The photograph on the left offers an aerial view of the Shield Region and the Gambia river while the photograph on the right shows a site in the Niokoto-koba National Park which contains some of the most pristine Sudanian zone flora and fauna left in Africa. The Shield Region is distinguished from the others primarily by its geology, producing unique relief and hydrography. The shield is composed of Precambrian rocks. Sudanian savanna-woodlands and dry woodlands constitute the main vegetation types of the plateaux and hills. Numerous other vegetation formations occur as a function of topography, soils and human activity.
Population is quite sparse, and relatively little land has been cleared for agriculture.
The PNAT map divides this region into four subdivisions. The Park, covering some 913,000 hectares, contains some of the most pristine Sudanian zone flora and fauna left on the planet. It is among the last Sudanian areas with legislated protection in Africa. The floristic biodiversity remains very high, preserving many of the genetic resources that are being lost in other parts of southern Senegal. The team revisited 7 sites in the Park.