Lake Guidimouni: Diversity of Vertebrate Fauna and its Threats

Abstract

Lakes provide many services to humanity. However human activities affect negatively the function of the lakes to deliver their values to society. It is in this sense, this study tried to assess the effects of human activities on the dryland lake (Lake Guidimouni) mostly, the effects of the human activities on the vertebrate fauna. This study will close the paucity of data about the diversity of vertebrate fauna in the West African Sahel Lake. Therefore, this study assessed the diversity of vertebrate fauna and its menaces in Lake Guidimouni, Niger. We used Field investigations and questionnaires for the data collection. While we used descriptive statistics and the number of species, the number of families of the different classes of vertebrates recorded in the lake. The study recorded 21 vertebrate fauna species across the four vertebrate classes (Fish species = 7; Bird species = 7; Amphibian species = 2 and reptile species = 5) in the lake Guidimouni based on the field observation and questionnaire. More specifically the study recorded six fish species belonging to the six families in the lake with as Cichlidae dominant family. While we recorded seven bird species with Ardeidae having the high species richness (3 species) belonging to three families. Furthermore, five species of reptile were recorded belonging five families in the lake Guidimouni. Lastly, two amphibian species were identified belonging to two families. Secondly, the study documented the many threats to Lake Guidimouni biodiversity mainly illegal poaching, salinity, the use of the chemicals, overexploitation such as overfishing, invasion by species such as Typha australis and Prosopis juliflora, destruction of the lake by unsustainable farming practices such as cutting down of trees and drying up of the lake. This study constitutes the baseline reference about the impacts of human activities on the dryland lake (lake Guidimouni) in Zinder region, in Niger. The study recommends some ecological restoration activities of lake Guidimouni such as the removal of the invasive species, enforcement of law and regulation about the use of chemicals in the lake. It also recommends further study which look at socio-economic and ecological benefits of the lake Guidimouni in the context of changing climate.