BSoihooud eitv ael.:r  sBiiotdyiv aernsitdy  aSndt astattuuss o of cfe tCaceeatnas icne Baennins,  Win. A Bfriecanin, West Afric1a2:1
an Initial Assessment
Z. Sohou1, J. Dossou-Bodjrenou2, S. Tchibozo3, F. Chabi-Yaouré2 , B. Sinsin4  and K. Van
Waerebeek5 6*
1 Centre de Recherches Halieutiques et Océanologiques (CRHOB), CBRST, 03 BP 1665
Cotonou, Benin
2 Musée des Sciences Naturelles, Nature Tropicale ONG, Lot 4477 “R” Yagbé 06 BP 1015
Akpakpa Pk 3, Cotonou, République du Bénin
3 Centre de Recherche pour la Gestion de la Biodiversité (CRGB), Cotonou, République du
Bénin
4 Natural Resource Conservation, Rector of the University of Abomey-Calavi, 01 BP 526
Cotonou, République du Bénin
5 COREWAM-Ghana, c/o Department of Marine and Fisheries Science, P.O.Box LG99,
University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana & COREWAM-Senegal, Musée de la Mer, de Gorée,
IFAN-Ch.A.D, Dakar, Senegal
6 Centro Peruano de Estudios Cetológicos (CEPEC), Museo de Delfines, Pucusana, Lima
20, Peru
*Corresponding author; E-mail: corewam@gmail.com
Abstract
No published literature is available on the whales and dolphins of Benin. A first insight in the cetacean biodiversity
based on stranding, capture and sighting records, as well as a preliminary assessment of status, is provided.
Seven species were authenticated: humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae, common bottlenose dolphin
Tursiops truncatus, Atlantic spotted dolphin Stenella frontalis, false killer whale Pseudorca crassidens, short-
finned pilot whale Globicephala macrorhynchus, Cuvier’s beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris and sperm whale
Physeter macrocephalus. Two additional taxa were confirmed at genus level, i.e. common dolphin Delphinus
sp. and minke whale Balaenoptera sp. All reported species also occur in Ghana or Togo. Concern is expressed
that in Benin, as in some other western African nations, coastal communities increasingly exploit stranded and
by-caught cetaceans to supply a thriving, albeit illegal, marine bushmeat trade. Small cetaceans were also taken
intentionally in the absence of efficient controls of landings or other management measures. Although presently
at subsistence scale, the threat of wider commercialization exists. In view of the limited number of validated
species, voucher specimens and scarce biological baseline information, opportunistic sampling must be expanded
to include more systematic and dedicated research, in particular, ship-based marine mammal surveys. It is
recommended that graduate students at Benin’s universities play a central role.
Introduction of Benin´s biodiversity either did not discuss
The Republic of Benin, in the northern Gulf whales and dolphins for lack of information
of Guinea, ranks among western Africa’s (Sinsin & Owolabi, 2000), or provided
coastal nations for which knowledge of general species information (Sohou, 2011,
cetacean biodiversity is minimal (Perrin & 2012). Remarkably, the oldest known record
Van Waerebeek, 2012). Not a single may date from only 20 years ago, namely
published paper, and only a few unpublished the weathered skull of an unidentified large
reports, focus on Benin’s cetaceans. Reviews whale on the beach of Grand-Popo
122 West African Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 21(1), 2013
(06°16.459' N, 01°49.923' E) reportedly watching sorties during the southern
stranded ca. 1993 (Sohou et al., 2001). hemisphere humpback whale calving/
The first research efforts initiated in 2000- breeding season in an attempt to consolidate
2002 with three sighting surveys to evaluate marine ecotourism and enhance conservation
the presence of humpback whales awareness of aquatic mammals among the
(Megaptera novaeangliae) on Benin’s Beninese public (Nature Tropicale ONG,
continental shelf, organised in collaboration 2011).
with the Centre de Recherches Halieutiques The objective of the present paper is to
et Océanologiques du Bénin (CRHOB) of compile and analyse all data on cetacean
CBRST, the Laboratoire d’Ecologie biodiversity in Benin, both incidental records
Appliquée de l’Université Nationale du Bénin and (few) sightings from surveys, and, thus,
(FSA/UAC), NGO Nature Tropicale, inform concerned people on one of Benin’s
Direction des Pêches, Centro Peruano de least known marine resources.
