The Regional Programme Park W Protected Ecosystems of Sudano-Sahelian Africa (ECOPAS) aims to reverse the process of degradation of natural resources in the Park for the benefit of local populations. To achieve this objective, a development and management plan (PAG) for Regional Park W was developed. Among the components included in the PAG is ecological monitoring, the implementation of which is annually provided for in the Program Specifications and the PTA of the W — Benin National Park Directorate.

One of the activities of this ecological monitoring is the annual wildlife count. This activity is carried out jointly with the Niger and Burkina Faso Component of the ECOPAS Programme in the spirit of regionality, the harmonization of a database common to the three components of the Programme and the minimization of biases that could be induced by the migratory movement of animals. Since 2002, this activity has been carried out in the period from the end of April to the beginning of May.

The objective of this count is to have a qualitative and quantitative view of the fauna of the W National Park Complex for a basis for planning activities, proposing felling quotas and making decisions in the implementation of the PAG. Specifically for this report, it is necessary to have data on species richness, encounter rates, abundance indices (kilometer indices — IK) of the various species.

The areas covered by the 2007 count remained in line with those of previous years:

1. The Bangoutchiré area,

2. The Barabon area,

3. The Koudousapingou area,

4. The area of pond 25,

5. The triple point area - elephant cabin

6. The “triangle” zone,

7. The Mekrou hunting area,

8. The hunting area of La Djona.