Table 4 Relative frequency of citation of animals used in traditional medicine in Ghana and their conservation statuses (n = 42)
Common name | Scientific name | Class | Distribution across ecozones* | Family | IUCN Status** | CITES status*** | Current population trends**** | Number of citations | Relative frequency of citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chameleon | Chamaeleo spp. | Reptilia | 4CFTG | Chamaeleonidae | Variable | II | Variable | 34 | 0.81 |
Lion | Panthera leo | Mammalia | 4CFTG | Felidae | Vulnerable | II | Decreasing | 34 | 0.81 |
West African crocodile | Crocodylus suchus | Reptilia | 4CFTG | Crocodylidae | Not evaluated | Not listed | Not listed | 28 | 0.67 |
African elephant | Loxodonta africana | Mammalia | 4CFTG | Elephantidae | Endangered | II | Decreasing | 26 | 0.62 |
‘Tiger’ | Panthera tigris | Mammalia | 4CFTG | Felidae | Endangered | I | Decreasing | 24 | 0.57 |
Home's hinge-back tortoise | Kinixys homeana | Reptilia | 4CFTG | Testudinidae | Vulnerable | II | Decreasing | 23 | 0.55 |
African rock python/Royal python | Python sebae/Python regius | Reptilia | 4CFTG | Pythonidae | Near Threatened | II | Decreasing | 22 | 0.52 |
Patas monkey | Erythrocebus patas | Mammalia | 4CFTG | Cercopithecidae, | Near Threatened | II | Decreasing | 20 | 0.48 |
Four-toed hedgehog | Atelerix albiventris | Mammalia | 4CFTG | Erinaceidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Stable | 17 | 0.40 |
African electric catfish | Malapterurus electricus | Actinopterygii | 4CFTG | Malapteruridae | Least Concern | Not listed | Unknown | 17 | 0.40 |
Hippopotamus | Hippopotamus amphibius | Mammalia | 3CTG | Hippopotamidae | Vulnerable | II | Stable | 14 | 0.33 |
Horse | Equus caballus | Mammalia | 4CFTG | Equidae | Domesticated | Not listed | Not listed | 14 | 0.33 |
Giant African snail | Achatina achatina | Gastropoda | 4CFTG | Achatinidae | Not evaluated | Not listed | Not listed | 13 | 0.31 |
Common chimpanzee | Pan troglodytes | Mammalia | 3CFG | Hominidae | Endangered | I | Decreasing | 13 | 0.31 |
Domestic cattle | Bos taurus | Mammalia | 4CFTG | Bovidae | Domesticated | Not listed | Not listed | 12 | 0.29 |
Spotted hyena | Crocuta crocuta | Mammalia | 4CFTG | Hyaenidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Decreasing | 12 | 0.29 |
African buffalo | Syncerus caffer caffer | Mammalia | 3CFG | Bovidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Not listed | 12 | 0.29 |
Leopard | Panthera pardus | Mammalia | 4CFTG | Felidae | Vulnerable | I | Decreasing | 12 | 0.29 |
African ground squirrel | Xerus spp. | Mammalia | 4CFTG | Sciuridae | Least Concern | Not listed | Stable | 11 | 0.26 |
Black cobra | Naja melanoleuca | Reptilia | 4CFTG | Elapidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Decreasing | 11 | 0.26 |
Donkey | Equus asinus | Mammalia | 3CFG | Equidae | Domesticated | Not listed | Not listed | 10 | 0.24 |
Brushed tail porcupine | Atherurus africanus | Mammalia | 2FG | Hystricidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Unknown | 9 | 0.21 |
Hooded Vulture | Necrosyrtes monachus | Aves | 4CFTG | Accipitridae | Critically Endangered | II | Decreasing | 9 | 0.21 |
Nile monitor lizard | Varanus niloticus | Reptilia | 4CFTG | Varanidae | Least Concern | II | Stable | 8 | 0.19 |
African golden wolf | Canis lupaster | Mammalia | 4CFTG | Canidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Decreasing | 8 | 0.19 |
Pied crow | Corvus albus | Aves | 3CTG | Corvidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Stable | 7 | 0.17 |
Domestic sheep | Ovis aries | Mammalia | 4CFTG | Bovidae | Domesticated | Not listed | Not listed | 7 | 0.17 |
Barn owl | Tyto alba | Aves | 3CFG | Tytonidae | Least Concern | II | Stable | 7 | 0.17 |
Domestic cat | Felis catus | Mammalia | 3FTG | Felidae | Domesticated | Not listed | Not listed | 7 | 0.17 |
Common warthog | Phacochoerus africanus | Mammalia | 3CFG | Suidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Decreasing | 7 | 0.17 |
True eagle | Aquila spp. | Aves | 3CFG | Aquilinae | Variable | Variable | Not listed | 6 | 0.14 |
Hawk (Black kite) | Milvus migrans | Aves | 4CFTG | Accipitridae | Least Concern | II | Stable | 5 | 0.12 |
African common toad | Sclerophrys regularis | Amphibia | 2CG | Bufonidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Stable | 5 | 0.12 |
Common duiker | Sylvicapra grimmia | Mammalia | 3CTG | Bovidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Decreasing | 5 | 0.12 |
Puff adder | Bitis arietans | Reptilia | 4CFTG | Viperidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Stable | 5 | 0.12 |
Dromedary camel | Camelus dromedarius | Mammalia | 2FG | Camelidae | Domesticated | Not listed | Not listed | 5 | 0.12 |
