Conservation is most effective when everyone has a role to play.
Across Ghana, countless species of plants, animals, insects, and fungi share our landscapes, yet many remain undocumented or poorly understood. Protecting biodiversity begins with knowing what exists, where it occurs, and how it is changing over time. Recognising this, A Rocha Ghana in May, launched SNAP for Biodiversity, an initiative that harnesses the power of citizen science and digital technology to strengthen biodiversity monitoring while inspiring greater public appreciation for nature.
The contests invites people from all walks of life to become active contributors to conservation. Whether you are a student, community member, nature enthusiast, photographer, or simply someone who enjoys spending time outdoors, your observations can help build valuable knowledge about Ghana’s rich natural heritage.
Using digital tools, participants are encouraged to photograph and document plants, animals, insects, birds, fungi, and other forms of wildlife they encounter in their daily lives. These observations contribute to a growing pool of biodiversity data that can support conservation planning, research, education, and awareness.
Check out some of the entries we’ve had so far.
African Red-billed Hornbill
African Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus erythrorhynchus)
Captured during a Nature Photography class practical at Nyankpala Campus, UDS, Tamale, Ghana.
This beautiful bird, known for its bright red curved bill and striking spotted feathers, can be found in savannah woodlands and open forests across Africa. It plays an important role in seed dispersal and insect control, helping maintain healthy ecosystems.
Fun Fact: During breeding, the female seals herself inside a tree cavity while the male brings food to her and the chicks.
Nature is full of wonders waiting to be noticed.
Biodiversity is life, and every species counts.
Credit: Awumbo Aboyella
Mucuna sloanei
If you’re in Ghana, Mucuna sloanei is absolutely the star of that 90s and 2000s rural nostalgia.
Forget PlayStation and Xbox,this was our real gaming console! Who remembers being the Atɛ champion in their neighborhood?
From the stinging hairs on the pods to the perfectly smooth seeds we spent hours spinning, this plant (Mucuna sloanei) was the heartbeat of our childhood. I can still feel the heat from the friction burns!
It fixes nitrogen in the earth, feeds our local fruit bats at night, and even contains natural compounds used in medicine. On this International Day of Biological Diversity, let’s celebrate the plants that didn’t just give us a fun childhood, but keep our Ghanaian soil healthy and alive.
Credit: Benedicta Obenewah
Lantana trifolia
Lantana trifolia is sometimes called a “bird-friendly plant” because birds love visiting it for its berries, making the area around it lively and active. These tiny fruits provide food for birds and other small wildlife, while the flowers attract pollinators like butterflies and bees that help maintain healthy ecosystems. In some communities, the plant is also valued for its traditional medicinal uses.
Even the smallest fruits in nature carry life, beauty, and a story worth protecting.
Credit: Awumbo Aboyella
Bushbuck
Meet “Lucky” — a bushbuck juvenile and the gentle soul of Kyabobo National Park.
Lucky is the only bushbuck in the park known to be so friendly and close to humans. After sadly losing its mother shortly after birth, it was lovingly raised by the park managers, creating a special bond between wildlife and people.
Calm, beautiful, and full of life, Lucky is truly a wonderful reminder of why conservation matters. If you ever visit the Oti Region, make time to explore the park and experience this amazing creation for yourself.
Biodiversity is life, and every species counts.
Credit: Awumbo Aboyella
Lentinus Squarrosulus
Deep within the damp, shaded heart of tropical forests across Africa and Asia, a quiet magic awaits the thunder. To the untrained eye, there is only decaying wood. But when the skies finally break and the rainy season arrives, the forest floor witnesses a sudden, spectacular awakening.
This is the home of Lentinus squarrosulus, a wild, transient mushroom that lives in perfect harmony with the weather.
Like clockwork, the first heavy downpour triggers an explosion of life. Sprouting in dense, crowded clusters, these mushrooms unfurl their caps, release a flurry of spores into the humid air, shrink, and vanish into nothingness,all within a mere handful of days. Yet, they are never truly gone. They are merely waiting. The moment the next rain kisses the earth, they materialize out of thin air, reclaiming the exact same spot on the exact same log.
Lentinus squarrosulus is far more than a simple fungus. It is a master of survival, a culinary delicacy, and a hidden pharmacy, waiting in the wood for the next drop of rain to share its gifts with the world.
