The 2024 annual waterbird census was held this Monday, January 15, 2024, at the Djoudj National Bird Park in Saint Louis, northern Senegal. On this occasion, Senegal's National Parks Directorate (DPN) applauded WACA's participation (West Africa Coastal Area Management Program).

Colonel Bocar Thiam, the Director of National Parks, who coordinated this activity, expressed his sincere gratitude to the WACA Project - Senegal, which supported the organization of this important operation for the 2024 edition.

Under Component 3 of the WACA Project, Senegal and Mauritania have agreed to contribute to the restoration of ecosystems and the revival of ecotourism in the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of the Senegal River Delta (RBTDS), jointly created under the auspices of UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Program.

It is within this framework that the WACA-Senegal Project is supporting the restoration of the RBTDS through high-impact actions to regenerate ecosystems, promote ecotourism, improve the livelihoods of populations bordering protected areas, and strengthening the institutional capacities of the services responsible for the management of the National Park of the Langue de Barbarie (PNLB) and the Saint-Louis Marine Protected Area (AMCP-SL). Memoranda of understanding have been signed between the national management of these structures and the WACA Project, together with operational action plans. 

Senegal organizes the International Waterbird Census (IWC) annually, in line with the international community. This significant operation is coordinated at the national level by the National Parks Directorate, the focal point for the Conventions on Biological Diversity (CBD), Ramsar, Bonn, and migratory species (CMS).

This activity, requiring the mobilization of significant human and logistical resources, provides continuous qualitative and quantitative information on the dynamics of targeted bird populations in relation to the evolution of habitats.

The IWC is an activity that requires the participation of several national structures, projects, and programs such as DAMCP, DEFCCS, OLAG, WACA, RAMPAO, national and international civil society organizations (ASAN, NCD, AMO, ACTS, WIA, PRCM, Wetlands International Birdlife, IUCN, OMPO, ONCF, etc.), goodwill partners, and volunteers.

Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition Minister. Mr. Alioune Ndoye, accompanied by a large delegation, took part in the event, to the satisfaction of the entire stakeholder community, who were delighted by his presence and expressed their gratitude.