1
|
Debetencourt B, Barry MM, Arandjelovic M, Stephens C, Maldonado N, Boesch C. Camera traps unveil demography, social structure, and home range of six unhabituated Western chimpanzee groups in the Moyen Bafing National Park, Guinea. Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23578. [PMID: 37985945 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Precise estimates of population dynamics and social grouping patterns are required for effective conservation of wild animal populations. It is difficult to obtain such information on non-human great apes as they have slow reproductive rates. To gain a better understanding of demography in these populations, previous research has typically involved habituation\, a process that requires years. Here, we collected data continuously over year-long periods to monitor an unhabituated population of critically endangered Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in the Moyen Bafing National Park, Guinea. We used two arrays of 100 camera traps that were placed opportunistically in two distinct 100 km2 sites, named Bakoun and Koukoutamba. We identified 227 individuals in Bakoun and 207 in Koukoutamba through their unique facial features. Our camera trap data make clear that these individuals belong to six and seven closed groups, respectively. Six of those groups were near-completely sampled with an average minimum size of 46.8 individuals (range: 37-58), and a mean adult sex ratio of 1.32 (range: 0.93-2.10). We described the demographic composition of these groups and use Bayesian social network analysis to understand population structure. The network analyses suggested that the social bonds within the two populations were structured by sex homophily, with male chimpanzees being more or equally likely to be observed together than other adult associations. Through estimation of minimum convex polygons, we described the minimum home range for those groups. Compared to other chimpanzee groups living in a similar environment (mosaic savanna-forest), the Moyen Bafing region seems to host a high-density of chimpanzees with small home ranges for their group size. Our research highlights the potential of camera traps for studying the demographic composition of chimpanzee populations with high resolution and obtaining crucial information on several groups in a time-efficient and cost-effective way.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Debetencourt
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA), Leipzig, Germany
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mamadou Moussa Barry
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mimi Arandjelovic
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA), Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Colleen Stephens
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nuria Maldonado
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christophe Boesch
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA), Leipzig, Germany
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Molina-Vacas G, Muñoz-Mas R, Amarasekaran B, Garriga RM. Reaffirming the Loma Mountains National Park in Sierra Leone as a critical site for the conservation of West African chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus). Am J Primatol 2023; 85:e23469. [PMID: 36710071 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The population of West African chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) is declining rapidly mostly due to the impact of human activities and habitat loss. Sierra Leone harbors the third largest population of this subspecies, recently reclassified as Critically Endangered in the 2016 IUCN Red List. Population monitoring provides crucial data for planning and evaluating conservation and management policies. Therefore, to assess the status of the population size inhabiting the Loma Mountains National Park (LMNP) in Sierra Leone, we performed a nest count survey and estimated chimpanzee density and abundance using distance sampling. In total, 34 × 2-km-line transects were surveyed, with transects being systematically distributed across the LMNP area (288.5 km2 ). Concurrently, we compiled environmental data, which were used to model nest distribution and infer the most relevant environmental and anthropogenic drivers of the observed nest abundances. We encountered 10.03 nests/km and estimated a density of 3.47 ± standard error (SE) 0.92 individuals/km2 (i.e., 1002 ± SE 266 individuals in total). Compared to the figures obtained from a systematic literature review, our results suggest that the density and abundance of chimpanzees in the LMNP is among the highest across Africa. Contrary to expectation, no specific anthropogenic features predicted nest distribution and abundance. However, the nest distribution model indicated preference for elevated and steep areas covered by closed evergreen forest, which could be an indication of human avoidance. Based on these results, we highlight the value of LMNP for the conservation of the chimpanzees in Sierra Leone and the urgent necessity of guarantying long-term funding for this park's management to ensure the survival of this critically endangered subspecies in West Africa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guillem Molina-Vacas
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Rafael Muñoz-Mas
- Research Group in Continental Aquatic Ecology, GRECO, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, Girona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Bala Amarasekaran
- Department of Conservation Research Consultant, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Rosa M Garriga
