Published
05 Aug 2022
A collaborative biodiversity project to create a safe haven for wildlife near our Sabodala-Massawa mine
The West African chimpanzee is a critically endangered species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is protected in Senegal. Approximately 5-7% of the Senegalese chimpanzee population live on our Massawa concession.
To help protect, and hopefully grow the chimpanzee population, we have established a 1,500 hectare ‘No Go Zone’ on our mining permit to protect the chimpanzees’ habitat.
The project includes a wide range of actions including the provision of water points for wildlife, restoration of pits, the implementation of bush fire preventative measures, the construction of a protective wall between the pits and forest areas and re-vegetation of the previously disturbed areas.
Stakeholder engagement is central to the success of this project, as our host communities will play a key role in developing the conservation strategy. Working collaboratively with a range of local government authorities and environmental bodies, we have combined both a scientific and a traditional knowledge approach to adapt our strategies in ecosystem management and environmental assessment. Moreover, as the project develops, we are identifying income-generating activities with members of the communities which include agriculture and beekeeping initiatives.
As we strive to make a meaningful contribution to the biodiversity around Sabodala-Massawa, we hope that this new conservation project creates a long-lasting impact so that in 20 years’ time the protected and preserved area could be a refuge and haven for wildlife. Carefully managing and maintaining the range of flora and fauna at our operations is an important part of our commitment to responsible environmental stewardship. The recent growth in our portfolio has provided great opportunity to expand the work we do to protect our environment and promote biodiversity across West Africa.