Fieldwork in the Akagera National Park (Rwanda)

Three members of the KEAFISH team, Maarten Van Steenberge, Heleen Maetens, and Nathan Vranken, participated in a summer school organized by the Senckenberg Biodiversity Centre, the University of Rwanda and African Parks. The summer school took part in Akagera National Park (Rwanda) between 25-10-23 and 4-11-23. The intent of this summer school was to assess the freshwater fauna of this national park, to share taxonomic capacity with Rwandese scientists, and to build a reference collection in Rwanda. We were, together with colleagues from the University of Rwanda, responsible for assessing the fish fauna of the national park. Being invited to this campaign benefitted the KEAFISH project. Namely, the Akagera River borders the National Park and is of key importance to understanding the biogeography of the East African fish fauna. 

In ten days, the team collected 32 species of fish from 16 different locations. The results of this summer school will be used to formulate conservation recommendations for the management of the National park and to assess the conservation status of East African Freshwater taxa.