Gorilla Journal Journal of Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe No. 49, December 2014

Trees around Mt. Equitable Ebola in Nigeria Group Formation Tshiaberimu Conservation: Reduces the and Dynamics in a Necessity for Consumption of Gorillas Bwindi’s Gorillas Bushmeat BERGGORILLA & REGENWALD DIREKTHILFE

Authors of this Issue Terence Fuh Neba works for WWF CONTENTS as Technical Assistant to the Primate D. R. Congo 3 Dr. Julia Baker is Research Advisor Habituation Programme in the Dzan- Maiko National Park Progress for the International Institute of Envi- ga Sangha Protected Areas in Central Report – December 2014 3 ronment and Development (http://www. African Republic. He oversees the ha- Trees around Tshiabe­rimu: iied.org/) on their Research to Policy bituation of western lowland gorillas in Development and Reforestation 5 project, having studied Integrated Con- two habituation field sites, Bai Hokou Oil Exploration in Virunga Park 7 servation and Development at Bwindi and Mongambe. Rwanda 8 Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. David Greer has been involved in Two Silverbacks Die in Rwanda 8 Emmanuel Sampson Bassey has great ape conservation and research Uganda 9 worked for WCS as the Afi Cybertrack- throughout equatorial Africa since Why Equitable Conservation Is a er Project Coordinator since 2011. His 1994. His recent efforts have includ- Necessity for Bwindi’s Gorillas 9 main interests are football and nature ed supporting the development and Cross River 11 conservation. strengthening of law enforcement in- Ebola Disease in Nigeria Reduces Hollie Booth currently works as As- itiatives in great ape range states, the Consumption of Bushmeat 11 sistant to the Director for the FZS Africa with a specific aim to reduce impuni- Gorillas 12 Regional Office in Serengeti National ty and corruption in the wildlife legal Group Formation and Dynamics in Park. She has been working for FZS for system. Since 2008, he is the African Eastern and Western Gorillas 12 just over a year, and came from Ethio- Great Apes Program Coordinator for Update: Conflict in the Central pia, where she was working on a sus- the WWF International Global Species African Republic and its Impact on tainable tourism project. She has been Program. Dzanga-Sangha 15 interested in wildlife from a very young Dr. Angela Meder studied the be- Ape Trade from Guinea 19 age and got into conservation when haviour and development of captive Gorillas in Illegal Trade 21 she studied Zoology at Cambridge lowland gorillas for 10 years. Today she Reading 22 University. Since graduating, she has works as a book editor. Since 1992 she New on the Internet 22 worked for a number of conservation has been part of the Board of Directors Berggorilla & Regenwald NGOs, in both England and Africa. of Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe. Direkthilfe 23 Dr. Damien Caillaud is a research Claude Sikubwabo Kiyengo work­ associate with the Dian Fossey Go- ed for the ICCN and the IUCN, from rilla Fund International and is director 2006 to 2007 he was the chief conser- Gorilla Journal 49, December 2014 of the Fossey Fund’s Grauer’s gorilla vator of the Parc National des Virunga, Editor: Dr. Angela Meder research program. Since 2003, he has central sector. He is the coordinator of Augustenstr. 122, 70197 Stuttgart, studied in the field 3 of the 4 gorilla sub- the NGO VONA and since 2008 he is Germany species, in 4 different countries. His our assistant. Since 2010 he is Gen- Fax +49-711-6159919 current research focuses on the social eral Director of the Institut Superieur E-mail [email protected] behaviour of mountain and Grauer’s de Conservation de la Nature, Envi- Translation and Proofreading: Ann gorillas as well as on the conservation ronnement et Tourisme (ISCNET) and DeVoy, Bettina and Andrew Grieser of Grauer’s gorillas. in 2011 he became the PACEBCo ex- Johns, Colin Groves Laura Darby is GRASP Associate pert for conservation and biodiversity in Cover: Ngombe, infant of the Makum- Programme Officer. She also worked the Virunga region (COMIFAC). ba group born in November 2012 just as manager of several great ape sanc- Dr. Osamu Terao has field expe- before the crisis. Photo: Tianna Peller tuaries, mainly in the Democratic Re- rience with habituated chimpanzees public of the Congo. (Republic of Congo), orangutans (Bor- Organization Address: neo) and bonobos (D. R. Congo) as Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe research assistant and research man- c/o Rolf Brunner Bank Account: ager, research and camp manager Lerchenstr. 5 IBAN DE06 3625 0000 0353 3443 15 (logistics). He also has experience in 45473 Muelheim, Germany BIC SPMHDE3E humanitarian aid (DRC), tree nursery E-mail [email protected] Switzerland: (Madagascar and Togo) and tourism. Website: IBAN CH90 0900 0000 4046 1685 7 Currently, he is project manager at the http://www.berggorilla.org BIC POFICHBEXXX Maiko National Park for the FZS.

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Maiko National Park Project Update – Lind Manguredjipa December 2014 i Opienge Maiko National Park, Democratic Butembo Republic of the Congo, lies in one of Loya the most remote forest areas in the Lubero world. It is an incredible wilderness Maïko Lubero area, protecting biodiversity of national and international significance, including Parc National the Grauer’s gorilla and the okapi. It de la Maïko has also been home to the Simba Mai Mai rebels for almost 50 years, and has played a significant role in DRC’s Lubutu political conflicts during that time. This area of tremendous natural value is Oso therefore also very volatile and difficult Lowa to access. It receives few visitors and very little research. By working with both the Congo- Walikale lese conservation authorities (ICCN – Punia Institut Congolais pour la Conserva- Goma tion de la Nature) and local stakehold- ers, including the Simba Mai Mai, FZS (Frankfurt Zoological Society) endeav- DRC military (FARDC). This is further the forest within the park bounda- ours to support the management, mon- exacerbated by low capacity of state ries. The families will move to vil- itoring and protection of the park. This services, inaccessibility of the area and lages outside of the park and transi- entails the sustainable development of unreliable telecommunications and tion into civilian life. In May and June communities living around the park and infrastructure. Nevertheless, FZS has 2014 a census was conducted by the reintegration of the Simba Mai Mai made a number of major achievements the CNDDR to ascertain the needs rebels living within the park back into over the past four years: of Simba for this resettlement. Since civil society. FZS recognizes the im- – FZS also supported the construction then, CNDDR has taken the lead portance of a holistic support strate- of a primary school in Bitule village, for the process, making it a priority gy in an area as challenging as Maiko adjacent to the park. The official rib- at the national level and attracting and invest in a combination of scientific bon-cutting ceremony took place on support, management support and so- the 9th. October 2014, in the pres- cio-economic support to our partners. ence of the highest local authori- Both the German Federal Ministry for ties, political and educational. This Economic Cooperation and Develop- school replaces one that was de- ment (BMZ), through the advice cen- stroyed in previous conflicts, and it tre for non-governmental organisations is now complete and in use by local working in the field of development co- children. operation (Bengo), and Berggorilla & – FZS is cooperating with the Con- Regenwald Direkthilfe have supported golese Commission Nationale de this FZS project in Maiko. Désarmement, Démobilisation, Ré- Maiko National Park is one of our insertion (CNDDR) to facilitate the most challenging projects. The FZS peaceful, voluntary resettlement of team faces on-going instability and the Simba Mai Mai rebels and their Taking notes at a gorilla nest in the there is periodic conflict between families out of the park. Currently Kahuzi-Biega National Park Simba rebels, ICCN rangers and the they are living in remote parts of Photo: FZS

