Use of Local Ecological Knowledge to Detect Declines in Mammal Abundance in Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve, Ghana

The scarcity of environmental data means that other sources of information are needed to complement empirical evidence for conservation decisions. We, therefore, aimed to explore Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) on mammal abundance and qualitative population trends through interviews from 331 local people in and around Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve, Ghana. The results show that 62% of the respondents perceived that mammal abundances had decreased, 31% perceived stability, and 8% perceived that mammals had increased between 2006 and 2017. The respondents attributed the decline to habitat degradation and illegal hunting. The knowledge of local people about mammal population trends is consistent with reported mammal encounters by law enforcement rangers. However, the length of residence, location of communities, and cardinal direction of communities influenced local peoples' knowledge of mammal abundance and population trends. Our results highlight the ability of LEK to provide reliable ecological information on animal abundance and qualitative population trends. Integrating LEK into monitoring and management is appealing because it can be cost-effective, enhance community participation, and provide novel insights into sustainable resource use.