Estudios Cetológicos (CEPEC) and
sponsored by the Netherlands Committee- Materials and methods
IUCN (Sohou et al., 2001; Van Waerebeek The study area extends over the 125 km of
et al., 2000, 2001a,b, 2002; Van Waerebeek, Benin’s coastline (Fig. 1), from Kraké beach
2003).  Since then, Nature Tropicale (NT) (06°22.327' N, 002°42.574' E), district of
has continued occasional small-scale whale- Sèmè Kpodji in the east (border with Nigeria)
Fig. 1.  Coast of Benin as study area, situated in the northern Gulf of Guinea.
Sohou et al.:  Biodiversity and status of cetaceans in Benin, W. Africa 123
to Hilla-Condji (06°13.775' N, 001°37.695' Van Waerebeek (2007) observed two
E), district of Grand-Popo in the west (border common bottlenose dolphins interacting with
with Togo) and extending offshore to the edge an artisanal purse-seine set in 18 m deep
of the trapezoid-shaped continental shelf, 22– water, some 300 m from shore. The dolphins
24 km off the west coast (Ouidah) and up to lept over the float-line in and out of the netted
32 km off Kraké. The shelf covers an area area, clearly in pursuit of captured fish (Table
of slightly more than 2,800 km² between the 1). The shallow habitat, small group size and
10–100 m isobaths and 3,100 km² up to the behaviour suggested members of an inshore
200 m isobath (Troadec & García, 1979). T. truncatus population.
Since 2000, volunteer observers The incomplete mandibles of an old
(écogardes) received training in basic data bottlenose dolphin (field N° BE0105),
collection on sea turtles and aquatic captured and consumed at Ayiguinnou
mammals at the Muséum Nature Tropicale (06°15.716' N, 01°10.477' E) 2–3 years
(MNT), Cotonou, Benin. The authors, earlier, were donated to MTN by local
volunteer observers and a few collaborating fishermen on 17 September 2001. The wide
fishermen opportunistically recorded diameter of teeth (number in lower left row:
cetacean strandings and captures. Photo- 21) also suggest an inshore population.
graphic evidence and some voucher A group of four large and stocky dolphins
specimens, to support species identifications, briefly approached the M/V Dauphin in 31
were archived at MNT. Seven odontocete m deep water, in October 2000 (Table 1).
sighting records were extracted from the Their back-lighted silhouette and size was
database of three boat-based surveys, which consistent with bottlenose dolphins, however,
established the viability of humpback whale unable to confidently exclude Stenella
ecotourism in Benin in 2000–2002. Observer frontalis, they were registered as probable-
effort  (duration and distance) was, T. truncatus (Van Waerebeek et al., 2001).
respectively, 55 h 48 min for 349.6 nautical Naturalist Jan Vlaar (28 May 2000, in litt.
miles surveyed during 12–19 October 2000, to KVW) and several locals reported seeing
53 h 01 min for 318.1 nmiles (6–21 dolphins, thought to be T. truncatus, from
September 2001), and 64 h 41 min for 434.7 beaches, especially at Grand-Popo, Djegbadji
nmiles (1–9 October 2002) (Van Waerebeek (Sohou et al., 2001) and Sèmè Okoun.
et al., 2000, 2001a, b; Van Waerebeek, 2003; Captures of bottlenose dolphins are common
Tchibozo & Van Waerebeek, 2007). Two in Ghana (Debrah et al., 2010, Van
small marine biological collections in Cotonou Waerebeek et al., 2009; Ofori-Danson et al.,
were perused for cetacean specimens. 2003; Van Waerebeek & Ofori-Danson,
1999) and have also been documented in
Results and discussion Togo (Seniagbeto & Van Waerebeek, 2010;
Family Delphinidae (Oceanic dolphins) Segniagbeto et al., in press) and Nigeria
Common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops (Uwagbae & Van Waerebeek, 2010).
truncatus  (Montagu, 1821) False killer whale  Pseudorca crassidens
One confirmed sighting, one probable (Owen, 1846). The small marine biological
sighting record and one specimen record exist collection at the Direction des Pêches,
for Benin. In September 2001, Tchibozo & Ministère de l’Agriculture, d’Elevage et de
124 West African Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 21(1), 2013
TABLE 1
Sightings of small odontocetes in Benin waters in 2000-2002.