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paired t-test that charcoal consump- would be the first ecological survey tion decreased by 46%. In addition, conducted in Maiko since 2005, and 100 stoves have been reserved for the first one of this scale since 1990. Simba families, who will be voluntar- Plans were well underway for the ily resettling in villages outside of the RBA, and a team of Congolese and park in the coming months. international researchers were as- – In partnership with Flora and Fau- sembled from ICCN, FZS, FFI, and na International (FFI), FZS support- the Research Centre in Natural Sci- ed training a group of ICCN rangers ences of Lwiro. In mid-June, the in gorilla census and small mammal team gathered in Lubutu, ready to survey techniques. Participants in- start the assessment. However, con- cluded both the rangers and civilians flict between the Simba, the military, involved in community-based moni- and other well-armed bandit groups toring outside the park boundaries. prevented the teams from operat- The training covered navigating us- ing in the forest. Finally, at the end ing GPS, differentiating between dif- of 2014, the ICCN rangers partici- ferent types of animal sign, espe- pated in a partial biodiversity sur- cially chimpanzee and gorilla, and vey of the southern sector of the accurately recording data on obser- park alongside FFI field staff and vations. with support from FZS’s Maiko pro- – One of FZS’s major objectives for ject team. The surveys focused on 2014 was to conduct a Rapid Bio- areas where gorillas had previously During the training in Kahuzi-Biega: diversity Assessment (RBA) of Mai- been documented which were also a sample for genetic analysis is ko National Park, in order to gain a deemed sufficiently secure. The sur- collected Photo: FZS better understanding of the park’s vey teams came back with valua- conservation value, and as a means ble data on the presence/absence additional resources and support. for leveraging further support for of gorillas and with small mammals Once the move begins, FZS will conservation action. We hoped this samples. These samples were sent support their transition with hous- to Lwiro for further identification and ing, fuel-efficient stoves, and access analysis. These samples, the first to the primary school constructed in ever collected in Maiko, are of great Bitule. scientific importance to understand – FZS provides top-up salaries to 132 the population genetics and geo- ICCN Maiko park rangers. Given graphical distribution of these mam- that the salaries they receive from mals. the government are very low, this – The training and short survey com- additional money provided motiva- pleted in 2014 marks the beginning tion to protect this difficult area. of a longer-term wildlife and threat – In order to reduce the demand for monitoring effort to be undertaken in charcoal, much of which comes from Maiko. A small group of ICCN agents the park’s forest, FZS distributed 900 now have the required competen- fuel-efficient stoves to communi- cies to participate in biodiversity ties living around the park. We con- monitoring and surveys. In the short ducted awareness meetings regard- term, if provided with a small budget, ing their use. The stoves have been acceptable security conditions and eagerly adopted. To monitor their supportive leadership, they should impact, 343 questionnaires about be able to continue to survey go- charcoal consumption were com- During the training in Kahuzi-Biega: rillas and small mammals. Further- pleted and 196 people were re-in- use of a tablet computer to collect more, they are capable of training terviewed 3 to 4 months after having data in the forest other rangers in basic survey tech- received stoves. It appeared from a Photo: FZS niques. Previous experience in DRC

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and elsewhere has shown that regu- Trees around Tshiabe­ nothing is done, the forest of the park, lar monitoring and biodiversity data which forms the habitat of the gorillas, collection is the best method to de- rimu: Development and will soon be invaded for the same tect and count gorillas. Reforestation purpose. It is better to prevent than to cure; a direct, mitigating solution We hope that a reconciliation process In 2008, a cry for help came from the needs to be found before a sustainable between the Simbas and FARDC and Mount Tshiaberimu area due to a rush strategy can be implemented. a transition of Simba rebels into the of people cutting wood and producing civil life can occur over the coming charcoal. The profitability of this activity Reforestation Projects year. These are essential to build a attracts the involvement of the majority Profiting from a relatively solid loc­ peaceful and constructive context of the local communities. Subsistence al infrastructure, a community re­ in which FZS and ICCN can work farming, which is practised on very forestation project was initiated in together to protect the park. We will small parcels of family land (usually Vuswagha Village in 2008. It was called continue to collaborate with CNDDR to less than half a hectare), no longer SAGOT, which stands for “Solidarity of support the reintegration of the Simba meets the households’ basic needs. the Friends of the Mount Tshiaberimu and their families into civil society. Our Several hectares of forest are cut Gorillas”. The success of this project, hope is that peace and security can each month for charcoal making. The which produced 35,000 plants in be restored to Maiko National Park, charcoal is sold in large urban centres one season, was very visible and its and that this rich wilderness area, and such as Kyondo, Butembo, Masereka impact could be detected among the its biodiversity, can be protected and and Luotu. This activity is flourishing community students. Two years later, a conserved for the benefit of present and the landscape has started to be new reforestation strategy was initiated, and future generations. transformed: some hills are losing their mobilising schools for the production of Hollie Booth and Osamu Terao forest cover and are becoming bare. If seedlings: the profitability of this activity

On the Internet

Since 2011 the Berggorilla & the whole website to the new version. as low as possible, the complexity Regenwald Direkthilfe has had Moreover, the design has to be adapt- of our website and the number of a completely new internet pre­ ed for smartphones and tablets. pages will make this relaunch ex- sentation, designed for free by Ravid Aloni is not able to redesign pensive. Ravid Aloni. It is based on the the website again, and we did not find widely used software Typo3. As another Typo3 expert who wants to do To inform the public on gorillas anybody who knows how many this for free; so a professional web de- and gorilla conservation is an pages our website contains can signing company has to work on the re- important task of our organisa- imagine, this relaunch took an launch. Even if we try to keep the costs tion – especially via the inter- incredible amount of time. The new net. Therefore, our website has website is more attractive, more to stay up-to-date for the future. informative, more intuitive, and Bank Account: Please contribute to this with is visited much more often than IBAN: DE06 3625 0000 0353 3443 15 your donation! the old one – we have received BIC SPMHDE3E numerous positive reactions. Switzerland: IBAN: CH90 0900 0000 Recently we were informed that 4046 1685 7 Address: soon no more security updates BIC POFICHBEXXX Berggorilla & Regenwald will be distributed for the Typo3 Direkt­hilfe version of our website. We have to You are also very welcome to do- c/o Rolf Brunner use the latest technical standard, nate via PayPal if you prefer this: Lerchenstr. 5 however, to be able to fight hacker http://www.berggorilla.org/index. 45473 Muelheim, Germany attacks. So we will have to transfer php?id=66&L=1 www.berggorilla.org