- Department of Conservation Research Consultant, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Carvalho JS, Stewart FA, Marques TA, Bonnin N, Pintea L, Chitayat A, Ingram R, Moore RJ, Piel AK. Spatio-temporal changes in chimpanzee density and abundance in the Greater Mahale Ecosystem, Tanzania. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2715. [PMID: 36178009 PMCID: PMC10078593 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Species conservation and management require reliable information about animal distribution and population size. Better management actions within a species' range can be achieved by identifying the location and timing of population changes. In the Greater Mahale Ecosystem (GME), western Tanzania, deforestation due to the expansion of human settlements and agriculture, annual burning, and logging are known threats to wildlife. For one of the most charismatic species, the endangered eastern chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii), approximately 75% of the individuals are distributed outside national park boundaries, requiring monitoring and protection efforts over a vast landscape of various protection statuses. These efforts are especially challenging when we lack data on trends in density and population size. To predict spatio-temporal chimpanzee density and abundance across the GME, we used density surface modeling, fitting a generalized additive model to a 10-year time-series data set of nest counts based on line-transect surveys. The chimpanzee population declined at an annual rate of 2.41%, including declines of 1.72% in riparian forests (from this point forward, forests), 2.05% in miombo woodlands (from this point forward, woodlands) and 3.45% in nonforests. These population declines were accompanied by ecosystem-wide declines in vegetation types of 1.36% and 0.32% per year for forests and woodlands, respectively; we estimated an annual increase of 1.35% for nonforests. Our model predicted the highest chimpanzee density in forests (0.86 chimpanzees/km2 , 95% confidence intervals (CIs) 0.60-1.23; as of 2020), followed by woodlands (0.19, 95% CI 0.12-0.30) and nonforests (0.18, 95% CI 0.10-1.33). Although forests represent only 6% of the landscape, they support nearly one-quarter of the chimpanzee population (769 chimpanzees, 95% CI 536-1103). Woodlands dominate the landscape (71%) and therefore support more than a half of the chimpanzee population (2294; 95% CI 1420-3707). The remaining quarter of the landscape is represented by nonforests and supports another quarter of the chimpanzee population (750; 95% CI 408-1381). Given the pressures on the remaining suitable habitat in Tanzania, and the need of chimpanzees to access both forest and woodland vegetation to survive, we urge future management actions to increase resources and expand the efforts to protect critical forest and woodland habitat and promote strategies and policies that more effectively prevent irreversible losses. We suggest that regular monitoring programs implement a systematic random design to effectively inform and allocate conservation actions and facilitate interannual comparisons for trend monitoring, measuring conservation success, and guiding adaptive management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joana S. Carvalho
- School of Biological and Environmental SciencesLiverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpoolUK
- School of Built and Natural SciencesUniversity of DerbyDerbyUK
| | - Fiona A. Stewart
- School of Biological and Environmental SciencesLiverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpoolUK
- Greater Mahale Ecosystem Research and Conservation ProjectDar es SalaamTanzania
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Tiago A. Marques
- School of Mathematics and StatisticsUniversity of St. AndrewsSt. AndrewsUK
- Department of Animal BiologyFaculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de LisboaLisbonPortugal
| | - Noemie Bonnin
- School of Biological and Environmental SciencesLiverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpoolUK
| | - Lilian Pintea
- Department of Conservation ScienceThe Jane Goodall InstituteWashingtonDistrict of ColumbiaUSA
| | - Adrienne Chitayat
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem DynamicsUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Rebecca Ingram
- Greater Mahale Ecosystem Research and Conservation ProjectDar es SalaamTanzania
| | - Richard J. Moore
- School of Biological and Environmental SciencesLiverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpoolUK
| | - Alex K. Piel
- Greater Mahale Ecosystem Research and Conservation ProjectDar es SalaamTanzania
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ordaz-Németh I, Sop T, Amarasekaran B, Bachmann M, Boesch C, Brncic T, Caillaud D, Campbell G, Carvalho J, Chancellor R, Davenport TRB, Dowd D, Eno-Nku M, Ganas-Swaray J, Granier N, Greengrass E, Heinicke S, Herbinger I, Inkamba-Nkulu C, Iyenguet F, Junker J, Bobo KS, Lushimba A, Maisels F, Malanda GAF, McCarthy MS, Motsaba P, Moustgaard J, Murai M, Ndokoue B, Nixon S, Nseme RA, Nzooh Z, Pintea L, Plumptre AJ, Roy J, Rundus A, Sanderson J, Serckx A, Strindberg S, Tweh C, Vanleeuwe H, Vosper A, Waltert M, Williamson EA, Wilson M, Mundry R, Kühl HS. Range-wide indicators of African great ape density distribution. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23338. [PMID: 34662462 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Species distributions are influenced by processes occurring at multiple spatial scales. It is therefore insufficient to model species distribution at a single geographic scale, as this does not provide the necessary understanding of determining factors. Instead, multiple approaches are needed, each differing in spatial extent, grain, and research objective. Here, we present the first attempt to model continent-wide great ape density distribution. We used site-level estimates of African great ape abundance to (1) identify socioeconomic and environmental factors that drive densities at the continental scale, and (2) predict range-wide great ape density. We collated great ape abundance estimates from 156 sites and defined 134 pseudo-absence sites to represent additional absence locations. The latter were based on locations of unsuitable environmental conditions for great apes, and on existing literature. We compiled seven socioeconomic and environmental covariate layers and fitted a generalized linear model to investigate their influence on great ape abundance. We used an Akaike-weighted average of full and subset models to predict the range-wide density distribution of African great apes for the year 2015. Great ape densities were lowest where there were high Human Footprint and Gross Domestic Product values; the highest predicted densities were in Central Africa, and the lowest in West Africa. Only 10.7% of the total predicted population was found in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Category I and II protected areas. For 16 out of 20 countries, our estimated abundances were largely in line with those from previous studies. For four countries, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, and South Sudan, the estimated populations were excessively high. We propose further improvements to the model to overcome survey and predictor data limitations, which would enable a temporally dynamic approach for monitoring great apes across their range based on key indicators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Ordaz-Németh