Species Date position Group size Comments Source
best (min-max)
Delphinidae 15/10/2000 06.2061 N 4 (4-5) #151000-16. Short-snouted, most unpublished
02.39862 E probably T. truncatus but Stenella data
frontalis not excluded; back-
lighting, dark aspect; 31m depth.
Tursiops 11/09/2001 06.29820 N 2 (2-2) #110901-11. Adult dolphins leap unpublished
truncatus 02.39322 E over float-line of artisanal data
purse-seine net, nearshore
18m depth. Vessel: Dauphin.
Delphinus sp. 02/10/2002 6.19943 N 18 (18-20) #021002-11; 14.9km from shore Van
2.25781 E green water; fast travel and Waerebeek
bowride 10min; single, cohesive et al. (2002)
group, Vessel: Dauphin.
Delphinus sp. 03/10/2002 6.23497 N 12 (11-13) #031002-14; 25m depth; 13.4km Van
2.59200 E from shore, green water. fast Waerebeek
travel and bowriding. Cohesive et al. (2002)
group, 3 adult/calf pairs.
Vessel: Dauphin.
Delphinus sp. 07/10/2002 6.20460 N 25 (23-33) #071002-20. 24m depth; 14.9km Van
2.29788 E from shore. Vessel: Sakana. Waerebeek
Travelled jointly with next sighting, et al. (2002)
but did not mix.
Stenella sp. 07/10/2002 6.20460 N 3 (3-4) #071002-20. 24m depth; Van
2.29788 E 14.9km from shore. Smallish, dark Waerebeek
stenellids. Vessel: Sakana. et al. (2002)
Travelled jointly with above group,
but did not mix. In contrast with
common dolphins, these smallish,
dark stenellids left as vessel
approached (cf. poor views).
Stenella 08/10/2002 6.15200 N 10 (8-13) #081002-23. Heavily spotted Van
frontalis 2.14928 E adults and unspotted juveniles; Waerebeek
depth 230m; 18.5km from shore. et al. (2002)
Bowride/wake-ride. Vessel:
Sakana.
Sohou et al.:  Biodiversity and status of cetaceans in Benin, W. Africa 125
Fig. 2. Mummified head of false killer whale,
Pseudorca crassidens, at the Fisheries Director-
ate in Cotonou. Photograph by K.Van Waerebeek
Fig. 3.  Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala
Pêche, Cotonou, holds the mummified head macrorhynchus landed at Ekpè in 2011, to be sold
of an adult false killer whale Pseudorca as marine bushmeat. Photograph by K. Joma, Na-
crassidens (Fig. 2) (Van Waerebeek et al., ture Tropicale
2001a, 2009; Tchibozo & Van Waerebeek,
2007). Tooth counts are UL8, UR8, LL10, 02°32.4834' E) on 24 April 2011 (Fig. 3).
LR10. The teeth, circular in cross-section, The animal was destined for marine bushmeat
allow a positive differentiation from the killer but skeletal remains were buried by MNT
whale Orcinus orca, which has oval teeth. volunteers for later retrieval. This specimen
Although circumstances were unclear, the represents the first authenticated record of
conservator confirmed that without exception G. macrorhynchus in Benin, however, the
all collection specimens originated from species is not uncommon in the subregion.
Benin, therefore, this P. crassidens represents In Ghana, short-finned pilot whales account
the country’s first record. Documented cases for 9.4% of cetacean landings (Van
in West Africa remain scarce (Jefferson et Waerebeek et al., 2009; Debrah et al., 2010).
al., 1997; Weir, 2010; Perrin & Van Common dolphins Delphinus sp.