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Start of reforestation in 2011 (left) and trees planted in 2011 as they looked in July 2013 (above) Photos: André Katembo

The success achieved by the par- ticipating schools in the Mount Tshia- berimu area (Vurusi Institute and the primary schools of Kisanga, Tuvuke, Ighomya, Kitolu and El Shadai) and the is three to four times greater in schools for Sarambwe, the project could not be presence of a project focal point have than if undertaken by other reforestation continued there for a third year due to prompted requests from other stake- partners. School nurseries help to the insecurity caused by armed rebel holders, especially influential ones sensitize school children and their bands such as the M23, the Mai Mai such as the Catholic parish of Kyon- parents to reforestation, train children and the Nyatura. do and the Vurusi Health Centre, who in the management of nurseries, and raise young people’s awareness of the Parc National benefits of the forest from a very early des Virunga age. They encourage disadvantaged Beni Kyondo i children to continue their education, DEMOCRATIC help to restore the environment, REPUBLIC OF Mutsora Ruwenzor maintain good climate conditions and, Semliki THE CONGO finally, support the local economy. Butembo In 2010, Berggorilla & Regenwald Mt. Tshiaberimu Mt. Tshiaberimu Direkthilfe funded a pilot reforestation Vurusi project in 3 schools in the Mount Tshi- aberimu area and 3 close to the Sar- Ishango Kalibina Lake ambwe Reserve – two places where Edward Masereka gorillas occur. The same activity was funded in 3 more schools in 2011, giv- Rwindi ing a total of 9 schools, 6 of which Muramba were in the Mount Tshiaberimu area. Seedling production was expected to UGANDA Rutshuru reach 8,000 plants per school per year, Tongo providing for an estimated reforesta- Lake Rumangabo tion area of between 20 and 24 hec- Edward Mikeno tares each year in the area of Mount protected area Sector Tshiaberimu and between 10 and 12 RWANDA national border Goma hectares in Sarambwe. Unfortunately Lake Kivu

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mum area of between 500 and 600 production of passion fruit with a view hectares will be planted. to generating a tangible income for the community. Reforestation for Profit and to Miti- The passion fruit planting project gate Climate Change was initiated from 2010–2012 by the Inspired by the initiatives of the Gorilla Gorilla Organization in two villages, Organization (GO) at the end of 2010, Vuswagha and Kyndo-mowa, villag- in 2011 and at the start of 2012, and as es that had already benefited from the a response to the request of the target B&RD reforestation project in 2008. group of the school nurseries project The trees planted during the earlier and owners of private or community project served as support for the pas- Distribution of passion fruit plants plantations, a project to plant passion sion fruit, which is a climbing vine. In Photo: Jean Claude Kyungu fruit plants will be initiated. The fruit Vuswagha, 10 people profited from the plants will be introduced within the project. In Kyondo-mowa, 7 families would like to be added to the list of plantations set up by the project. were beneficiaries. In 2013, 10 sacks plant producers. The objective of this project is the of fruit were produced every week in The result of the project was an un- expected, exponentially increased lev- el of seedling production. During the Oil Exploration in Virunga National Park first year, the 3 primary schools- pro duced 44,000 plants, 183% of what In 2013, WWF started the campaign “Draw the Line” to stop the British was expected. During the second oil company SOCO’s explorations for oil in the Virunga National Park, year, 229,135 plants were produced, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Hundreds of thousands of supporters of which 51,135 were produced by the signed up for this campaign. In June 2014, the news was spread in the Sarambwe schools. During the third media that SOCO International had signed a declaration with WWF that year, production in the Mount Tshia- said they would not drill for oil in the national park. Unfortunately, this does berimu area increased to 541,510 not mean that the park will be safe from their activities; in the meantime plants for the 6 schools and the two SOCO stated that they will not abandon the exploitation of these resources. new partners (Kyondo Parish and the Experts are concerned that the Congolese government may redraw the Vurusi Health Centre). As the project park’s boundaries to allow SOCO oil exploration outside of the World had a duration of 3 years, the 3 pri- Heritage Site. But the World Heritage commission may not accept this. mary schools were not included during Soldiers take money from SOCO, as is shown in the new documenta- the fourth year, leaving the last three ry Virunga (www.virungamovie.com) that is available on Netflix, and the schools and the two new partners men- company even tried to bribe and intimidate park rangers. Villagers who op- tioned above. During the first season posed the project were beaten by soldiers. A warden who tried to prevent of the fourth year, 127,000 plants were SOCO employees from erecting a mobile phone antenna in the park was produced and currently, 300,000 are in kidnapped and tortured. And Emmanuel de Merode, the park’s Director, the nurseries waiting for distribution. was shot. We hope to distribute at least 80% of The organisation Global Witness published a report, Drillers in the Mist, these plants, i.e. 240,000 seedlings, in September 2014, that reveals SOCO’s methods. It shows that SOCO between October and the beginning of and its contractors have made illicit payments to authorities and politicians, December 2014. The total production appear to have paid off armed rebels and benefited from fear and violence of the project will have been 1,130,510 fostered by government security forces. These findings are mainly based plants over the 4 years. on undercover recordings gathered as part of an investigation for the Virun­ Of course the seedlings are distrib- ga documentary. uted over several fields, but one can see plantations in certain locations Global Witness (2014): Drillers in the Mist. How Secret Payments and which are intended to form copses or a Climate of Violence Helped SOCO International Open Africa’s Oldest small-scale reforestation. Planting ac- National Park to Oil. Download: http://www.globalwitness.org/sites/default/ tivities in villagers’ fields are not mon- files/library/drillers_in_the_mist.pdf itored, but it is estimated that a mini-