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tenekwetche Sop
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Mona Bachmann
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christophe Boesch
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Terry Brncic
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New York, New York, USA
| | - Damien Caillaud
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Atlanta, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | | | - Joana Carvalho
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, UK
| | - Rebecca Chancellor
- Departments of Anthropology & Sociology and Psychology, West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Tim R B Davenport
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New York, New York, USA
| | - Dervla Dowd
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Stefanie Heinicke
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Biodiversity Conservation group, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Leipzig-Jena, Leipzig, Germany.,Transformation Pathways Research Department, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Potsdam, Germany
| | | | | | - Fortuné Iyenguet
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jessica Junker
- Biodiversity Conservation group, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Leipzig-Jena, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kadiri S Bobo
- Department of Forestry, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon
| | - Alain Lushimba
- IUCN, Regional Program Central and West Africa, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Fiona Maisels
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New York, New York, USA.,Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, UK
| | | | - Maureen S McCarthy
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Prosper Motsaba
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Mizuki Murai
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Bezangoye Ndokoue
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New York, New York, USA
| | | | | | | | - Lilian Pintea
- Conservation Science, Jane Goodall Institute, Vienna, USA
| | | | - Justin Roy
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Aaron Rundus
- Department of Psychology, West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jim Sanderson
- Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation, Corrales, New Mexico, USA
| | - Adeline Serckx
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,The Biodiversity Consultancy Ltd., Cambridge, UK.,Behavioral Biology Unit, Primatology Research Group, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Samantha Strindberg
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New York, New York, USA
| | - Clement Tweh
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Leipzig, Germany.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Hilde Vanleeuwe
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Matthias Waltert
- Workgroup on Endangered Species, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Michael Wilson
- Departments of Anthropology and Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Roger Mundry
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hjalmar S Kühl
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Biodiversity Conservation group, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Leipzig-Jena, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lindshield S, Hernandez-Aguilar RA, Korstjens AH, Marchant LF, Narat V, Ndiaye PI, Ogawa H, Piel AK, Pruetz JD, Stewart FA, van Leeuwen KL, Wessling EG, Yoshikawa M. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in savanna landscapes. Evol Anthropol 2021; 30:399-420. [PMID: 34542218 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are the only great apes that inhabit hot, dry, and open savannas. We review the environmental pressures of savannas on chimpanzees, such as food and water scarcity, and the evidence for chimpanzees' behavioral responses to these landscapes. In our analysis, savannas were generally associated with low chimpanzee population densities and large home ranges. In addition, thermoregulatory behaviors that likely reduce hyperthermia risk, such as cave use, were frequently observed in the hottest and driest savanna landscapes. We hypothesize that such responses are evidence of a "savanna landscape effect" in chimpanzees and offer pathways for future research to understand its evolutionary processes and mechanisms. We conclude by discussing the significance of research on savanna chimpanzees to modeling the evolution of early hominin traits and informing conservation programs for these endangered apes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stacy Lindshield
- Department of Anthropology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - R Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar
- Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Amanda H Korstjens
- Life and Environmental Sciences Department, Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus, Poole, UK
| | | | - Victor Narat
- CNRS/MNHN/Paris Diderot, UMR 7206 Eco-anthropology, Paris, France
| | - Papa Ibnou Ndiaye
- Département de Biologie Animale, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Hideshi Ogawa
- School of International Liberal Studies, Chukyo University, Toyota, Aichi, Japan
| | - Alex K Piel
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jill D Pruetz
