Koko Kouadio Jean Francois Hori
The human population has been growing at an accelerating rate in recent decades (Environment & Population, 2011). This phenomenon is more obvious in regions where resources are still attractive. This is particularly true in areas close to protected areas. This is the case of the Taï National Park (PNT) and its surrounding area. Today, the scarcity of land resources on the periphery of protected areas exposes them to anthropogenic activities that jeopardise the biodiversity of protected areas (Fauret et al., 2018). The desire to conserve biodiversity by taking into account the needs and aspirations of local populations has become a reality since the Earth Summit in 1992 (Mouhamadou et al., 2013). To be effective, this conservation requires knowledge of biological diversity in order to take appropriate action in favour of threatened species (Gnahoré et al., 2020).
The Liberian mongoose Liberiictis kuhni (Hayman, 1958) is a small carnivore belonging to the Herpestidae family. It is the only species of the Liberiictis genus found only between eastern Liberia and western Côte d'Ivoire (Vogt et al., 2012). It is currently classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (IUCN, 2012). In Côte d'Ivoire, this species exists only in the TNP. It faces numerous threats due to the pressures exerted on its habitat. These pressures are mainly intensive poaching and massive deforestation by local communities.
The implementation of conservation programmes requires better knowledge of biodiversity in order to develop conservation strategies. Small vertebrates in general and mongooses in particular, are a zoological group that should be investigated because of their role in natural ecosystems. They are known for their important role as bio-indicators by turning over the soil. In addition, the Liberian mongoose is endemic to the project area (Vogt et al., 2012). Despite its restricted range, the Liberian mongoose has been the subject of very little research. This study aims to (1) Determine the relative abundance and distribution maps by capture of the Liberian mongoose in the TNP; (2) Assess the threats to the species in the Park; (3) Raise awareness of the impacts of human activities on the TNP.