Perodicticus potto
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
The West African potto (Perodicticus potto) is a species of nocturnal strepsirrhine primate. It is found in tropical West Africa. It is also known as Bosman's potto, after Willem Bosman, who described the species in 1704. It is the type species of the genus Perodicticus.
This species was formerly considered the only species in the genus Perodicticus, but a 2015 study split it into three species, with only the name Perodicticus potto only applying to the West African population. Within the West African potto group (Perodicticus potto), current taxonomy recognizes two main subspecies:
Perodicticus potto potto: The nominate subspecies. It inhabits the rainforests of West Africa, from Guinea and Sierra Leone to Ghana. Perodicticus potto juju (Benin potto): Proposed as a subspecies found east of the Volta River in Ghana. Some experts suggest it could also merit separate species status due to its cranial and dental variations.
Phylogenetic evidence supports the West African potto being the most basal member of the genus Perodicticus, with the other two species being sister species to one another. It is thought to have diverged from the other species during the mid-late Miocene...
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kakum National Park | 🇬🇭 Ghana | |
| 2 | Taï National Park | 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Franklin Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a West African Potto sighting in Kakum National Park on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 5th most-seen of the 7 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 70% of wildlife watchers report a West African Potto in Kakum National Park on a given day, against about 10% in January, March and October, the lowest months. That is one of Kakum National Park's wettest months, with about 210 mm of rain against 35 mm in January. May–June and August have too few records to rate.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most West African Potto sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate West African Potto sightings, Kakum National Park has the highest daily chance: about 40%. Next come Taï National Park (Ivory Coast, about 40%).
Same order: Primates
The closest relatives of the West African Potto that you can see in Kakum National Park (order Primates) are Lowe's Monkey (about 60%) and Lesser Spot-nosed Monkey (about 60%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the West African Potto is recorded against all the mammals logged in Kakum National Park (12 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