- Department of Anthropology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, USA
| | - Fiona A Stewart
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK.,School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Kelly L van Leeuwen
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus, Poole, UK
| | - Erin G Wessling
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Midori Yoshikawa
- Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science, Ibaraki, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Fotang C, Bröring U, Roos C, Enoguanbhor EC, Dutton P, Tédonzong LRD, Willie J, Yuh YG, Birkhofer K. Environmental and anthropogenic effects on the nesting patterns of Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees in North-West Cameroon. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23312. [PMID: 34343361 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Environmental conditions and human activity influence the selection of nest sites by chimpanzees and may have serious conservation implications. We examined the characteristics of nesting trees preferred by chimpanzees, investigated the effect of vegetation composition and topography on nest site locations and seasonality on nesting heights of chimpanzees, and verified the effect of predator occurrence and human activity on the nesting behavior of the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) in Kom-Wum Forest Reserve (KWFR) and surrounding unprotected forest in Cameroon. We recorded 923 nests, 502 signs of human activity, and 646 nesting trees along line transects and recces (reconnaissance) for two seasons. We found that chimpanzees constructed more arboreal nests on tall primary trees with high lowest branch height and large diameter at breast height. Moreover, they oriented their nests within trees in the slope direction when the nesting trees were located on slopes. Additionally, the occurrence of chimpanzee nests was positively related to increasing elevation and slope and decreased with distance to primary forest. In contrast, the number of nests increased with distance to secondary forest, open land, and villages, and nesting height was not influenced by seasons. While we recorded no signs of large nocturnal chimpanzee predators at nesting trees, we found signs of hunting activity at nesting locations. Nesting high in trees is likely a way of avoiding hunting, while nest orientation within trees in slope direction shortens escape routes from human hunters. Our findings suggest that chimpanzees select safe trees (tall trees with high lowest branch height) located in nesting areas (primary forest, high elevation, and steep slopes) that are not easily accessible by humans. Therefore, conservation efforts should focus on protecting primary forests at high elevation and steep slopes and reducing human impact.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chefor Fotang
- Department of Ecology, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Cottbus, Brandenburg, Germany
| | - Udo Bröring
- Department of Ecology, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Cottbus, Brandenburg, Germany
| | - Christian Roos
- German Primate Centre Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Gene Bank of Primates and Primate Genetics, Gottingen, Germany
| | - Evidence C Enoguanbhor
- Department of Geography, Humboldt University of Berlin, Applied Geoinformation Science Laboratory Berlin, Brandenburg, Germany
| | - Paul Dutton
- Independent Researcher, Waikato, New Zealand
| | - Luc R D Tédonzong
- Centre for Research and Conservation (CRC), Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA), Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jacob Willie
- Centre for Research and Conservation (CRC), Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA), Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Biology, Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC), Ghent University (UGent), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yisa G Yuh
- Hochschule fur nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde, Forestry and Environment, Eberswalde, Germany.,Szkola Glowna Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego, Warszawa, Poland.,Concordia University Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Klaus Birkhofer
- Department of Ecology, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Cottbus, Brandenburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Chimpanzees balance resources and risk in an anthropogenic landscape of fear. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4569. [PMID: 33633129 PMCID: PMC7907193 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83852-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-wildlife coexistence is possible when animals can meet their ecological requirements while managing human-induced risks. Understanding how wildlife balance these trade-offs in anthropogenic environments is crucial to develop effective strategies to reduce risks of negative interactions, including bi-directional aggression and disease transmission. For the first time, we use a landscape of fear framework with Bayesian spatiotemporal modelling to investigate anthropogenic risk-mitigation and optimal foraging trade-offs in Critically Endangered western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus). Using 12 months of camera trap data (21 camera traps, 6722 camera trap days) and phenology on wild and cultivated plant species collected at Caiquene–Cadique, Cantanhez National Park (Guinea-Bissau), we show that humans and chimpanzees broadly overlapped in their use of forest and anthropogenic parts of the habitat including villages and cultivated areas. The spatiotemporal model showed that chimpanzee use of space was predicted by the availability of naturalised oil-palm fruit. Chimpanzees used areas away from villages and agriculture more intensively, but optimised their foraging strategies by increasing their use of village areas with cultivated fruits when wild fruits were scarce. Our modelling approach generates fine-resolution space–time output maps, which can be scaled-up to identify human-wildlife interaction hotspots at the landscape level, informing coexistence strategy.