Waerebeek, 2012), but records of strandings Linnaeus, 1758. Three small groups, an
and captures indicate that P. crassidens is estimated 12-25 common dolphins in total,
widely distributed in and contiguous to the were sighted in October 2002, two
Gulf of Guinea. Strandings are known from individuals of which briefly played in the bow
Assini, Côte d’Ivoire (van Bree, 1972), Cap wave (Table 1, Fig. 4). Rostra were
Esterias, Gabon (Van Waerebeek & De Smet, intermediate in length and while some
1996) while three false killer whales were features, including colouration, suggested
landed at Apam, Ghana (Van Waerebeek et short-beaked common dolphins, intraspecific
al., 2009; Debrah et al., 2010). variation in the external morphology of
Short-finned pilot whale Globicephala common dolphins in West Africa has not been
macrorhynchus  Gray, 1846. One short- studied statistically. Hence, it was premature
finned pilot whale was landed by artisanal to assign these dolphins to any of the two
fishermen at Ekpè (06°21.9306' N, recognised species D. delphis or D. capensis
126 West African Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 21(1), 2013
Fig. 4. Common dolphin, Delphinus sp. sighted on 7 Fig. 5.  Severed head of a young male Cuvier’s beaked
October 2002 (Table 1, record #071002-20). Pho- whale, Ziphius cavirostris, at Togbin in 2011 (see
tograph by K. Van Waerebeek. text). Photograph by C.-Y. Fai, Nature Tropicale.
(Heyning & Perrin, 1994; Jefferson & Van
Waerebeek, 2002).
Atlantic spotted dolphin  Stenella frontalis
(Cuvier, 1829).  On 8 October 2002 a small
group (n = 10) of both heavily spotted adult
Atlantic spotted dolphins and barely spotted
immature animals approached M/V Sakana,
18.5 km offshore in 230 m deep water (Table
1). The adults’ large, robust bodies and their
heavy spotting were consistent with the
coastal form of Stenella frontalis (Perrin,
2009).
Fig.  6.  Marine bushmeat obtained from a Cuvier’s
Family Ziphiidae (Beaked whales) beaked whale at Togbin, gathered at one site be-
Cuvier’s beaked whale,  Ziphius fore equitable distribution among locals. Photograph
cavirostris  Cuvier, 1823. In the morning by C.-Y. Fai, Nature Tropicale.
(09:00 h) of 14 August 2011, locals of
Fidjrossè, Togbin (06°27.635', N Cuvier’s beaked whale was swiftly
002°23.492' E), Département du Littoral, exsanguinated, decapitated and sectioned in
witnessed three small whales swimming close chunks with machetes and knives. Fishermen
to shore. Fishermen returning from nocturnal and locals shared the meat (Fig. 6). None
fishing operations alerted associates onshore seemed aware or concerned of the protected
and jointly managed to drive one animal into status of cetaceans, although the local press
shallow water. By attaching a rope around raised the issue (Fraternité, 2011).
the tailstock the shore-based crew, aided by The anogenital region of the Cuvier’s
onlookers, pulled the ca. 4 m long whale beaked whale was covered in bite marks and
towards the beach (Fig. 5). The male scars presumably by cookie-cutter sharks
Sohou et al.:  Biodiversity and status of cetaceans in Benin, W. Africa 127
(Isistius spp.)  Z. cavirostris being a deep- cm, however, sperm whale neonates measure
water, oceanic species (Heyning, 1989; Baird from 395– 420 cm (Best et al., 1984; Clarke
et al., 2006), the reason for these beaked et al., 1964, 2011). Either body length was
whales venturing into shallow, coastal habitat not measured in the standard way, or it was
is unknown. In the Gulf of Guinea, only one a near-term foetus.
other specimen of Z. cavirostris is Historically the hunting of sperm whales
documented, a juvenile captured off Axim, occurred year-round on the Atlantic ‘coast
Ghana, in 1994 (Van Waerebeek et al., of Africa’ sperm whaling ground between
2009). Beyond that, the geographically latitudes 03°-23° S (Townsend, 1935; Weir,
nearest records are two sightings off Angola 2010). Five authenticated specimens (Benin,
(Weir, 2006). 1; Ghana, 2; Togo, 2) (Ofori-Danson et al.,
2003; Van Waerebeek et al., 2009;
Family Physeteridae (Sperm whales) Segniagbeto & Van Waerebeek, 2010;
Sperm whale  Physeter macrocephalus Segniagbeto et al., in press), suggest that this
Linnaeus, 1758. On 19 April 2010 the MNT stock extends into the northern Gulf of
museum was alerted by the Service Guinea, and that it also breeds there.