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fruit to do well, the trees that support that have resulted from the school the passion fruit plants need to be pro- nursery project at Vurusi, Ngitse, Kitolu tected, which prevents the trees from and Katsimbi. Currently, 10,000 passion being cut down. Maintaining the affor- fruit seedlings are being distributed. ested areas helps to maintain good cli- A strong sensitization campaign has matic conditions which helps the fight been initiated by GO staff and the team against local climate change and sup- in charge of the nurseries, and has ports carbon sequestration. This pro- been implemented by the B&RD focal ject, initiated by the partners of ICCN, point in collaboration with GO, Kyondo has become a foundation for the sen- Parish, a local member of the NGO sitization of people to the protection VONA, local schools and the Vurusi of gorillas as without them the project Health Centre. This campaign aims would not exist. to inform as many people as possible Planting of passion fruit seeds in about the project in order to attract sacks at the Vurusi nursery Current Status of the Passion Fruit more beneficiaries. Photo: Claude Kyungu Project Claude Sikubwabo Kiyengo Four nurseries have been established Vuswagha. Each sack can produce close to important afforestation areas up to 100 litres of passion fruit juice and sells for 60 USD. In this way, the household income of the passion fruit Two Leading Silverbacks Die in Rwanda producers increased to 240 USD per month, a credible amount for the vil- The 21-year-old silverback male Umushikirano (Rano), leader of Titus group lagers of these regions, an amount that in Volcanoes National Park, was found dead on July 28, 2014 by trackers. will help reduce activities leading to de- There were no visible signs of injury or illness and his body was carried stroying of the trees and poaching. down the mountain and transported to the Gorilla Doctors headquarters in There is a large market for passion Musanze, where a necropsy was conducted. Rano suffered a perforation of fruit in the region. Local restaurants the small intestine and acute peritonitis. offering passion fruit juice are wide- On October 1, 2014, the 24-year-old dominant silverback Bwenge was spread and all need fruit. The demand found dead by trackers. On September 20 and 24, Bwenge had interac- of these restaurants is large and pro- tions with a lone silverback and was wounded – these wounds may have duction is still small. The locally vis- caused his death. Bwenge was a son of Titus and Ginseng. He grew up ible benefits attract more people to the in Beetsme’s group and split from this group to form his own in 2007. The passion fruit project and requests are group grew in size rapidly, and after just 3 weeks females from Pablo group made frequently to the B&RD focal joined him. Among those was the elder Maggie. She led the group for some point who does not hesitate to make time after Bwenge’s death. About a month later, the rest of the Bwenge suggestions to the B&RD representa- group merged with the Ugenda group. tive. The initiative is financed quickly, Summaries of blog entries by Gorilla Doctors and DFGFI not only because it gives the local com- munities an income, but especially for beneficial effects the project has for the environment: plantation maintenance, the conservation of the forests where gorillas occur and the sensitization of The silverback people to gorilla conservation. Umushikirano (Rano), Charcoal making, poaching and tim- the leader of the Titus ber cutting occur mainly because peo- group in Volcano ple are trying to earn money or finding National Park ways to support themselves. Passion Photo: Jean Bosco fruit has given people an alternative Noheri solution to this problem. For passion

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Why Equitable local communities. But more than 20 despite ICD, and why. They designed years later, they have had little impact household surveys with indirect ques- Conservation Is a on bushmeat poaching, encroachment tioning to allow citizens to discuss il- Necessity for Bwindi’s of communities on park land and other legal activities without incriminating Gorillas illegal activities that threaten Bwindi’s themselves, and focus group discus- gorillas. sions to explore the opinions of com- Mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetra­ munity leaders and specialist commu- ble National Park, Uganda, live in one A Collaborative Research nity groups. The research was com- of the poorest regions of Africa. This In 2012, the International Institute for pleted in 2013 and generated the creates a major challenge for Uganda Environment and Development (IIED) following findings: to conserve Bwindi’s gorillas in a way partnered with leading re­search, Who are the poorest of the poor? that improves the livelihoods of local conservation, and advocacy organi­ ­ The poorest people live in the ‘frontline people. The Integrated Conservation zations in Uganda for a combined zone’, extending about 0.5 km from and Development (ICD) approach research and advocacy project at Bwindi’s boundary where crops and for national park management was Bwindi. IIED’s partners were the Institu­ livestock are frequently raided by adopted to overcome this challenge. te of Tropical Forest Conservation, the wild animals. They are at greater risk ICD initiatives are based on the Jane Goodall Institute-Uganda, and of disease because they have fewer premise that conservation is achieved Advocates Coalition for Development sanitation facilities. They have less by addressing local development and Environment. Additional support education, making it harder to find priorities. At Bwindi they included the was provided by Imperial College work, and they live far from the trading funding of ‘common good’ projects such London and Parsons Brinckerhoff, and centres and transport which others as schools and roads from a portion the project was funded by the Darwin within their community benefit from. All of tourism revenue, and supporting Initiative and UKaid. this perpetuates a continuing poverty agriculture and health improvements. The team developed a research trap. These initiatives have been key for park framework to understand who contin- Do they benefit from ICD projects? authorities to improve relations with ues to use Bwindi’s resources illegally Some ICD benefits are reaching people in the frontline zone. But few or no ICD benefits are reaching the poorest people living there. The poorest people also feel less involved with decision- making and less ownership of ICD projects. From investigating why this was so, it appeared that most ICD projects occur near trading centres and roads, but not in remote areas where the negative social impacts of conservation are often greater, and people are poorer. Who uses Bwindi’s resources ille­ gally, and why? People who have been arrested for illegal resource use were generally poorer than other local residents and lived close to the national park and far from trading centres – suggesting poverty is the major issue. But not everyone undertaking illegal activities is arrested, so the team explored A family guarding their crops near to the boundary of Bwindi Impenetrable further. National Park Photo: Mariel Harrison

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Bushmeat Hunting Bushmeat is the forest resource that local people of Bwindi want and consume the most. Bushmeat hunters often live in remote areas and the frontline zone. Many hunt because they cannot afford meat or livestock, or seek bushmeat for medicinal needs. So again, the evidence points to poverty. But then there are hunters who are not the poorest in their community. These included traditional hunters who sold bushmeat locally for a small, modest income. But also others who hunted not from necessity or income, but because they feel the national park’s conservation has treated them unjustly. These individuals hunted to compensate themselves for the crops and livestock taken by wild animals. As one of our focus groups explained, “the present management is not controlling the problem of crop raid- ing animals, which makes people angry so they go into the forest.” They also hunted because they feel that jobs with the national park and re- A member of the Rushegura family feeding outside of the park lated tourism operations go to outsid- Photo: Uwe Kribus ers, and that ICD projects fail to benefit people suffering because of the nation- The Uganda Conservation and within conservation by illustrating that al park. Another focus group told us, Poverty Learning Group members equity is not only a moral obligation, but “people are angered by the giving (U-PCLG) took on this challenge and, a necessity for gorilla and indeed other of goats; those receiving goats are for the second stage of the project, are conservation programmes to be effec- not living near the park, so we are advocating for key outcomes from ICD tive and sustainable. angry and go to the park and poach.” – greater equity in tourism revenue Julia Baker These feelings of inequity over na- sharing, more national park-related tional park conservation were as impor- jobs filled by local people, reduced Twinamatsiko, M. et al. (2014): Link­ tant a driver of hunting (and other ille- human–wildlife conflict and better ing conservation, equity and poverty gal activities) as rural poverty. access to sustainable resource use – alleviation: understanding profiles and all with a strong emphasis on de­ motivations of resource users and local Equity Is a Necessity livering benefits to people in front-line perceptions of governance at Bwindi The team’s report, Linking Con­ser­ communities who are experiencing Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. vation, Equity and Poverty Alle­viation, more of the burden (i.e. costs) of IIED Research Report, London. Down­ was published in August 2014. When conservation. load at http://pubs.iied.org/14630IIED. presenting the research findings at Around Bwindi, this research and U- html workshops to Ugandan policy makers PCLG’s advocacy activities are helping and conservation practitioners, the ICD interventions – through a specific IIED team focussed on the critical need for focus on equity – become more effec- IIED is an international organization that con- equitable management of protected tive in both conservation and poverty al- ducts action-oriented research and forms local partnerships to advocate for fair and sustain- areas. But what does equitable pro­ leviation. At the international level they able use of natural resources. tected area management look like? support wider developments for equity www.iied.org