Collapse
|
8
|
Fotang C, Bröring U, Roos C, Enoguanbhor EC, Abwe EE, Dutton P, Schierack P, Angwafo TE, Birkhofer K. Human Activity and Forest Degradation Threaten Populations of the Nigeria–Cameroon Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) in Western Cameroon. INT J PRIMATOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-020-00191-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
AbstractIncreased human activities such as commodity-led deforestation, extension of agriculture, urbanization, and wildfires are major drivers of forest loss worldwide. In Cameroon, these activities cause a loss of suitable primate habitat and could ultimately threaten the survival of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). We derived independent estimates of the population size of the Endangered Nigeria–Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) in Kom-Wum Forest Reserve, Cameroon, and surrounding unprotected forest areas through 1) direct observations, 2) camera trapping, 3) distance sampling, 4) marked nest counts, and 5) standing crop nest counts. In addition, we georeferenced signs of chimpanzee and human activity along line transects. We used a generalized linear mixed model to predict the occurrence of chimpanzees in response to edge length (measured as the perimeter of core forest patches), core area of forest patches (measured as area of forest patches beyond an edge width of 100 m), habitat perforation (measured as the perimeter of nonforested landscape within core forest patches), patch size(measured as area of forest patches), and forest cover. Chimpanzee density estimates ranged from 0.1 (direct observation) to 0.9 (distance sampling) individuals km−2 depending on estimation method with a mean nest group size of 7 ± 5.4 (SD). The mean encounter rate for signs of chimpanzee activity was significantly higher in mature forests (2.3 signs km−1) than in secondary forests (0.3 signs km−1) and above 1000 m elevation (4.0 signs km−1) than below 1000 m (1.0 signs km−1). The mean encounter rate for signs of human activity was significantly higher in secondary (8.0 signs km−1) than in mature forests (0.9 signs km−1). Secondary forests, habitat perforation, and edge length had a significant negative effect on the occurrence of chimpanzee signs. Overall, human activity and forest degradation affected the number of observed chimpanzee signs negatively. Regular antipoaching patrols and reforestation programs in degraded areas could potentially reduce threats to populations of endangered species and may increase suitable habitat area.
Collapse
|
9
|
Thompson ME, Muller MN, Machanda ZP, Otali E, Wrangham RW. The Kibale Chimpanzee Project: Over thirty years of research, conservation, and change. BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION 2020; 252:108857. [PMID: 33281197 PMCID: PMC7709955 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Long-term primate field research programs contribute to the protection of endangered primate species and their vanishing habitats by informing and fostering local and international conservation programs. The Kibale Chimpanzee Project (KCP) has studied the Kanyawara community of wild chimpanzees continuously since 1987, investigating a wide range of behavioral, ecological, and physiological questions. The study area includes the northwest boundary of Kibale National Park, Uganda, and has experienced habitat change driven by multiple causes, including forest regeneration, an increasingly warmer and wetter climate, and impacts from the neighboring human population. Here, we review the history of research on Kanyawara chimpanzees and examine how their demography, diet, and social behavior have changed over the last 30+ years. While Kanyawara chimpanzees were protected from the major threats of poaching and habitat loss, respiratory diseases of human origin were a major source of mortality. Many individuals were also injured by wire hunting snares. Nevertheless, the study community has grown modestly in size, individuals have become increasingly gregarious, and birth rates have increased. These results are likely attributable to improved habitat productivity that can be traced to decades-long efforts by wildlife authorities and the associated research and conservation programs in Kibale. Overall, research has contributed both to understanding interactions among nutritional ecology, social behavior, physiology, and health of an endangered species, and also to conservation activities in the Kibale community through direct interventions, positive economic impacts, and conservation education programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Emery Thompson
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM USA
- Kibale Chimpanzee Project, Makerere University Biological Field Station, Fort Portal, Uganda
| | - Martin N. Muller
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM USA
- Kibale Chimpanzee Project, Makerere University Biological Field Station, Fort Portal, Uganda
| | - Zarin P. Machanda
- Kibale Chimpanzee Project, Makerere University Biological Field Station, Fort Portal, Uganda
- Department of Anthropology, Tufts University, Boston, MA USA
| | - Emily Otali
- Kibale Chimpanzee Project, Makerere University Biological Field Station, Fort Portal, Uganda
