A coastal wetland sanctuary of mangroves, chimpanzees, and waterbirds at the mouth of the Bandama River.
Azagny National Park
Azagny National Park is a protected coastal wetland in southern Côte d'Ivoire, located near the town of Grand-Lahou and roughly 130 kilometers west of Abidjan. The park lies at the mouth of the Bandama River, where the river meets the Ebrié Lagoon system, creating an extensive low-lying mosaic of mangroves, marshes, coastal savanna, and small patches of humid forest. Established as a national park in 1981 and recognized internationally as a Ramsar wetland site in 1996, Azagny represents one of the most important estuarine and mangrove-protected areas along the Ivorian coast. Its combination of tidal channels, swamp forests, and open savanna clearings supports a distinctive assembly of mammals, reptiles, fish, and migratory birds, including a long-studied chimpanzee community that inhabits islands within the park.
Beyond its ecological value, Azagny plays a meaningful role in regional conservation, culture, and livelihoods. The Office Ivoirien des Parcs et des Réserves, the national authority for protected areas, manages the site and works with surrounding communities to reduce poaching and unsustainable resource use. Visitors typically approach the park by pirogue through its maze of waterways, passing through dense stands of Rhizophora and Avicennia mangroves before reaching interior clearings such as the Ségui savanna. Whether viewed as a haven for forest elephants and dwarf crocodiles, a refuge for waterbirds, or a working example of West African coastal wetland protection, Azagny stands out as a small but ecologically rich national park.
