Chabi A. M. S. Djagoun

University of Abomey-Calavi | UAC · Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi

Abstract Pangolins are globally threatened by unsustainable hunting for local use and illegal international trade, plus habitat loss. In Benin (West Africa), white‐bellied and giant pangolins have experienced a contraction in their distribution areas and population decline during the last two decades. To better understand the factors underlying dec...

Grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus) is a large-body old world rodent found in sub-Saharan Africa. The body size and the unique taste of the meat of this major crop pest have made it a target of intense hunting and a potential consideration as a micro-livestock. However, there is insufficient knowledge on the genetic diversity of its populations a...

In West Africa, the bushmeat trade is a major societal issue with contrasting implications on biodiversity, health and economy. We studied perceptions of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the bushmeat trade dynamics through questionnaires addressed to 377 vendors across three West African countries. We showed that bushmeat vendors constitute a...

Background African pangolins are currently experiencing unprecedented levels of harvesting, feeding both local demands and the illegal international trade. So far, the lack of knowledge on the population genetics of African pangolins has hampered any attempts at assessing their demographic status and tracing their trade at the local scale. We condu...

We tackle the potential impact of bushmeat markets (BM) and traditional medicine markets (TMM) on the functional diversity of mammalian communities in southern Benin. A hybrid approach combining direct observations, DNA-typing and questionnaires allowed us to identify 94 species-level taxa across 11 mammalian orders, the greatest ever reported numb...

We tackle the potential impact of bushmeat markets (BM) and traditional medicine markets (TMM) on the functional diversity of mammalian communities in southern Benin, West Africa. A hybrid approach combining direct observations, DNA-typing and questionnaires allowed us to identify 94 species-level taxa across 11 mammalian orders, the greatest ever...

Monitoring of the ecological and social, including economic aspects of uses of wild species is critical for sustainable use. Progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets is assessed using global indicators, however to date, there is not a comprehensive set of global indicators able to monitor statu...

Understanding what shapes the mammal species poaching in protected areas is critical to developing targeted management strategies for reducing poaching. We collected the data for poaching incidents on the GPS coordinates from 2011 to 2017 to map poaching incidents in the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve. Poaching incidents were then related to environmen...

Illegal hunting of wildlife is one of the major issues in tropical ecosystems, especially when it occurs in highly degraded habitats with forest cover fragmentation. In this study, we assessed the impact of bushmeat hunting in a large forest patch (the Lama Natural Forest; LNF) and 11 nearby forest islands, using Traditional Ecological Knowledge fr...

Tree hyraxes (Dendrohyrax) are one of only three genera currently recognized in Procaviidae, the only extant family in the mammalian order Hyracoidea. Their taxonomy and natural history have received little attention in recent decades. All tree hyrax populations of Guineo-Congolian forests of Africa are currently treated as a single species, Dendro...

We are an international group of biological scientists, conservationists, and environmentalists who have been closely following the plight and conservation of pangolins over a number of years. Pangolins comprise the mammalian Order Pholidota, which contains eight living species found in diverse habitats in Africa (4 species) and Asia (4 species), w...

This thesis endeavours to understand how grazing and browsing herbivores co-exist, with special emphasis on understanding the mechanisms of competition and facilitation over temporal and spatial scales. We focused on feeding ecology and habitat use study of the free ranging bovid species of Pendjari Biosphere Reserve in Northwestern Benin. Here we...

This study was conducted to assess the distribution and occurrence areas of the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) outside the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve (PBR). Data were collected from 2018 to 2019 through the prospection of 139 grids of 2 km x 2 km. Tracks of hippo occurrence outside the protected area were surveyed and presence data in...

Ecosystems and protected areas in particular provide important services to local communities which are incentives for the conservation of natural resources. The study was carried out in the Lama Forest Reserve, one of the last remains of dense forest in southern Benin, in order to assess the knowledge and perception of local populations on ecosyste...

This presentation was in the framework of the 5th International scientific day of the African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES) held December 6-9, 2021 at Dakar, Senegal. The topic was: International trade in Python species (Python regius and Python sebae) in Benin: Current situation and implications for conservation.

We conducted in the Dahomey Gap (DG) a pioneer study on the genetic tracing of the African pangolin trade. We sequenced and genotyped 189 white-bellied pangolins from 18 forests and 12 wildlife markets using one mitochondrial fragment and 20 microsatellites loci. Tree-based assignment procedure showed the ‘endemicity’ of the pangolin trade, as stri...

Identification and assessment of the influence of socio-cultural beliefs in the perception of ecosystem services values are increasingly important for the management of forest resources. In this paper, we present a comparative study of local perceptions of the diversity of ecosystem services, values and priorities between communities living near sa...

It was the 106th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, held virtually August 2-6, 2021 at Washington DC, United States of America (USA). My presentation was focused on the Occurrence areas of common hippopotamus outside the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve, northern Benin: implication for the sustainable conservation

this presentation was in the framework of the 3th week of the Biodiversity and Forestry Research that held the May 17-25, 2021 at the General Office of Water, Forest and Hunting, Benin. My presentation was focused on the challenge of the international trade of the camelidae species in Benin.

