Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary, Bird sanctuary and Ramsar site in Kumasi, Ghana

Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary is a bird reserve and Ramsar site near Kumasi where a dam across the Owabi River created a water body surrounded by forest and tree plantations. The site protects riverine habitat and serves as a resting place for migratory and resident bird species.

The Owabi River was Kumasi's main water supply before the Barekese Dam was built in 1971, shifting the city's needs. The sanctuary developed around the Owabi Dam to protect the habitat that formed there.

The sanctuary is Ghana's only inland Ramsar site, a designation it holds under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Visitors come mainly to watch birds: around 161 species have been recorded, mixing resident indigenous birds with migrants. Picnicking is allowed on the site.

Visitors can arrange guided bird watching walks and nature tours through staff at the nearby Kumasi Zoo. Early morning visits offer the best chance to see birds in the shelter.

Owabi is the only inland Ramsar site in Ghana, a designation that sets it apart from the country's coastal wetlands. The bird count is usually given as about 161 species, mixing resident indigenous birds with migrants that stop at the reservoir. Look for bushpig, bushbuck and antelope in the undergrowth away from the water.