Credit: Benedicta Obenewah
Momordica foetida
Meet Momordica foetida—often called the stinking wild cucumber, or awoduan in Twi.
This tropical African climbing vine certainly lives up to its name with its stinky leaves, but it’s also known for its striking, spiky orange fruits.
When these fruits ripen, they pop open to show off bright red, sweet pulp that both birds and snakes love to snack on.
But this plant isn’t just a treat; it’s also a powerful tool in traditional medicine. Crushing the foul-smelling leaves into stagnant water acts as a natural mosquito killer, helping local communities fight malaria.
Credit: Benedicta Obenewah
Hoverfly
Captured during a Nature Photography practical session at the Nyankpala Campus of the University for Development Studies in Northern Region, this vibrant hoverfly pauses delicately on a tiny purple flower hidden within lush green leaves.
Though often mistaken for bees, hoverflies, also called flower flies or syrphids are harmless pollinators that contribute greatly to healthy ecosystems and biodiversity.
“Hoverflies may be small, but they play a huge role in our environment—pollinating plants, controlling aphids, and even helping to break down organic matter,” – (Royal Horticulture Society, 2025).
Remember that even the smallest creatures play an important role in nature.
Credit: Awumbo Aboyella
Talinium triangulare
I found this on the Legon campus, precisely in the lawns outside Legon Main Hall. This is Talinium triangulare, locally called Borkorborkor. It is good for stew, especially stew that goes with Yakayake. When prepared by an experienced Ewe cook, you can forget your name.
It is also added to animal feed because it is rich in nutrients, not only good for humans but also for farm animals.
Unfortunately, it is not domesticated. I mean it is not cultivated but harvested from the wild. Am still wondering why a good food like this has not been domesticated yet.
Credit: Cephas Glavee
Sunbird
From the ruins of a degraded land stripped of all nutrients, @gyemgh and WildRain resorted to agroforestry to gradually rebuild the soil and boost biodiversity presence and activities. We started on this new field in 2025 in Akwamu Kwanyarko and now in 2026, I am proud to share the sighting of a splendid sunbird perched right on our plantain.
Credit: Glorious Emmanuella
Leucaena leucocephala
This is the Leucaena leucocephala, spotted on Legon Hill near Vandal City,.
Although it was introduced into Ghana for beneficial purposes, it is now considered an invasive alien species (IAS). Its ability to produce large numbers of seeds, grow quickly, and thrive under harsh conditions allows it to spread rapidly and outcompete native vegetation.
Interestingly, Leucaena is not all bad. It is used as livestock feed, particularly for poultry, and as a leguminous plant, it helps improve soil fertility by fixing nitrogen. For this reason, it is commonly used in agroforestry systems.
This plant reminds us that some invasive species can present both challenges and opportunities, depending on how they are managed.
Credit: Cephas Glavee
Grasshopper
Tiny jumper, mighty role in the ecosystem 🦗🌿
Spotting this grasshopper reminds us that even the smallest creatures keep Ghana’s biodiversity buzzing.
Taken in Atewa Range Forest Reserve
Meet a master of camouflage and a key player in the food web.
Credit: Joana Okoampah
The Citron Bug
With its striking leaf-shaped legs and banded antennae, the citron bug (Leptoglossus gonagra) is a stylish but devastating orchard traveler.
Using its needle-sharp mouthparts, it pierces ripening fruit to sip the sweet juices inside.
This uninvited snacking causes crops to wrinkle, change color too soon, and drop from the branches early. While they love a sun-drenched citrus grove, these pests are far from picky.They happily feast on avocados, passion fruit, coffee, cacao, and garden vegetables alike.
The citron bug is a global traveler! While it is native to the Americas, it has successfully spread across the warmer regions of the globe,widespread throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar.
Credit: Benedicta Obenewah
Psychotria ankasensis
Meet Psychotria ankasensis, a tropical subshrub native uniquely to Ghana’s rich biomes.
Protecting rare, local species like this is how we safeguard the planet’s shared future.
Credit: noeghana
Mahogany
Mahogany (Khaya senegalensis)
The number one used medicinal plant in herbal preparations in Ghana. According to unpublished research of over 2,000 Ghanaian herbal products on the market.
It is classified as a vulnerable plant that needs protection by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Credit: Alfred Ofori Agyemang
Parasol mushroom or Amanita cokeri?
