Introduction:
 On the 25th March 2008 the
Secretary of State for Forestry & Environment gazetted / declared Bolong Fenyo as the Gambia's first Community Wildlife Reserve. The
site is located in the Village of Gunjur,
Kombo South, along 2 kilometres of the Atlantic Coastline. Its area's
geographical coordinates are 16°47’ E - 16° 47’ E - 13°21’N -13°23’N
and covers a total area of 345 hectares.
Its distance from
Banjul is 35 km.
Ecosystem:
This area of Gunjur
incorporates mangroves,
dry woodlands and coastal dune scrub.
The area is very fragile and provides critical roosting ground for
both residential and migratory species of birds. It is also a breeding
ground for green turtles. Such ecosystems include marine, coastal
dune, fresh water mash,
mangrove, woodland/savanna and thicket. The presence of
mangroves makes it an ecologically important locations for spawning
and chick rearing. However, human activity in the area is damaging the
delicate ecosystem. Because of the threat the Gunjur Environmental Protection and Development Group, the local
 people, the
Department of
Parks and Wildlife and the World Bank came together for the project
which is called the Integrated Coastal and Marine Biodiversity
Management Project.
Avi-Fauna:
The importance of the
area is because of the diversity of bird species found their which for
example is a roosting and feeding area for sea gulls, terns, and other
avian species. Because its shoreline location is on the western most
tip of Africa means that it is one of the stop-overs on the flight
 path for many Palearctic migrants species. Among these are Caspian
terns, black winged stilt, black backed gull. In 2006, 76 species of
birds (marine and woodland), were recorded from Bolong Fenyo.
Fauna:
So far 11 reptilian
species and 16 mammal species have
been recorded. Past the shoreline there are 3 crab species, bottle
nose dolphins and humped backed bottle nose dolphins, mudskippers and jellyfish.
The green turtle which is a threatened species also comes to lay its
eggs on the beach.
 Among the reptiles are: black forest
cobra, spitting cobra, geckoes, Nile monitor, chameleon and the
African python.
Among the mammals are: Sun squirrel, Epaulet
fruit bats, hare, Gambian mongoose, the porcupine and others.
Flora:
Typical plants in the
woodland and scrub are rhun palm, African locust bean, baobab, Acacia
and mango trees.
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