The African Mammals Databank is a GIS-based databank on the distribution and conservation
of all the big and medium-sized mammals over the whole African continent. The databank has
been implemented by the IEA (Institute of Applied Ecology), in co-operation with several
institutions in Africa, during a three-year project funded by the European Commission,
Directorate-General for Development (DG VIII). It was designed to collect, store,
organise and pre-analyse data for distribution to institutions and individuals
worldwide concerned with the design and implementation of conservation projects
in Africa: its scope is to provide national and international authorities,
organizations, projects, etc. with a set of baseline data to be used in the
analysis and implementation of conservation and management actions in Africa.
The data bank covers the whole African continent excluding Madagascar, and includes
a total of 281 species, belonging to 12 orders and 28 families. The two species of rhinos
(Diceros bicornis and Ceratotherium simum) were excluded because data on the last few areas
in which they are found are being kept from the public and we did not want to interfere
with this important decision; the elephant (Loxodonta africana) was also excluded
because an excellent and detailed database in a format very similar to the one
proposed here is kept in Nairobi by the Elephant Specialist Group of the Species
Survival Commission SSC/IUCN - World Conservation Union.
For each species a set of data on its distribution, ecology, conservation status,
etc. has been produced. The project's output is expected to add significantly to
the understanding of the status, trends, and threats of the African mammals, both
the large charismatic and the smaller, lesser known species. The project's output
will be made available to all the institutions dealing with research and
conservation of animal species at national and international level; for
example many analyses aimed at the study of specific aspects of the
conservation of individual species, homogeneous taxonomic groups or particular
African regions can be carried out with the databank in its current form.
Such ad hoc analyses could also be performed by the IEA on request of
conservation or development agencies or other national and international
organisations, or for scientific research on conservation biology issues.
All data are available through this web site or may be requested on CD-ROMs
or in a printed volume at the address iea@mclink.it