We received this photo from Mustapha Dauda, but we are not sure what species of mushrooms this is. We are torn between a Parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera) and an Amanita cokeri. Let us know if you are able to identify it.
Credit: Mustapha Dauda
Costus dubius
Costus dubius, also known scientifically as Costus albus, is a fascinating spiral ginger native to West and Central Africa. With its broad, gracefully spiraled leaves and eye-catching white flowers, this plant stands out beautifully in the tropical forest understory.
Beyond its beauty, the species plays an important role in both nature and traditional medicine. In parts of West Africa, including Guinea, its leaves and stems are commonly used in ethnomedicine to help relieve coughs and are traditionally believed to possess antipox properties.
The plant is also valuable to wildlife — its tender young shoots and leaves serve as a natural food source for primates such as the West African Chimpanzee, highlighting its importance within the forest ecosystem.
Credit: Benedicta Obenewah
African Giant Millipede
After a long night of rainfall in Akwamu Kwanyarko, the morn comes and out of the soil comes this beautiful African Giant Millipede. Rushing off while the soil is still moist and soft, so it can burrow, twist, turn and play happily. But then the farmer benefits the most because his field will be aerated, biomass decomposed and soil ready to receive his seeds.
Credit: Glorious Emmanuella
Jesse Joey Nkansah
Jesse Joey Nkansah is a passionate photography enthusiast with a keen eye for nature’s beauty. He was kind enough to share a stunning collection of photographs with us through #Snap4Biodiversity, capturing the incredible wildlife and natural wonders that surround us.
Take a moment to immerse yourself in these remarkable images and appreciate the rich biodiversity that makes our environment so special. Every photograph tells a story and reminds us why protecting nature matters.
Enjoy the beauty through Jesse’s lens.
#Snap4Biodiversity #CitizenScience #Biodiversity #NaturePhotography #Conservation
Grey Bellied Squirrel
Credit: Ayamga Bawa Fatawu
Olive baboon (Papio anubis)
Olive baboon (Papio anubis) carrying her infant on her back captured at Mole National Park at savannah region, Ghana.
Olive baboons are intelligent and highly social primates that live in groups called troops, communicating through sounds, social expressions, and body movements. Beyond their playful and mischievous nature, they play an important role in seed dispersal, ecosystem balance, and the food chain.
From their funny facial expressions to the energetic play of young baboons, these remarkable animals remind us of the beauty and the importance of wildlife.
Credit: Azoe Fataw
The stinking passion flower (Passiflora foetida) is a fascinating semi-carnivorous plant. Surrounding its flowers and fruits are delicate, lace-like structures called bracts that produce a sticky, enzyme-rich substance. This sticky coating traps and breaks down small insects, helping to protect the plant’s developing flowers and fruits from pests.
Native to the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, Passiflora foetida has spread widely and now grows in many tropical areas around the world, including parts of Africa and Southeast Asia, where it often thrives as a common weed.
Credit: Benedicta Obenewah
Yellow-billed Shrike
Captured at Nyankpala Campus, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana.
The Yellow-billed Shrike is known for its sharp eyesight, long tail, and striking yellow bill. Often seen perched quietly on wires or tree branches, it helps control insects in the environment.
Fun fact: Although they can appear calm and solitary, Yellow-billed Shrikes are very vocal birds and are often heard calling loudly before they are noticed. Their swift movements and constant calls make them one of the familiar sounds of the Nyankpala campus environment.
Credit: Awumbo Aboyella
The Frangipani(Plumeria)
This isn’t wild, but it’s quite a common tree in Ghana. The Frangipani(Plumeria)
Fun fact: in Hawaii, wearing this on your left ear means you’re taken.
Credit: Houdini on X
Butterfly pea plant
These are the flowers of the Butterfly pea plant (Clitoria ternatea) high is normally considered a weed.
Fun fact: The flowers can be used for teas and food dyes, and have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. #Snap4Biodiversity #ARochaGhana #GhanaBiodiversity
Credit: Houdini on X
Manihot esculenta(Cassava) plant
These are the leaves of the Manihot esculenta(Cassava) plant.
Fun fact: it works as a perfect substitute for kontomire/cocoyam leaves in stews.
Location: Kwashieman
Credit: Houdini on X
