The Best of Sierra Leone

Summary

Sierra Leone is a name that many people are familiar with; however, few are aware of the diverse range of wildlife that can be found in this less visited west African country. With habitat ranging from coastal estuaries to grasslands and lush forests, we can expect to find a superb variety of birds and mammals. Well over 600 species of birds have been recorded here, including all 14 of the Upper Guinea Forest endemics, along with over 200 mammal species, roughly 750 butterflies, over 2,000 higher plant species and around 100 species of reptiles and amphibians combined. Among the more unusual of these are the shy Pygmy Hippopotamus, the prehistoric- looking White-necked Rockfowl (Picathartes), Rufous Fishing Owl, Gola Malimbe, Diana Monkey, Forest Elephant, rare wintering Pallid Harrier, Turati’s Boubou, Africa’s largest butterfly, the African Giant Swallowtail, and other endemic and regionally endemic species.