10 Gorilla Journal 49, December 2014 CROSS RIVER

Ebola Virus Disease possible source of the dreaded Ebola the importation of bushmeat from oth- virus disease. Many people have since er West African countries. At the com- in Nigeria Reduces heeded this advice and are avoiding munity level, some communities have the Consumption of bushmeat altogether. Demand for this equally enacted local bans on the har- Bushmeat once highly esteemed delicacy had vesting, trading and consumption of been high prior to the Ebola outbreak bushmeat amidst the fear surround- Bushmeat traders in Watt Market in in Nigeria and threatened the very ex- ing Ebola. For instance, Buanchor and Calabar, Cross River State, South istence of certain rare and endangered Kakwagom communities surrounding Eastern Nigeria, are lamenting the species. One of the traders interviewed Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary in Ni- poor sales of bushmeat since the complained that business has been geria have banned the harvesting and outbreak of Ebola virus disease in very bad since the Ebola outbreak in sale of bushmeat with severe punitive Nigeria in July 2014. During a recent July, and lamented that it can now take measures taken against anyone found visit to the market, only 9 bushmeat up to one week for her to sell a piece of violating the community directives. Afi carcasses were observed for sale by bushmeat. Prior to the Ebola outbreak Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary is one of three resident traders (2 brush-tailed she was routinely selling 10 to 20 piec- three sites in Nigeria where Cross Riv- porcupines, 2 red duikers, 2 blue es in a single day! er gorillas are found, and also contains duikers and one piece of red river hog). Though trading and consumption of the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee. In 2009 a visitor to the same market bushmeat is not banned in Calabar, Consequently, patronage for bushmeat would have been able to find at least not fewer than 4 states in Nigeria have has drastically dropped, so that some 20 carcasses belonging to 7 species on since banned the harvesting and sale of dealers in the commodity have diverted sale (Bassey et al. 2010). bushmeat in an attempt to prevent the to other forms of business while con- The traders berated the current me- spread of Ebola – Ondo, Kano, Rivers sumers now instead patronize meat dia campaign in Nigeria which has and Kogi States. The federal govern- from domestic animals and fish for their warned people against the consump- ment of Nigeria in its effort to contain protein needs. tion of wild animals (bushmeat) as a the spread of Ebola has also banned Thankfully the Ebola outbreak in Ni- geria looks to have been successfully contained. Once the fear surrounding Ebola has abated it may be that the de- mand for bushmeat will soon return to normal. In the meantime, we hope that a long-lasting reduction in the sale and consumption of bushmeat, especially in communities surrounding protected areas, will help relieve hunting pres- sure on Nigeria’s rare and endangered species. On the other hand, however, this will adversely affect the economy of families that depend on the bush- meat business for survival. Emmanuel Bassey

Reference Bassey, E. Nkonyu, L. & Dunn, A. (2010): A Reconnaissance Survey of the Bushmeat Trade in Eight Border Communities in South- East Nigeria. Unpublished report to the Arcus Foundation and the WCS Nigeria Program

Bushmeat on sale by the roadside in Cross River State Photo: Louis Nkonyu/WCS Nigeria Program

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Group Formation and Young gorillas are born and grow up Western lowland gorillas inhabit low- in breeding groups. These groups are altitude forests rich in fruit tree spe- Dynamics in Eastern and typically composed of several, usually cies. Fruit is a high-quality resource, Western Gorillas unrelated, adult females, their offspring rich in energy. Depending on the sea- and a single silverback male. Western son, western lowland gorillas spend up Gorillas spend the major part of their lowland gorillas, one of the two gorilla to 70% of their foraging time eating life in small social groups led by a subspecies living in western central Af- this resource. But fruit trees constitute mature silverback male. Only young rica, form breeding groups rarely ex- small, clumped resource patches that blackback males and mature silverback ceeding 20 individuals (about 10 adult cannot provide enough food resources males are known to spend extended females). The size of eastern gorilla for large groups of gorillas, which may periods of time ranging solitarily. The groups from Rwanda, Democratic Re- explain the absence of large groups in composition and stability of gorilla public of the Congo and Uganda is on western lowland gorillas. Mountain go- groups varies greatly, both within average similar to that of western go- rillas and high altitude populations of gorilla populations and among the rillas, but exhibits a larger variability. Grauer’s gorillas live in forests that are four gorilla subspecies. For example, Mountain and Grauer’s gorilla groups rich in terrestrial vegetation – herbs, mountain gorilla groups studied at the exceeding 30 individuals are occasion- shrubs, vines – but poor in fruit trees. In Karisoke Research Center in Rwanda ally observed. At least in the case of some parts of eastern gorillas’ range, can include as few as two individuals or mountain gorillas, large groups gen- such as the Virunga Volcanoes, the reach 65 individuals. Western lowland erally include more than one silver- terrestrial vegetation is abundant and gorillas typically live in breeding groups back male. Grauer’s gorillas are not as forms very large food patches that pro- including several females and their well known as mountain gorillas, but it vide enough food for large groups of offspring, but also occasionally form seems that multi-male groups are less gorillas. groups that do not include any adult common in this subspecies. Why can Adult female gorillas give birth to a female. Understanding the factors eastern gorilla groups reach a larger single infant every 4 to 5 years. Twin responsible for this flexibility has long size than western gorilla groups? The births are rare but have been observed been a research priority as it relates to answer is in the difference between in mountain, Grauer’s and western low- the social evolution of our ancestors. their habitats. land gorillas. Females wean their in- fants around the age of 3. After 3–6 cycles, the female becomes pregnant again and gives birth to a new infant 8.5 months later. Infant mortality is high: only two thirds of mountain gorilla infants, and only half of western gorilla infants, reach the weaning age. After they are weaned, young gorillas stay close to their mothers for a few more years and are often seen playing with their siblings or exchanging grooming with their mothers. When females become sexually ma- Typical dynamics of single-male gorilla groups. Young gorilla males ture around the age of 8, they have an systematically leave their natal groups and range solitarily for a few years. important choice to make: staying in When they encounter breeding groups, they challenge the silverback male their natal group or leaving. In west- of the group and try to acquire females. If they are successful, they form a ern gorillas, young females systemati- breeding group typically reaching about 10 individuals. The breeding cally leave the natal group and then tenure of males can last 10 to 15 years. As breeding males get older, their join a solitary silverback male or an- ability to attract and keep females decreases, and females start leaving other breeding group. This behaviour them and they become solitary again. Sometimes, old solitary males bond limits the risk of inbreeding, as the sil- with young blackback or subadult males and form temporary non- verback in the natal group of a young breeding groups. female is almost always her father. In Drawing: Damien Caillaud mountain gorillas, natal transfers are