Health risks associated to the use of tropical wildlife have so far been envisioned through the lens of zoonotic pathogens spread by the bushmeat trade, putting aside the equally vibrant network of traditional medicine markets (TMMs). We collected information on the preservative techniques used for animal body parts from TMMs in Benin through a sem...

Background Pangolins are trafficked in unsustainable volumes to feed both local and global trade networks for their meat and the medicinal properties of their derivatives, including scales. We focus on a West African country (Benin) to assess the medicinal and spiritual values of pangolins among different ethnic groups and identify the cohort of bu...

Tree hyraxes (Dendrohyrax) are one of only three genera currently recognized in Procaviidae, the only extant family in the mammalian order Hyracoidea. Their taxonomy and natural history have received little attention in recent decades. All tree hyrax populations of Guineo-Congolian forests of Africa are currently treated as a single species, Dendro...

The ball python or royal python (Python regius) is a widespread snake in western Africa and the most exported live CITES-listed species from Africa (Benin, Ghana, and Togo) through ranching and informal networks. The research aimed to map the current distribution and future distribution of the ball python (Python regius) in Benin and to assess thre...

Recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a Biosphere Reserve, the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of the Mono Delta is known for its rich biodiversity, including some critically endangered species, and role in providing important ecosystem services. The objective of this study was to maintai...

Bowé (hardened ferricrete soils formed by erosion, drought or deforestation) are often associated with termite mounds, but little is known about these mounds and their role in the restoration of soils and plant biodiversity on bowé . This study examined termite mounds on bowé and their effects on soil depth and plant richness. Sixty‐four sampling p...

In a context of fragmentation of forest landscape and sustainable use of orchid species, an analysis of the local knowledge base is necessary for developing conservation strategies of orchid habitat. This study aims at i) assessing factors affecting local perception on conservation status of orchids, and ii) determining degradation factors of their...

Classé dans la catégorie ‘espèce vulnérable’ sur la Liste Rouge de l’UICN et du Bénin, l’hippopotame commun est fréquemment observé en dehors des Aires Protégées. L’étude visait à identifier les caractéristiques phytoécologiques des zones fréquentées par l’hippopotame commun le long de la Rivière Pendjari. Conduite dans les Communes de Natitingou e...

Understanding factors limiting rare species is a major concern in conservation ecology. Little is known about how large mammalian bovid species from West Africa partition diet resources, and to what extent the rare topi antelope and other sympatric bulk grazers can cope with this co-existing system. Using tooth collagen stable isotope data, we stud...

Hunting is an important activity for the survival of local communities. However, unregulated hunting threatens the sustainability of wildlife and subsequently affects the same populations. This study investigated bushmeat hunting practices and their implications in wildlife sustainable management in Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina-Faso). A total of 226 hun...

Although pangolins are considered to be one of the most trafficked wild mammals in the world, their conservation status remains uncertain through most of their ranges, and notably in western Africa. Using local ecological knowledge in combination with direct occurrence evidence, we assessed the distribution and abundance of the white-bellied pangol...

The silver butter catfish (Schilbe intermedius) is widely distributed across African river systems. To date, information on its mitochondrial genetic diversity, population structure, and historical demography are not well-established. Herein, we combined newly generated mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COI) subunit I gene sequences with previous...

Tropical savannah zone experiences a high level stress for surface water availability, especially in the dry season which takes six months or more. This situation impacts wildlife for their feeding, drinking and consequently their distribution patterns. The number of surface water ponds in Pendjari Biosphere Reserve (PBR) used for watering wil...

Understanding the spatial distribution of animals and Human-Wildlife Conflicts, play a significant role in wildlife conservation for the benefits of both animals and communities living in the vicinity of the protected areas. This research aims to identify factors influencing common hippopotamus distribution and abundance along the Pendjari Rivers a...

My contribution talk was from my Master's thesis and was focused on the Common hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius (Linnaeus, 1758) distribution along Pendjari River and local perceptions on human-wildlife conflicts in agricultural landscapes outside the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve. It was my first participation for scientific conference at national...

The present document provides guidelines for writing an excellent and relevant research proposal at MSc as well as at PhD level. Writing a meticulous proposal will help students establish the groundwork for their research study. It will also help them pre-empt any problems they may experience during the course of their writing and research. This gu...

There is an increasing need for monitoring schemes that help understand the evolution of the global biodiversity crisis and propose solutions for the future. Indicators, including temporal baselines, are crucial to measure the change in biodiversity over time, to evaluate progress towards its conservation and sustainable use and to set conservation...

Spotted-necked otters (Hydrictis maculicollis) are present in several major river systems in southern Benin, and their environmental requirements link them to food and water security issues as the region is so densely populated by humans. The lack of baseline data on their distribution and ecology is another major constraint that the species is fac...

The effectiveness of protected areas to guarantee future conservation of several plant species remains questionable. This study was carried out in the Biosphere Reserve of Pendjari (BRP) and surrounding unprotected areas to assess the efficiency of the reserve to conserve orchids. A total of 90 plots (52 in protected areas; 38 in unprotected areas)...

