of the Guinea Highlands lying above 600 meters elevation, extending ...
ecoregion, and harbours a flora and fauna distinct from the surrounding lowlands. It was designated a nature reserve in 1932 and approved as a Biosphere Reserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...
by UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
in 1980, covering 1,161.70 km². It is considered a relict of the diminishing Upper Guinean forest formation. The Biosphere Reserve is home to more than 1,300 species of plants and more than 500 species of animals.["Guinea Highlands". ''Encyclopædia Britannica.'' Accessed 27 September 2015]
/ref> Some 287 kinds of birds have been recorded in the reserve, which has been designated an Important Bird Area
An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations.
IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Int ...
(IBA) by BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding i ...
because it supports significant populations of many species.
Gallery
File:Montane rainforest near to Sérédou (Northern limit of Ziama Massif).jpg, Montane rainforest near to Sérédou (Northern limit of Ziama Massif).
File:Landscape of Ziama Massif.jpg, Mountains near to Sérédou.
See also
*Wildlife of Guinea
The wildlife of Guinea is very diverse due to its wide variety of habitats. The southern part of the country lies within the Guinean Forests of West Africa biodiversity hotspot, while the north-east is characterized by dry savanna woodlands. Ec ...
* Forest Guinea
References
{{Use dmy dates, date=March 2017
External links
Ziama Massif Biosphere ReserveZiama Massif: a case studyZiama Massif (Protected Planet)
Afromontane
Guinean montane forests
Protected areas of Guinea
Protected areas established in 1932
Mountain ranges of Guinea
Biosphere reserves of Guinea
Important Bird Areas of Guinea
Forests of Guinea