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not systematic. The presence of sever- ably because female gorillas choose adult female around the age of 8 to 10 al silverback males in up to half of the who they want to live with. If a male and are then called blackback males. groups limits the risk of inbreeding in they did not like took over their group, Between the ages of 12 and 15, black- this subspecies. Transfers are not lim- female gorillas would simply leave and back males start developing a grey col- ited to young females. Parous females find another male. Baboon females, on oration of the hair of their back. Their (females who have already had an in- the other hand, are philopatric; they body size and muscle mass keep in- fant) often transfer too. They generally never transfer between groups, which creasing. Mountain gorilla males reach do so shortly after the most recent in- makes a take-over a beneficial strategy full maturity around the age of 15 while fant is weaned or dies. for solitary male baboons. western lowland gorillas reach their Transfers occur when a group en- Researchers have found that males mature silverback morphology around counters a solitary male or another with a large body size and a prominent the age of 18. In western lowland go- group. The home ranges of neighbour- crest on the back of the head have rillas, young males leave their natal ing gorilla groups generally overlap a more females than smaller males. It is groups before they turn silverbacks. lot, so bumping into another group or likely that females who are in a posi- They typically live solitarily for a few meeting a solitary male is common. tion to transfer compare their current years, until they become able to com- During encounters, silverback males male to other males during encounters, pete with breeding males and tract their charge, chest-beat, and sometimes and make a decision by comparing the females. Occasionally, young males bite each other. These displays serve physical appearance of the males and join an old solitary silverback and form two functions: impressing the other sil- their ability to “win” encounters. Fe- a non-breeding group. verback and “seducing” his females, males may also make transfer deci- Non-breeding groups usually in- hoping that one of them will decide to sions based on the size and composi- clude 2–8 individuals, but can also ex- join his group. It is important to note tion of their current group and possible ceed 20 individuals, and their compo- that solitary male gorillas do not “take destination groups. sition changes much more often than over” groups as is observed in other Male gorillas reaching sexual ma- the composition of breeding groups. In primates like baboons. The reason why turity do not start reproducing immedi- mountain gorillas, young males stay in take-overs are not observed is prob- ately. Young males reach the size of an their natal groups more than half of the time, where they mature and become silverback males. An old silverback male can have in his group several of his sons that have turned silverback; when he dies, the group will remain co- hesive, as one of the sons will become the new leader. This is a key difference between mountain gorilla and western lowland gorilla groups: in western low- land gorillas, when the silverback of a group dies, the group disbands and the females join other groups or solitary sil- verbacks. Breeding groups have a limited du- ration of life. In mountain gorillas, a group can include several – generally related – silverback males, and when the dominant silverback dies, another Example of dynamics of a multi-male mountain gorilla group. If young silverback becomes dominant. A few males stay in their natal groups, multiple silverback males can coexist in years later, one of his sons may also the same group. These males are often, but not always, related. If the become the leader of the group and dominant silverback dies or emigrates, the group does not disintegrate as “perpetuate” the dynasty. Groups can another silverback can become dominant. Large multi-male groups thus persist for several silverback ten- occasionally fission, forming smaller one-male or multi-male groups. ures. One of the groups currently stud- Drawing: Damien Caillaud ied at Karisoke in Rwanda (group Pab-

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subordinate males gives the dominant male access to one or two additional females, it may be worth it. Finally, the subordinate males are often related to the dominant male, so when the sub- ordinate males sire offspring, they also pass on some of the genes of the dom- inant male and indirectly increase his reproductive success. If staying in his natal group is a good strategy for a large number of young mountain gorilla males, why has this behaviour never been observed in western lowland gorillas? Here again, researchers do not have a final answer. It is possible that the cost of the feed- ing competition resulting from the pres- ence of additional males would exceed the benefits in terms of support dur- ing encounters and protection against predators. Also, as the number of fe- males in western lowland gorilla groups is comparatively low, it may appear dif- ficult for a subordinate male to mate with females behind the dominant sil- Members of the Umubano group in Rwanda verback’s back. Photo: Wolfram Rietschel After almost five decades of- re search on mountain gorillas and two lo) descends from Group 5, which was seems to be a good strategy, as the decades of research on western gorilla habituated by Dian Fossey in the late young silverback can then expect to social dynamics, we have learnt a lot 1960s. become dominant within a few years. about the rules that govern the forma- Sometimes, multi-male mountain Staying in a group with already 4 young tion and evolution of group groups, but gorilla groups split, forming two new silverbacks may not be such a good there are many questions that remain groups that are each led by a different strategy: in multi-male groups, the unanswered, and the group dynamics silverback. Between 2007 and 2009, a dominant silverback sires an estimat- of Grauer’s gorillas and Cross River series of group splitting events was ob- ed 85% of the offspring, subordinate gorillas are still poorly known. Gorilla served at Karisoke, and 3 mountain go- silverbacks only 15% of the offspring – population biology is still an active field rilla groups became 8 groups. being the 5th-ranked silverback proba- of research with important applications One may wonder why some young bly gives no chance to reproduce, and in conservation. Understanding group mountain gorilla males decide to stay in this context, dispersing may be a dynamics is indeed critical to anticipate in their natal group while others prefer better strategy. the demographic consequences of hu- leaving and becoming solitary. It is a From the dominant male’s perspec- man illegal activities and the impact of current research topic for many goril- tive, it may also be beneficial to tolerate disease outbreaks. la specialists with no final answer yet. subordinate males and let them sire a Damien Caillaud Several hypotheses have been formu- small proportion of the offspring, be- lated. It seems that that staying is over- cause subordinate males can help fight Our current research on mountain and Grau­ all a better strategy for males, as close other males and protect the infants dur- er’s gorillas would not be possible without the to half of the dispersers never manage ing between-group encounters. Thus, support of the Fossey Fund’s staff from the Ka­ to reproduce. The advantage, howev- because they offer better protection, risoke Research Center in Rwanda and from the Biruwe-Nkuba field station, Democratic er, depends on the context. Staying in multi-male groups may be more attrac- Republic of the Congo, and the staff from Ka­ a group with only one old silverback tive to females. If tolerating one or two huzi-Biega National Park in Congo. We are

