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. Since 2002, this activity has been carried out in the period from the end of April to the beginning of May. For the year 2008, the count took place from 02 to 21 May 2008.

The objective of this count, like those of previous years, 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 (kilometric indices —IK) of the various species.The areas covered by the 2008 census remained consistent with those of previous years:

1. The Bangoutchiré area,

2. The Brabon area,

3. The Koudou Sapingou area,

4. The area of pond 25,

5. The area of the triple point elephant hut

6. The “triangle” zone,

7. The Mekrou hunting area,

8. The hunting area of La Djona.

This report provides a brief overview of the Park W Complex, outlines the methodology for data collection and processing, and presents the results of this 2008 census.