Environnement du Port Autonome de
Cotonou that a small sperm whale had Family Balaenopteridae (rorquals)
stranded on a beach within the port’s security Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae
zone. One of the authors (JDB) and agents (Borowski, 1781). An adult humpback whale,
of the Direction Générale des Forêts et stranded on the beach of Kraké-Iro
Ressources Naturelles from Ministère de (06°22.327' N, 002°42.574' E), 2 km from
l’Environnement et de la Protection de la the Benin-Nigeria border, on 24 October
Nature documented the event (Fig. 7). The 2007. Locals fiercely competed for access
carcass was buried in situ without biological to the carcass and  its meat. MNT volunteers
sampling. Body length was reported as 367 managed to collect only a minor fraction of
the skull, deposited at the museum,
everything else was cut up. On 11 July 2009,
volunteers from Sèmè Kraké reported that
another, apparently adult, humpback whale
had stranded dead on the beach of Kraké-
Iro. Again local youngsters rushed to carve
out chunks of meat despite the decomposed
state (code 3–4) of the carcass (Fig. 8).
Humpback whale strandings, including
calves, have also been documented in Togo,
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire (Segniagbeto & Van
Waerebeek, 2010; Van Waerebeek et al.,
2009; Tchibozo & Van Waerebeek, 2007).
Fig. 7.  Neonate/foetus of sperm whale, Physeter The suspected principal mortality causes are
macrocephalus found stranded near Cotonou port anthropogenic and include ship collisions and
Photograph by K. Joma, Nature Tropicale. net-entanglements.
128 West African Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 21(1), 2013
(Van Waerebeek et al., 2010) imply
parturition in these waters. Humpback whales
in the northern Gulf of Guinea are now
thought to form part of a very wide-ranging
population with wintering grounds from
Angolan coastal waters  (Weir, 2010) north
and west to the wide continental shelf
between Conakry, Guinea and Cap Vert
Peninsula, Senegal (Bamy et al., 2010; Van
Waerebeek et al., 2012).
Fig. 8.  Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae Minke whale, unidentified form
stranded on Sèmè Kraké beach, in 2009, causes a
frenzy among local youths despite the carcass’ (Balaenoptera sp.). A team of Nature
advanced state of decomposition. Photograph by Tropicale ONG collected the incomplete
D.-B. Bosajos, Nature Tropicale. calvaria of a small balaenopterid whale on 5
November 2008 from the beach at
Three boat-based surveys to evaluate the ‘l’embouchure de la Bouche du Roy’, Grand-
feasibility of whale-watching tourism in Popo (06°16.673' N, 001°48.701' E). The
Benin, in October 2000, September 2001 and whale had stranded some 3 weeks earlier,
October 2002, recorded, respectively, 40, 26 from an unknown cause. The specimen,
and 42 humpback whales (Sohou et al., 2001; examined by KVW, was cranially adult as
Van Waerebeek et al., 2000, 2001a,b; Van evidenced by moderately advanced
Waerebeek, 2007; Tchibozo & Van synostosis of cranial sutures and good overall
Waerebeek, 2007). This species is seasonally ossification. Maxillae, praemaxillae, nasal
present off Benin and Togo from early bones and mandibula were missing.
August till mid-November (occasionally early . Greatest width across zygomatic
December), indicating a wintering ground of processes of squamosals measured 93.5 cm.
a Southern Hemisphere population, earlier The axial distance from the occipital condyli
referred to as the Bight of Benin substock to anterior apex of vomer measured 168 cm.
(Van Waerebeek, 2003; Van Waerebeek et This condylovomeral length would only beslightly shorter (guessed at <20 cm) than the
al., 2001a,b). condylobasal length (CBL), distance from
Other nations that border the northern the occipital condyli to the anterior apex of
Gulf of Guinea, i.e. Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, the missing (prae) maxillae.
Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon and Equatorial As pointed out by Jefferson et al. (2008),
Guinea are also confirmed range states (Van balaenopterid whales with adult CBL <200
Waerebeek et al., 2001, 2009; Picanço et cm include only the two minke whale species
al., 2009; Segniagbeto et al., 2011; Ayissi et (Antarctic minke whale B. bonaerensis
al., 2011). Neonates commonly observed in Burmeister, 1867, common minke whale B.
Benin and Togo (Van Waerebeek et al., acutorostrata Lacépède, 1804) and Omura’s
2000, 2001a,b; Segniagbeto and Van whale Balaenoptera omurai Wada, Oishi &
Waerebeek, 2010; Segniagbeto et al., in Yamada, 2003. However, Omura’s whale is
press) and a live-stranded neonate in Ghana not known to occur in the Atlantic Ocean.
