DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sajb.2026.v14i09.006

Pages: 632-640

With a coastline of approximately 700 km, Senegal has a rich marine and coastal biodiversity. However, despite the fundamental role that marine and coastal biodiversity plays in local livelihoods, marine and coastal ecosystems are undergoing increasing degradation. In response to this situation, the international community recommended, at the Fifth World Congress on National Parks held in Durban in 2003, that efforts to protect the marine environment be strengthened. In response to these recommendations, the Government of Senegal has therefore initiated a resolute policy for the preservation of marine and coastal biodiversity. However, despite efforts to document the biodiversity of these sites, there remains a significant lack of information on the flora, particularly that of the islands. It is in this context that this study was conducted in the Bamboung and Sangomar MPAs to contribute to our understanding of their flora. Data was collected using the transect survey method. A total of 195 species belonging to 151 genera and 51 families, including 66 common species were recorded. The Fabaceae family is dominant at both sites. The low E/G ratio and the high representation of monospecific families and genera indicate that the flora is diverse. These results showed that the islands within these MPAs deserve greater attention, as they still harbor some of the few remaining areas of natural vegetation in the region.