Roam antelope | Hippotragus equinus | Mammalia | 1G | Bovidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Decreasing | 5 | 0.12 |
Bushbuck | Tragelaphus scriptus | Mammalia | 3CFG | Bovidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Stable | 5 | 0.12 |
Rainbow lizard | Agama agama | Reptilia | 2FG | Agamidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Stable | 4 | 0.10 |
Domestic goat | Capra hircus | Mammalia | 3FTG | Bovidae | Domesticated | Not listed | Not listed | 4 | 0.10 |
Black rat | Rattus rattus | Mammalia | 3CTG | Muridae | Least Concern | Not listed | Stable | 4 | 0.10 |
Money cowrie | Monetaria moneta | Gastropoda | 4CFTG | Cypraeidae | Not evaluated | Not listed | Not listed | 4 | 0.10 |
Emperor scorpion | Pandinus imperator | Arachnida | 3CFG | Scorpionidae | Not evaluated | II | Not listed | 4 | 0.10 |
House mouse | Mus musculus | Mammalia | 4CFTG | Muridae | Least Concern | Not listed | Stable | 4 | 0.10 |
Straw-coloured fruit bat | Eidolon helvum | Mammalia | 3CFG | Pteropodidae | Near Threatened | Not listed | Decreasing | 4 | 0.10 |
Senegal flapshell turtle | Cyclanorbis senegalensis | Reptilia | 3CFG | Trionychidae | Vulnerable | II | Decreasing | 4 | 0.10 |
Sea snail | Pseudoliva zebrina | Gastropoda | 1G | Pseudolividae | Not evaluated | Not listed | Not listed | 4 | 0.10 |
Grey parrot | Psittacus erithacus | Aves | 2CF | Psittacidae | Endangered | I | Decreasing | 3 | 0.07 |
Domestic dog | Canis lupus familiaris | Mammalia | 2CF | Canidae | Domesticated | Not listed | Not listed | 3 | 0.07 |
Grasscutter | Thryonomys swinderianus | Mammalia | 2FG | Thryonomyidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Unknown | 3 | 0.07 |
Cattle Egret | Bubulcus ibis | Aves | 2FG | Ardeidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Increasing | 2 | 0.05 |
African savannah hare | Lepus victoriae | Mammalia | 1G | Leporidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Stable | 2 | 0.05 |
African civet | Civettictis civetta | Mammalia | 1F | Viverridae | Least Concern | III | Unknown | 2 | 0.05 |
Stone Partridge | Ptilopachus petrosus | Aves | 2CF | Odontophoridae | Least Concern | Not listed | Stable | 2 | 0.05 |
Domestic duck | Anas platyrhynchos domesticus | Aves | 2CF | Anatidae | Domesticated | Not listed | Not listed | 2 | 0.05 |
West African long-tailed shrew | Crocidura muricauda | Mammalia | 2CF | Soricidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Unknown | 2 | 0.05 |
Sand boa | Eryx muelleri | Reptilia | 1F | Boidae | Least Concern | II | Stable | 2 | 0.05 |
African wildcat | Felis lybica | Mammalia | 1G | Felidae | Least Concern | II | Unknown | 2 | 0.05 |
Helmeted Guinea fowl | Numida meleagris | Aves | 2FG | Numididae | Least Concern | Not listed | Stable | 1 | 0.02 |
Village weaver bird | Ploceus cucullatus | Aves | 1C | Ploceidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Stable | 1 | 0.02 |
Senegal bushbaby | Galago senegalensis | Mammalia | 1C | Galagidae | Least Concern | II | Decreasing | 1 | 0.02 |
Whale | Unidentified | Mammalia | 1C | Variable | Unidentified | Variable | Variable | 1 | 0.02 |
Aardvark | Orycteropus afer | Mammalia | 1G | Orycteropodidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Unknown | 1 | 0.02 |
Domestic Pigeon | Columba livia domestica | Aves | 1G | Columbidae | Domesticated | Not listed | Not listed | 1 | 0.02 |
African grey Woodpecker | Mesopicos goertae | Aves | 1G | Picidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Not listed | 1 | 0.02 |
House cricket | Acheta domesticus | Insecta | 1F | Gryllidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Not listed | 1 | 0.02 |
White-bellied Pangolin | Phataginus tricuspis | Mammalia | 1F | Manidae | Endangered | I | Decreasing | 1 | 0.02 |
Common starfish | Asterias rubens | Asteroidea | 1C | Asteriidae | Not evaluated | Not listed | Not listed | 1 | 0.02 |
Sea urchin | Echinus spp. | Echinoidea | 1G | Echinidae | Near Threatened | Not listed | Not listed | 1 | 0.02 |
Plated lizard | Gerrhosaurus major | Reptilia | 1G | Gerrhosauridae | Least Concern | Not listed | Unknown | 1 | 0.02 |
Ostrich | Struthio camelus | Aves | 1F | Struthionidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Decreasing | 1 | 0.02 |
Cockroach | Periplaneta americana | Insecta | 1G | Blattidae | Not evaluated | Not listed | Not listed | 1 | 0.02 |
Common octopus | Octopus vulgaris | Cephalopoda | 1F | Octopodidae | Least Concern | Not listed | Unknown | 1 | 0.02 |
Domestic fowl | Gallus gallus domesticus | Aves | 1F | Phasianidae | Domesticated | Not listed | Not listed | 1 | 0.02 |
Moon snail | Natica monodi | Gastropoda | 1G | Naticidae | Not evaluated | Not listed | Not listed | 1 | 0.02 |