| | - Richard W. Wrangham
- Kibale Chimpanzee Project, Makerere University Biological Field Station, Fort Portal, Uganda
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Boston NM USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wessling EG, Dieguez P, Llana M, Pacheco L, Pruetz JD, Kühl HS. Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) Density and Environmental Gradients at Their Biogeographical Range Edge. INT J PRIMATOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-020-00182-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
11
|
Boesch C, Gotanegre A, Hillers A, Kouassi J, Boesch H, Kizila P, Normand E. Lessons learned while protecting wild chimpanzees in West Africa. Am J Primatol 2020; 83:e23209. [PMID: 33111399 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Though human activities are postulated to be the main drivers of the worldwide biodiversity crisis, humans are also suggested by some to be an important part of the solution to the crisis. How can such a paradox be best solved? This paradox requires an adaptive, context-specific, dynamic solution, at a fine-grained scale that varies by location. The Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF) works on the ground in three West African countries: In Côte d'Ivoire, where bushmeat consumption is a recurrent and generalized threat to wildlife, WCF used live theater performances in the villages to address this issue. Post-activity evaluations revealed that the more often individuals have been part of such awareness activities, the less they will consume bushmeat. In nearby Liberia, where illegal miners have invaded many protected areas and intact forests, the WCF supports Community Watch Teams (CWT) to patrol the Sapo National Park with Forestry Development Authority staff. Within 11 months of its creation, the CWT patrols around and in the Sapo National Park resulted in thousands of illegal miners progressively leaving the national park. In Guinea, where coexistence between humans and primates has prevailed based on religious traditions, the WCF developed a strategic approach, as the Moyen-Bafing National Park contains about 5000 chimpanzees as well as some 255 villages. Therefore, we adopted an "integrated landscape approach" whereby the community activities are planned in combination with initiatives increasing forest regeneration and connectivity in high conservation value areas. Communities in northern Guinea confronted with dramatic fluctuations due to climatic changes welcomed such activities that help them become more resilient and adaptable to those alterations. In conclusion, evidence-based information at the local level helps to resolve the conservation paradox by adapting with the local communities' context-specific dynamic approaches to enhance the conservation of great apes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Boesch
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, European Representation, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Hedwige Boesch
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, European Representation, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Classifying Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Landscapes Across Large-Scale Environmental Gradients in Africa. INT J PRIMATOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-020-00164-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
AbstractPrimates are sometimes categorized in terms of their habitat. Although such categorization can be oversimplistic, there are scientific benefits from the clarity and consistency that habitat categorization can bring. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) inhabit various environments, but researchers often refer to “forest” or “savanna” chimpanzees. Despite the wide use of this forest–savanna distinction, clear definitions of these landscapes for chimpanzees, based on environmental variables at study sites or determined in relation to existing bioclimatic classifications, are lacking. The robustness of the forest–savanna distinction thus remains to be assessed. We review 43 chimpanzee study sites to assess how the landscape classifications of researchers fit with the environmental characteristics of study sites and with three bioclimatic classifications. We use scatterplots and principal components analysis to assess the distribution of chimpanzee field sites along gradients of environmental variables (temperature, rainfall, precipitation seasonality, forest cover, and satellite-derived Hansen tree cover). This revealed an environmental continuum of chimpanzee study sites from savanna to dense forest, with a rarely acknowledged forest mosaic category in between, but with no natural separation into these three classes and inconsistencies with the bioclimatic classifications assessed. The current forest–savanna dichotomy therefore masks a progression of environmental adaptation for chimpanzees, and we propose that recognizing an additional, intermediate “forest mosaic” category is more meaningful than focusing on the ends of this environmental gradient only. Future studies should acknowledge this habitat continuum, place their study sites on the forest–savanna gradient, and include detailed environmental data to support further attempts at quantification.
Collapse
|