WECHIAU, Ghana, July 07 -- A team of researchers, comprising Danes, Americans and some Ghanaians have arrived at Wechiau, in the Wa district of the Upper West Region to draw strategies for development of the hippopotamus sanctuary into an international tourist centre.

Earth Watch, a United Kingdom-based international environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO) is sponsoring the research, which is in its third phase.

He said the animals were multiplying by 2.5 per cent annually adding that over 200 different species of birds and different kinds of poisonous snakes peculiar to the area have been identified.

Dr Oduro said the phase would dwell on the types, lifestyles - location, feeding habits and reproduction - of the different species of birds, monkeys, bats and reptiles and find ways of conserving them to attract international tourists into the area.

Dr Oduro said the researchers would also research into the sex and age structures of the hippopotamus.

Apart from that, the Principal Investigator said there were also different species of trees, which would be researched into to find out their medicinal values to society.

Dr Paul Beier, a Wildlife Ecologist from the Northern Arizona University School of Forestry, said a Peace Corps voluntary team has arrived from Washington to assist in the research and would spend two weeks at the sanctuary to help the permanent researchers.

He cautioned against poaching, which he said could retard the progress in the sanctuary and as a result discourage potential tourists from visiting the area.

Mr Tokali Naa Walamini, Chairman of the Wechiau Hippopotamus Sanctuary Committee said the community would provide labour to improve on the lodges at the sanctuary.

He said the community has already elected four guides to patrol the sanctuary on daily basis to ward off intruders and to take tourists round to satisfy their tourist desires.

Mr Patrick Adjewodah, Community Conservation Co-ordinator of Nture Conservation Research Centre, (NCRC) a Ghanaian NGO, said they were the proponents of the project and would, therefore offer technical assistance and advice to facilitate the development of the sanctuary.

He said NCRC in collaboration with Ghana Tourists Board Board would promote the planning and implementation of the project to achieve it objectives.