Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (French: Réserve naturelle intégrale du Mont Nimba) is a protected area and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in both Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire, extending over a total of area of 175.4 km2 (43,300 acres), with 125.4 km2 (31,000 acres) in Guinea, and 50 km2 (12,000 acres) in Côte d'Ivoire. The reserve covers significant portions of the Nimba Range, a geographically unique area with unusually rich flora and fauna, including exceptional numbers of single-site endemic species, such as Nimbaphrynoides (a genus of viviparous toads), the Nimba otter shrew, and multiple species of horseshoe bats. Its highest peak is Mount Richard-Molard at 1,752 m (5,750 ft), which is the highest peak of both countries.
The strict nature reserve was established in 1943 by Order No. 4190 SE/F in Côte d'Ivoire and in 1944 by decree in Guinea. The Guinean part was accepted as a biosphere reserve in 1980. Both reserves were combined to form one World Heritage Site in 1981 (Guinea) and 1982 (Côte d'Ivoire) because of its outstanding biodiversity and unique mosaic of tropical habitats.[1] Iron-ore exploration for mining in the most vulnerable montane zone started in 1992, and the reserve has been listed as a World Heritage Site in danger since then.[1] For the sake of an improved protection, a conservation management centre is being built by Guinean Parks Foundation. The project was approved by the Guinean Government and CEGENS in 2016.
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