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also grateful for the help and support provided importance, TNS was designated a of the most successful western low- by the villagers from Biruwe and Nkuba. trans-boundary World Heritage Site land gorilla tourism and research pro- Further readings by UNESCO in 2012. Since the early grammes in Central Africa. Unfortu- Breuer, T. et al. (2009): Physical maturation, 1990s, DSPA has run an ecotourism nately, despite the seemingly suitable life-history classes and age estimates of free- programme to promote the value of its conditions for a perennially flourish- ranging western gorillas - insights from Mbeli Bai, Republic of Congo. American Journal of exceptional biodiversity and natural ing and financially profitable ecotour- Primatology 71 (2): 106–119 resources as well as showcase the ism programme, instability has over- Caillaud, D et al. (2014): Mountain gorilla rang- traditional cultures and customs of the whelmed the CAR for nearly 2 decades ing patterns: Influence of group size and group local people. with multiple coup d’état attempts and, dynamics. American Journal of Primatology 76 (8): 730–746 As part of the DSPA Ecotourism Pro- over the last 2 years, the worst violence Harcourt, A. H. & Stewart, K. J. (2007): Gorilla gramme, a Primate Habituation Pro- ever witnessed by this generation of Society: Conflict, Compromise and Coopera- gramme (PHP) was launched in 1997 CAR citizens. tion Between the Sexes. Chicago (The Univer- with the main aim of habituating west- sity of Chicago Press) Robbins, M. M. (2010): Gorillas: Diversity in ern lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla go­ The March 2013 Coup d’Etat ecology and behavior. In: Campbell, C. J. et rilla) for tourism and research. To date, From December 2012, CAR has been al.: Primates in Perspective, 2nd edition. Ox- the PHP has successfully habituated undergoing persistent political crisis ford (Oxford University Press), pp. 326–339 3 western lowland gorilla groups, while which culminated in a violent coup 2 additional groups are presently un- d’état in March 2013. The president was Update: Conflict in the dergoing habituation. The PHP em- ousted by a Muslim rebel coalition force ploys 60 local people as trackers (the known as “Seleka” who then extended Central African Republic Ba’Aka) and guides, and these em- their violent movement to all regions of and its Impact on Dzanga- ployees are based in PHP’s two for- the country including DSPA. At least Sangha est camps: Bai Hokou and Mongambe. three different splinter Seleka groups, Apart from being a source of employ- all reporting to different leaders, visited The Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas ment for the local people the pro- DSPA over a period of 11 months during (DSPA), located in the southwest­ gramme plays a vital role in DSPA’s which time the DSPA headquarters ern Central African Republic (CAR) management strategy by generating were looted twice, and Seleka troops and the northern edge of the Congo significant revenue and strengthen- caused total panic in the nearby villages basin, is managed by the CAR ing the vital link with the community, in their aggressive efforts to locate government, with significant financial hence acting as an important conser- and technical support from WWF, the vation tool. global conservation organization. The Between 2007 and 2011 the PHP 4,579 km2 DSPA is part of the largest received about 550–650 gorilla visiting intact forest block remaining in CAR. tourists (i.e., many additional tourists An area of exceptional regional and participated in non-PHP related activi- international significance, it is part of ties during this period) annually, and a more than 25,000 km2 complex of from 2009 to 2011 alone, 15 film teams protected areas called the Sangha Tri- visited the gorillas alongside scores of National complex (known by its French international journalists and research- acronym TNS). In addition to DSPA, ers. Additionally, extensive research the TNS also includes Lobéké National has been carried out from the PHP site, Park in Cameroon and Nouabalé- resulting in numerous scientific publi- Ndoki National Park in the Republic cations. By 2012, gorilla tracking fees of Congo. The Regional Action Plan covered about 75% of the direct op- for the Conservation of Chimpanzees erational costs of the PHP (i.e., local and Gorillas in Western Equatorial salaries, subsistence, materials, vehi- Africa (IUCN 2005) selected the TNS cle maintenance and fuel), and pro- as an exceptional priority area for their jections showed that the programme conservation and will remain a priority could potentially become self-sustain- A silverback in a bai of the area in the revised action plan (IUCN, in ing by 2016. Gorilla tourism at Dzanga- Mongambe area (1998/99) prep.). In recognition of its conservation Sangha thus can be considered one Photo: Angelique Todd

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associates from the previous regime. lage, where the DSPA HQ is based, pick-up, and drove away. Among the DSPA material looted was with constant visits by support troops For many years, the CAR has been PHP’s indispensable pickup truck, from a larger base in the neighbouring invaded by marauding, heavily armed used to transport team members from town of Nola, just 120 km north of Bay- bands of poachers mounted on horse- their villages to and from the camps, in anga. In early May, a 17-man Suda- back, targeting the country’s northern addition to providing them with critical nese Seleka group, purportedly seek- protected areas, where some of the subsistence supplies. Moreover, ing a missing colleague, then drove most significant populations of ele- previously operational HF/VHF radios, into the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, phants once roamed. Once these pop- project computers, cameras and many proceeding to the mineral rich Dzanga ulations were virtually depleted, the other important equipment items were Bai where, armed with AK-47s, they armed groups then targeted the ele- taken by the Seleka troops. killed 26 elephants, including 4 infants. phant rich DSPA. With rampant cor- In April 2013, about 40 Seleka ele- They then hacked off all the dead el- ruption throughout the entire country, ments were stationed in Bayanga vil- ephants’ tusks, loaded them into their even armed groups carrying automat- ic weapons are able to purchase their way through government controlled CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Yokadouma areas. Until recently, despite previ- Nola ous attempts to infiltrate DSPA and locate its substantial elephant popu- Sangh lations, the DSPA had remained rela- Dzanga- a tively untouched until the current state Sangha Special of political and military chaos provid- Reserve ed the armed groups with the opportu- Bayanga Mongambe Bai Hokou REPUBLIC OF nity to eventually access this virtually unspoiled location. The crisis was ex- Dzanga- CONGO Ndoki acerbated by the fact that there were Libongo National Motaba different factions of Seleka forces op- Park Nouabalé- Ndoki erating in the region working indepen- CAMEROON National Park dently of one another. In times of politi- Lobéké cal instability, both people and wildlife National Mbeli Bai may suffer greatly, as law and order Park Bomassa Goualougo breaks down, violence and corruption Moloundou Kabo Bai prevail, and turmoil reigns. In their tar- Sangha geted search for elephants and their

Ngoko ivory, the rebels also arrived at one of i Ndok the gorilla camps; but the camps were quickly evacuated and, once the intrud-

Ouesso ers saw that there was nothing of value to seize, they quickly left the camp and never accessed or harmed the nearby Pokola gorilla groups. When the Seleka troops finally -de parted Bayanga and DSPA in February 2014, a Christian militia group known Settlement River as the “Anti-Balaka” began to confront Bai Sangha Tri-National the various Seleka factions through- Border National Parks 0 20 40 km out the country. Having suffered at the hands of the aggressive and brutal Se- The Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas (Dzanga-Ndoki National Park and leka forces, the Anti-Balaka militias Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve) and the adjacent national parks as well then went on a terror mission of their as the Sangha Tri-National complex. The Dzanga-Ndoki National Parks own, targeting not only Seleka troops consists of the Dzanga Sector (above) and the Ndoki Sector (below). and supporters, but also innocent Mus-

