In northern Senegal, in the heart of the wetlands bordering the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, the inhabitants of the villages of Déby and Tiguette can breathe a sigh of relief. A nearly 3-kilometre-long dyke has been built and a canal completely cleaned out to reduce the risk of flooding… and breathe new life into an ailing ecological zone.

This work is part of the LIFE AWOM project, an international initiative led by Wetlands International Europe, to conserve the Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola), one of the world’s most endangered migratory passerines. Every year, this tiny bird stops over in Senegalese wetlands to spend the winter. But in recent years, its resting and feeding conditions have deteriorated significantly.

The Khoyoye Canal finally opened

Long blocked by sediment and invasive vegetation, the Khoyoye Canal has now been completely cleaned by eco-guards from the park’s outskirts. Thanks to the rapid deployment of machinery, the 2.5 kilometres of the canal were dredged in only five days, between 10 and 15 July, around the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary.

A manager on the ground explains:

We had to act quickly. The rainy season was approaching and every day counted.

Challenge accepted: on 20 July, the floodgates of the Djoudj backwater were opened, releasing water into wetlands that are crucial for these migratory birds.

A dyke to protect and prevent

Senegal is home to important wintering areas for the Aquatic Warbler but is facing increasing degradation of these habitats due to salinisation, the invasion of canals by typha and agricultural pressure. To address these threats, in addition to dredging the canal, a 2.9 km-long dyke has been built, enabling also to protect Déby and Tiguette, two local villages regularly threatened by flooding.

This measure not only protects populations from flooding, but also plays a key role in restoring ecosystems: by regulating water flows, it restores access to certain wetlands for the Aquatic Warbler, while strengthening the resilience of human habitats in a region where rice cultivation is central to the local economy.

A project combining nature and local resilience

This work has been carried out under the leadership of our LIFE AWOM partner Wetlands International Africa and their collaboration with the Senegalese National Parks Directorate, with the support of local communities, mainly the Eco-guards Economic Interest Group on the outskirts of the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary.

It marks a new stage in the fight to preserve the Aquatic Warblers in Senegal, currently the only country involved in the LIFE AWOM project where the security situation still allows for field interventions.