Sohou et al.:  Biodiversity and status of cetaceans in Benin, W. Africa 129
Shape and size of the occipital bone, have been more intensively surveyed (Ofori-
synvertex, frontal bones and squamosals of Danson et al., 2003; Van Waerebeek &
the Grand-Popo specimen are consistent with Ofori-Danson, 1999; Debrah et al., 2010).
minke whales. An elaborate comparative With comparable coastal habitat, an additional
osteologic and genetics analysis that might 5-10 species were expected to be distributed
elucidate the minke whale species involved, off Benin. However, unlike in Ghana,
is pending. A net-entangled Antarctic minke upwellings occur rarely and are weak
whale was landed at Lomé port, Togo, in (FCWC, 2012) and abundances could be
1999 (Segniagbeto & Van Waerebeek, 2010; lower for cetaceans that feed in Benin’s
Segniagbeto et al., 2012), merely 60 km west waters.
of Grand-Popo. As in Ghana and Togo (Van Waerebeek
et al., 2004; Segniagbeto et al., 2012), the
Incertae sedis Atlantic humpback dolphin Sousa teuszii
The vertebral column of a small, neither was found in Benin. Klinowska
physically immature delphinid in the (1991) cited Dahomey, Benin’s precolonial
collection of the Direction des Pêches had kingdom name, among the range states,
no associated data, and it was not studied in however, without providing voucher data.
any detail. Short vertebral corpora  and One hypothesis proposes that humpback
general morphology of vertebrae suggested dolphins may have practically disappeared
a Stenella sp. A decomposed whale was in these nations due to unsustainable level of
reported stranded at Hocognon Codji by-catches and deterioration of nearshore
(06°20.285' N, 002°12.874' E) on 10 habitat, perhaps in combination with other
September 2001 but was washed out to sea anthropogenic factors (Van Waerebeek et al.,
again when KVW checked the site a week 2004). In the alternate, less plausible,
later. On 19 September 2001, locals at Sèmè hypothesis these coastlines never formed part
Okoun, near the Nigerian border, showed of the species’ native range. If local extirpation
the authors a fractured whale rib taken from would be confirmed, it would not bode well
an unidentified whale stranded in 1998. for Atlantic humpback dolphin in other range
states, where coastal development is
Cetacean biodiversity occurring at a high pace.
The opportunistic collection of data on
the cetacean fauna of Benin started as Conservation and management
recently as 2000, so the current knowledge Marine mammals are protected in Benin
of cetacean biodiversity in Benin remains under national legislation (Law N°.93-011 of
poor (Sohou, 2011, 2012). The only 3 August 1993) that regulates hunting and
dedicated cetological research consisted of ecotourism in the country. Benin has also
three short surveys for humpback whales in ratified several international conventions,
2000-2012 (Sohou et al., 2001; Van which extend varying levels of protection to
Waerebeek et al., 2000, 2001a,b). All seven cetaceans, including the Convention on
species (six odontocetes and the humpback Biological Diversity (CBD; 30.06.1994),
whale) here described for Benin are also CITES (28.05.1984), the Convention on
documented from Ghana where landings Migratory Species (CMS; 01.04.1986) and
130 West African Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 21(1), 2013
the International Convention for the some Beninese coastal communities, e.g. at
Regulation of Whaling (26.04.2002), Sèmè and Hillacondji. Followers of voodoo
ensuring voting rights at the International regard cetaceans as sacred animals (‘totems’)
Whaling Commision (IWC). Further, Benin not to be hunted nor hurt (Sohou et al.,
is signatory to the CMS Memorandum of 2001). However, the authors’ findings
Understanding concerning the Conservation suggest that traditional beliefs are slowly
of the Manatee and Small Cetaceans of eroding and stranded and by-caught
Western Africa and Macaronesia (WAAM; cetaceans are nowadays more likely
03.10.2008). considered a source of marine bushmeat
Marine artisanal fishermen operate from (Clapham & Van Waerebeek, 2007).
80 fishing-villages distributed over four Fishermen also increasingly resort to
coastal departments of Benin (FCWC, 2012). opportunistic direct takes of small cetaceans.
