Founded in the year 2000, the National Marine Park of João Vieira Poilão (PNMJVP) represents one of the biodiversity hotspots of the West African coast and a site with an exceptional landscape value. Poilão island is the third most important nesting site for green turtles Chelonia mydas in the Atlantic, and the largest known nesting colony on the west coast of Africa. The Park also hosts an important population of the rare Timneh parrot Psittacus timneh, a charismatic and endangered West-African endemic species. The Park’s fish fauna is very rich and diversified. Its waters are home to several endangered species (e.g. Guitarfish Rhinobatos sp., Sawfish Pristis sp.) and to an important community of marine birds dominated by terns, particularly during the winter. Other Long-distance migrants, namely shorebirds from the Artic, also use this park as a wintering area.

 

This project aims to provide scientific instruments for the management and monitoring of the  PNMJVP, reinforcing the collective capacities of local communities, national researchers and the team of the Park. The main objectives are:

 

• Perform the first inventory of the biodiversity of the area;

 

• Document the use of space and resources and measure its impacts;

 

• Provide baseline information and methodologies for long-term studies;

 

• Contribute to assess the impacts of climate change on biodiversity;

 

• Reduce the pressure by increasing the presence of actors on the ground, developing conservation measures and finding alternatives together with local communities.

 

• Produce scientific publications and communication materials.

 

The implementation of the project is carried out by IBAP, in partnership with ISPA – Instituto Universitário and with the participation of local communities. The project is funded by MAVA - Fondation pour la Nature, with contributions from other institutions, like the World Parrot Trust, the Rufford Foundation, and the Foundation for Science and Technology (Portugal).