Background The habitat degradation together with fragmentation and illegal hunting represent a major threat for biodiversity conservation in Lama protected areas. Method We used a combination of questionnaire survey with local communities for ranking the hunted mammal species as bushmeat and track surveys in gridded-cell system of 500x500 m ² (n=2...

In Benin, people have a rich ethnobotanical knowledge of plant species, reflecting the cultural and ecological diversity of their environment. Several studies were focused on the question of how valuable are plant species for local communities. However, there has been very little research interest in the orchid species in spite of the importance of...

In Benin, people have a rich ethnobotanical knowledge of plant species, reflecting the cultural and ecological diversity of their environment. Several studies were focused on the question of how valuable are plant species for local communities. However, there has been very little research interest in the orchid species in spite of the importance of...

The common hippopotamus is among the wildlife species most responsible of human-wildlife in Africa. The species conservation should then include an improved management of conflicts with humans. In order to better appraise human-hippopotamus conflicts in Adjamè community reserve in south-eastern Benin, a survey was conducted in the neighboring settl...

The study was based on 107 studies and data concerning disperser species, plant species and family, fruit type and size, seed size plant life form and the habitat, were presented in matrix form. Data from this matrix were used in determining the disperser species diversity considering large taxonomic groups (mammals, birds and reptiles) and selecti...

Knowledge on faunal diversification in African rainforests remains scarce. We used phylogeography to assess (i) the role of Pleistocene climatic oscillations in the diversification of the African common pangolin (Manis tricuspis), and (ii) the utility of our multi-locus approach for taxonomic delineation and trade tracing of this heavily poached sp...

Understanding the mechanisms of species coexistence within local assemblages can play a crucial role in conservation of a species. There is little understanding of how large mammalian bovid species from West Africa partition diet resources, and to what extent they may vary their diet and habitat selection seasonally in order to coexist. Here we stu...

Orchidaceae is an exceptionally diverse family with beautiful flowers and food-flavoring natural products. This study aims to assess epiphytic and terrestrial orchid diversity in the rain season in the Biosphere Reserve of Pendjari (BRP)

The spotted-necked otter (Lutra maculicollis) is believed to be declining across its range and, in Benin, has recently been listed as endangered. In Benin, the spotted-necked otter is largely restricted to the south of the country, where it is threatened by a number of factors, including conflict with fishermen. Understanding the nature and extent...

Multiple land uses including tourism, hunting, and agriculture around protected areas can be a serious complication for wildlife management. We calculated habitat selection indices (Manly’s alpha) for 10 bovid species in the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve in Benin, west Africa, to assess if habitat use differed in each bovid species between hunting and...

Multiple land uses including tourism, hunting, and agriculture around protected areas can be a serious complication for wildlife management. We calculated habitat selection indices (Manly's alpha) for 10 bovid species in the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve in Benin, west Africa, to assess if habitat use differed in each bovid species between hunting and...

This study examines the environmental factors affecting the density of the exploited giant land snail species, Archachatina marginata, Achatina fulica and Limicolaria flammea in the Dassa-Zoumè district of Benin. Thirty plots of 30 m £ 30 m were laid out, within four vegetation types (fallows, forest, woodlands and wood savannah). Inside each plot...

Niche theory suggests differential use of shared resources facilitates coexistence of species in a community. In this study we used the faecal stable isotope analysis with observations along transect lines perpendicular to the Pendjari River. This was to examine seasonal habitat features and diet partitioning between two sympatric bovid species wat...

Niche theory suggests differential use of shared resources facilitates coexistence of species in a community. In this study we used the faecal stable isotope analysis with observations along transect lines perpendicular to the Pendjari River. This was to examine seasonal habitat features and diet partitioning between two sympatric bovid species wat...

This study was performed to gain more knowledge about the Bohor reedbuck time budget and vigilance in a savanna habitat. Detailed data on the time-budget were collected through focal animal observation technique to determine whether the time budget activities of Bohor reedbuck was affected by vegetation cover and to test if herd size, position in h...

Bovid diets have been studied for decades, but debate still exists about the diets of many species, in part because of geographical or habitat-related dietary variations. In this study we used stable carbon isotope analyses of faeces to explore the seasonal dietary preferences of 11 bovid species from a West African savanna, the Pendjari Biosphere...

A common problem affecting many animal species is the soaring demand 10 for their body parts for use in medicinal products. In Benin, in spite of intense 11 commercial exploitation of wildlife for medicinal purposes, no official statistics on 12 the use of animals for medicinal and magic/religious purposes are available and 13 consequently, there i...

The recent discovery of a lineage of gray wolf in North-East Africa suggests the presence of a cryptic canid on the continent, the African wolf Canis lupus lupaster. We analyzed the mtDNA diversity (cytochrome b and control region) of a series of African Canis including wolf-like animals from North and West Africa. Our objectives were to assess the...

Wild edible trees are expected to play a significant role in the crop diversification programs and agroforestry development in Africa. In the present study, the diversity of wild food species and socio-economical factors that support farmers' choice for the species used in these systems were assessed. A number of selected sites in each of the 3 cli...