The Conkouati-Douli National Park (CDNP) is located on the northern border of the Republic of Congo, adjacent to the Mayumba National Park in Gabon. Since 2021, this Protected area has been managed by the NGO Noé, and their team has recently embarked on new studies on the Atlantic Humpback Dolphin (Sousa teuszii). This work aims […]
The collaborative dolphin project in Guinea has seen great progress in recent months. The multifaceted project, conceived by CCAHD, includes research, outreach and education,training and capacity building, and government stakeholder engagement. It is hosted by CCAHD partners Biotope International and Biotope Guinea, funded by the Mohamed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (MBZF), and implemented […]
The CCAHD is thrilled to announce the publication of a new Children’s book, Keita and the Dolphins. Vibrant illustrations by Howard Gray bring to life a tale shared by Ibrahima Sory Camara, a storyteller in a fishing community in the Republic of Guinea. The tale relates the adventure of Keita, a young fisherman, who disobeys […]
The CCAHD is thrilled to have recently learned of three confirmed records of Atlantic humpback dolphins in Sierra Leone – a country that until now has been considered a ‘possible’ range country due to its geographic location and many areas of suitable habitat, but where no dedicated research or anecdotal records had confirmed the species’ […]
CCAHD investigators interviewing local people The Critically Endangered Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii, AHD) is found in small populations along a 7000km stretch of coastline in Central and West Africa – in nearshore habitats that are heavily used by humans for fishing, transport, and coastal development. Limited capacity and resources make it impossible to conduct […]
CCAHD partner, the African Marine Mammal Conservation Organization (AMMCO) has been working for 10 years to document marine mammal occurrence and threats in Cameroon and more widely in Central and West Africa. These years of work revealed that many marine mammal species, including Atlantic humpback dolphins and African manatees are threatened by poaching, habitat degradation […]
Over the past week two valuable measures have been adopted that should help to raise awareness of, and support for conservation of the Critically Endangered Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii). In the first instance, during its triennial Conference of Parties (COP) held in Uzbekistan on 12-17 February 2024, the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) formally […]
The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) will hold its 14th Conference of Parties (COP) in Uzbekistan from 12-17 February, 2024. Document UNEP/CMS/COP14/Doc.27.5.2/Rev.2 presents a new Single Species Action Plan (SSAP) for the Critically Endangered Atlantic humpback dolphin, along with a draft Resolution and draft Decisions for adoption. Adoption of the SSAP can help halt […]
On September 4th-7th, 2023 several CCAHD partners participated in the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Marine Megafauna Week for the Atlantic Coast of Africa, hosted in collaboration with the Regional Partnership for the Conservation of the Coastal and Marine Zone (PRCM) and the Government of Senegal. The meeting was organised with the primary intention of […]
In February 2023, a collaborative team led by Biotope Guinea undertook the first full-scale fisheries surveys in five fish landing sites in the prefecture of Forécariah. The interview surveys are part of a wider collaborative project to improve the knowledge and conservation of the Critically Endangered Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii) in Guinea. This project […]
Sousa teuszii surface in front of a fish landing and smoking site in the Delta Saloum, Senegal. Photo copyright Diana Seck, AACF/CCAHD From March 9-29th, 2023, team members conducted the third boat-based survey of the Saloum Delta, building on previous surveys conducted in July 2021 and March-April 2022. The boat surveys are part of a […]
In November 2022 CCAHD, Biotope, CNSHB and Guinee Ecologie continued the collaborative work on the study and conservation of the Atlantic humpback dolphin in Guinean waters. The project is supported by Mubadala Investment Company and its asset GAC and managed by the Mohamed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (MBZ Fund). Following the initial survey in […]
A new peer-reviewed paper titled “Range-Wide Conservation Efforts for the Critically Endangered Atlantic Humpback Dolphin (Sousa teuszii)”, published in a special issue of the journal Diversity, highlights the collaborative efforts undertaken at national, regional and international levels to improve the conservation of Critically Endangered Atlantic humpback dolphins. The paper frames these efforts in the context […]
In June 2022, the CCAHD, Biotope, the National Aquatic Science Centre of Bussuara (CNSHB) and Guinée Ecologie conducted the first boat surveys as part of a collaborative project on the study and conservation of Atlantic humpback dolphins in Guinea. During 3 weeks, an international team composed of researchers from Guinea, France and Slovenia collected information […]
In April 2022, the CCAHD was contacted through its Facebook site by members of the Trouk Youth Association to Protect the Gulf of Wadi Daha (TYA), a small NGO founded by wildlife tour operators with the aim of protecting the marine and coastal environment of Dakhla Bay, south of Morocco (جمعية شباب تروك لحماية خليج […]
On Thursday, May 12th, the collaborative project titled ‘Conservation assessment of the Atlantic humpback dolphin in Guinea’ was officially launched. The project is being implemented by the CCAHD in close collaboration with the Biotope International, Biotope Guinea, the Centre National des Sciences Halieutiques de Boussoura (CNSHB), Guinee Ecologie, and a range of local stakeholders. Biotope […]
By: Judicael Régis Kema Kema and Berthin Lembi (National Parks Agency -ANPN) Anges Marie Ngobou Ngobou (Provincial Fisheries Authority- DGPA) and Dr. Akendengue Aken Igor (Aquatic Species NGO) On the morning of December 22nd, 2021, fishermen from the coastal community of Cap Lopez, Gabon, found more in their beach seine net than they had bargained […]
The Street Whale event held in Cameroon on November 11th-13th, 2021, combined art and science to raise awareness of whales and other marine wildlife. The event was organized by CCAHD partner, the African Marine Mammal Conservation Organization (AMMCO) and its partners from in the city of Kribi on the southern coast of Cameroon. The event […]
In September 2021 three conservation organisations submitted a petition to the National Marine Fisheries Service today to list the Atlantic humpback dolphin under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). While this Act is part of US law, an official ESA listing, even for species occurring outside the US, can significantly improve the species’ survival […]
CCAHD Partner, Renatura Congo, have traditionally focused on sea turtle conservation and monitoring activities in the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville). Since 2018, Renatura have worked in Conkouati-Douli National Park and adjacent areas to monitor turtle nesting and strandings, and promote conservation with local communities and stakeholders. In March, they expressed a willingness to train their […]
CCAHD members have collaborated with Graphic design firm, Agenda28 to create an infographic that captures the most essential information about the Critically endangered Atlantic humpback dolphin. Available for download in English, French and Portuguese, this Infographic will be used to support government engagement meetings planned to take place in June and July 2021 in Gabon, […]
By Prof. Edem Eniang, Biodiversity Preservation Center (BPC), Nigeria (www.briodiversitypreservationcenter.org) On February 21st, 2021, Andrew Lynch and his wife were enjoying time on the beach roughly 25 km west of the Lagos Harbour, when they noticed dolphins just beyond the surf. They took photos, and upon returning home, looked for ways to share their sighting […]
The CCAHD is pleased to announce the publication of a collaborative report in English and French, highlighting the priority actions required for the conservation of the Critically Endangered Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii). The report is the result of extensive expert discussion on the current short- and medium-term priority data gaps and actions required to optimize […]
At the end of October 2020, the Loro Parque Foundation (LPF) confirmed the success of a funding proposal prepared by the African Aquatic Conservation Fund (AACF) and the CCAHD to carry out a survey of Atlantic humpback dolphins in Senegal. The survey aims to establish a baseline of data and tools required to better understand […]