Wildlife of Liberia

Liberia is a relatively small country in West Africa, situated above the equator and bordering Sierra Leone, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, and the Atlantic Ocean.

The country’s coastline is characterized by lagoons, sandbars, brackish marshes, and mangrove swamps. Inland, rolling coastal plains and grasslands transition into tropical rainforests, dotted with low mountains, with the highest elevations in the north-east and north-west.

Liberia is also home to large sections of Upper Guinean Forest – one of the world’s great tropical forest ecosystems that are rich in endemic and rare species.

Liberia supports an impressive array of fauna. Marine, freshwater and terrestrial species are well represented. At present, our knowledge of the country€™s fauna is still developing. Recent research work has identified several species previously unrecorded in Liberia. So far, a number of endemic species have been found, such as the Western Nimba Toad and the Liberian Greenbul.

The rich fauna found in Liberia and the key ecosystems that the country provides has contributed to the allocation of a number of conservation designations within Liberia and across the region of West Africa. In Liberia, these include Important Bird Areas such as the Sapo National Park and Wetlands of International Importance, such as Lake Pisso. The Upper Guinea Rivers and Streams WWF Global 200 site which straddles the borders of Liberia is recognized as a critical region for freshwater species including several West African endemic fish and some mammals, such as the Pygmy Otter-shrew.

• Diana monkeys,
• Chimpanzees,
• Pygmy hippos
• African golden cat
• Liberian mongoose
• African civet
• Giant forest hog
• Speckled throated Otter
• Duickers
• Pangolins
• Pygmy otter shrew

When to visit Liberia to search for wildlife

Liberia is safer to visit than it has been in years. Stability has returned to Monrovia and the coast and infrastructure are slowly being restored, though roads are still largely surfaced, making overland travel difficult during the rainy season from May to November so travelers should look out from December to April.