Bandia reserve

The Bandia reserve is the first working enclosed breeding site for large animals in Senegal and the adjacent states, led by the Society for the Protection of the Environment and Wildlife in Senegal (Societé pour la Protecti­on de l’Environnement et de la Faune au Sénégal - SPEFS). The Bandia reser­ve lies 65 km east of Dakar (14°35‘ N, 17°00‘ W), on the south west border of ‘Forêt classée de Bandia‘. The Bandia reserve was established in 1990 on an economically exploited and markedly degraded baobab grove. In that year 460 ha were enclosed, later this was expanded to 750 ha and it is still expanding. The first stage of conservation was aimed at regenerating the damaged vegeta­tion and after that it was introducing the first animals. Introducing wild animals be­gan slowly in 1991 and reached its peak in January 1997 with the arrival of un­gulates from South Africa. Today a visitor to the 750 ha territory of Bandia can see 22 various species of African animals, of which 11 come directly from Sene­gal, the others coming from South Africa. The reserve’s operator (SPEFS) has thus directly taken part in preserving large savannah animals and their natural environment in Western Africa.

Background

Flora and vegetation

Fauna

Tourism