The most recent figures (albeit dating from A comparable phenomenon has been
1999) indicated 4345 artisanal fishermen reported in neighbouring countries and may
including 2234 Beninese (51.4%), 1993 occur at regional, western African level
Ghanaians (46%), 115 Togolese (2.54%) and (Ofori-Danson et al., 2003; Bamy et al.,
three Nigerians (0.06%). Fishing arts include 2009; Debrah et al., 2010; Segniagbeto, et
gillnets, purse-seines, beach seines, and hook al., 2012; Uwagbae & Van Waerebeek,
and line. The fishing fleet was comprised of 2010).
816 operational canoes, 46% of which are In 2001, the Cotonou port, Ayiguinnou
powered by outboard engines, according to and Agoué were known sites of dolphin trade
the 1999 socio-economic survey (FCWC, and consumption, but others have followed.
2012). Artisanal fishermen in Benin widely Embracing traditional values with respect to
complain about a reduction in fish catches, marine mammals may continue to provide a
which is supported by a decrease in artisanal powerful autochthonous protection against
fisheries CPUE of 0.128 t/day-sortie in 1998 out-of-control demand for marine bushmeat.
to 0.091 t in 2010 (CRHOB, Cotonou, Since a few years virtually all cetacean
unpublished data). Fishery exploitation is specimens beached on Benin’s shores, from
carried out under rather confused alive to slightly decomposed, have been
circumstances, which results in an butchered for consumption. As exemplified
unregulated evolution of the production due by the Cuvier’s beaked whale case, some
to an ineffective and approximate follow-up. ‘live-strandings’ may in fact involve actions
There is lack of knowledge concerning akin to a drive-fishery. The true extent of
fishing grounds, a deficient socio-professional the exploitation will not be revealed until an
organization and stock management linked effective national monitoring and reporting
to a fragmentary state of fisheries science system can be implemented.
(FCWC, 2012). Population identification and abundance
As in parts of Togo and eastern Ghana estimation constitute two essential
(Debrah et al., 2010; Segniagbeto & Van information categories required for status
Waerebeek, 2010; Segniagbeto et al., in assessments. It is recommended that faculties
press; Van Waerebeek et al., 2009), dolphins of biology and veterinary sciences at Benin’s
still enjoy a certain level of protection among universities guide a few graduate students
Sohou et al.:  Biodiversity and status of cetaceans in Benin, W. Africa 131
towards field research in marine mammalogy Tourisme is recommended to evaluate the
while the Government of Benin could aid further development of responsible marine
with research and study grants. Marine ecotourism including whale-watching.
mammal expertise is applicable nationally in Countries such as South Africa and
issues pertaining to marine resource Mozambique (Hoyt, 2001) earn appreciable
management and conservation, marine foreign currency from marine wildlife
protected areas (MPAs), assessment of tourism.
fisheries interactions, ecotourism and seismic Acknowledgement
surveys, among others. Ship-based research D.-B. Bosajos and K. Joma are gratefully
will be vital, if not (costly) dedicated surveys, acknowledged for the use of their
then from platforms-of-opportunity such as photographs. P. K. Ofori-Danson is thanked
coast guard and whale-watching vessels. A for constructive comments on a draft. Boat-
long-term, year-round programme from based surveys in 2000-2002 were sponsored
opportunity vessels would generate significant by the Netherlands Committee-IUCN, kindly
relative abundance data, allowing first facilitated by Jan Kamstra. Other institutions
assessments of seasonal and interannual that contributed in various ways include
abundance and distribution fluctuations. Laboratoire d’Ecologie Appliquée of FSA/
Copies of raw sighting data and digital images/ UAC, Centre de Recherches halieutiques et
video collected by marine mammal observers Océanologiques du Bénin (CRHOB) of
on geophysical seismic vessels exploring for CBRST, and Direction des Pêches. NGO
hydrocarbons in Benin’s EEZ should be put Nature Tropicale was supported in 2000 by
at disposal for independent analysis. the Centre Béninois pour le Développement
Completing the inventory of Benin’s Durable (CBDD) and The Netherlands
cetaceans and mapping spatial and temporal government. Missions to Benin by K. Van
distributions should feature prominently in Waerebeek were sponsored by UNEP/CMS-
any follow-up work. Enhanced knowledge WAFCET 3 Project, IFAW, and a private
can underpin actions to improve awareness grant by Mrs Melanie Salmon.
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