Cat fish (Chrysichthys walkeri)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 172515990

Ecology and Conservation of the endangered endemic Chrysichthys walkeri in the Pra Basin, Ghana

Chrysichthys walkeri is only known from Pra Basin in Ghana. The species has been classified as Endangered owing to its small area of occupancy (AOO) of less than 500 km2 (IUCN, 2010). The population is decreasing rapidly resulting from human led disturbance impacts such as mining activities, commercial timber harvesting, poor farming and domestic sewage discharge in the Pra Basin. Of all these threats, illegal alluvial gold mining in the Pra Basin is the key driver of rapid population reduction of this species. This project will, therefore, provide the first comprehensive information on the population status, ecology, and extent of threat of Chrysichthys walkeri. This information is critical in developing conservation policy and publicizing the conservation needs of this endemic and threatened species. Through this project, locals including small scale miners, fisher folks, farmers and students and other stakeholders depending on the Pra basin will also be informed and educated on the imminent threat of extinction of this species and other sympatric fish and wildlife species, and the massive degradation reposed on the Pra basin.