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lim civilians. They eventually arrived at until political stability in CAR is reached There was thus a compounded need Bayanga where they overcame the lo- and tourist numbers begin to recover. for augmented anti-poaching patrols, cal authorities and forcibly disarmed Another major challenge during the leaving the conservation division com- the DSPA government para-military instability was procuring essential sup- pletely stretched. trained rangers. plies from Bangui, the capital, given that the high rate of insecurity through- Ways Around the Crisis Major Challenges of the Coup out the country made travelling by road Putting in place appropriate security d’Etat a significant risk. Moreover, the Seleka measures was one major way of One major challenge of the coup forces had confiscated the PHP vehi- responding to the crisis. Prior to the d’état was assuring the security of cle, which greatly hindered the trans- arrival of the Seleka troops in Bayanga, all DSPA staff members. Local PHP port of important subsistence and all foreign staff were evacuated by staff courageously continued following equipment items to the PHP camps lo- pirogue along the Sangha River to the the gorillas, only evacuating the PHP cated up to 32 km from Bayanga, thus Bomassa headquarters of the Wildlife camps from April 4th to 7th and May negatively impacting the day-to-day Conservation Society in neighbouring 6th to 13th when 2 different factions of operations of the PHP. Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Re­ Seleka rebels arrived, one of which The presence of Seleka in the re- public of Congo. The local staff that looted the DSPA HQ, while the other gion also caused many inhabitants of remained thus needed adequate se­ entered the field camps, committing villages surrounding DSPA, especially curity assurance. With support from the elephant massacre and looting the Ba’Aka, who are traditionally hunt- the WWF regional office in Yaoundé, the PHP-Mongambe camp. Ensuring ers and gatherers, to relocate to the the emergency evacuation protocol adequate security for the local staff park and pre-park for their safety. As was strengthened; one full-fuelled to continue working was clearly a a result there was an increase in the car and driver was always available significant challenge because, even number of hunting camps, guns and at the park headquarters at all times, though the team members may have snares throughout the protected areas. a full-fuelled pirogue and driver were felt safer to remain in the camps and in the process protect their livelihoods, they also had family in Bayanga that needed their protection as well. During this tumultuous period, and due to urgent security concerns, tour- ist numbers in DSPA dwindled to zero, and the suspension of tourism activi- ties was inevitable. Consequently, the PHP, which largely depends on gorilla tracking fees, was unable to fully cover its operational costs. It was of course vital that the two gorilla camps main- tain at least a minimal level of function- ing in order to ensure continuous fol- lows of the gorillas, thereby avoiding an abrupt cessation to critical gorilla sur- veillance activities. There was there- fore the need to seek emergency fund- ing to ensure the continuous running of the program. Unfortunately, with no tourism revenue for over 1.5 years, and due to the travel restrictions throughout the country, projections for programme self-sustainability have required recali- Seleka leader in Bayanga village addressing the population during a brating, and thus the project will con- collaboration meeting organized by WWF and APDS tinue to seek external funding support Photo: Christian Bassoum

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ready to disembark at any moment, and more informants were carefully en- Although the stolen PHP pickup was and an urgent evacuation aircraft could gaged and dispersed within nearby vil- eventually replaced, as long as Sele- be quickly called-on, runway security lages in order to record and report ille- ka troops were still present in Bayan- permitting. gal activities. ga, there was a great need to secure Security experts were also hired to In November 2013, with the support the vehicle, which was consequently install surveillance cameras at strate- of the WWF National Office, an agree- parked deep in the forest and was lim- gic locations, conduct training courses ment of collaboration was signed be- ited to traveling a maximum of 4 km for the park rangers (navigation, crisis tween the DSPA administration and outside the village of Bayanga. Sub- response, first aid etc.), and develop in- the Seleka Military Region of Sang- sistence therefore had to be transport- formation networks to support an early ha Mbaere prefecture to reinforce the ed manually to a hidden location, 4 km warning system and subsequent con- protection of DSPA and permit recom- into the park, transferred to the pickup tingency plans in case of approaching mencement of previously planned con- truck and only then transferred to the rebels. A WWF anti-poaching expert servation activities and free circulation field camps. Other project cars were was brought in to work closely with the of people in the region. The Seleka hidden 50 km inside the park with only DSPA staff to boost the effectiveness agreed to transfer its Bayanga sta- two old cars used for basic operations of the eco-guards and their surveil- tioned troops to the Nola military base, by anti-poaching units, until the com- lance strategy. Moreover, in response only to return to the area if the DSPA plete departure of Seleka troops. All to an increased need for constant an- administration solicited their assis- Seleka troops finally departed the re- ti-poaching patrols, more park rangers tance for mixed patrols against incom- gion in February 2014. were recruited to reinforce patrol teams ing armed poachers. During such unstable and unpre- dictable times, a functioning communi- cation system is imperative. A reliable system of HF radios was thus secured between all gorilla camps and the park headquarters and systematic status updates between them were sched- uled. All camps and even some trusted informants were equipped with satellite phones to use in cases where HF radi- os were unavailable or when communi- cation by radio may have compromised security. Informants were positioned at strategic points to alert the project site whenever there was an incoming group of Seleka and Anti-Balaka rebels, or any other group which might threaten to infiltrate DSPA. All the above intervention measures could not have been achieved with- out the necessary emergency fund- ing. These funds were sought through, and provided by, the greater WWF Net- work, assuring the continuation of criti- cal anti-poaching and PHP activities in DSPA.

Way Forward The government of CAR in its effort to lend support to the protection of Makumba, the dominant male in Bai Hokou DSPA has stationed 15 elements of Photo: Tianna Peller the Central African Army (Force Armée

18 Gorilla Journal 49, December 2014 GORILLAS

Centrafricain, FACA) in Bayanga to for great apes in the region is common, gorillas from Guinea beginning in 2007 strengthen the rule of law in the region. PHP focal gorilla groups have yet to through falsified permits that identi- These FACA elements work in shifts suffer any casualties at the hands of fied the apes as “captive-bred” speaks and are replaced every month by new a poacher. Indeed it can thus also be to the widespread corruption that the troops from the FACA regional base argued that the PHP is a treasure to desire for apes has fueled, and em- in Nola. The FACA have succeeded be jealously guarded, even through the phasized the growing black market for in completely dissolving all Anti- most difficult periods imaginable. great apes. Environmental crime now Balaka units in the region and have Terence Fuh Neba and David Greer ranks among the most significant ille- successfully reinstalled law and order. gal activities in the world, with recent Tourism activities have been reo- We would like to express our gratitude to our estimates placing its worth in excess of principal donors US Fish and Wildlife Service, pened in DSPA but, due to continuing the Arcus Foundation, KFW, and the greater 200 billion USD. media reports of chaos in other parts WWF network for providing financial support It has historically been easy to cat- of CAR, tourist turnout is still very low. throughout this crisis period and who continue egorize ape trade as limited and anec- WWF and the Ministry of Tourism are to support the programme. We would also like dotal, because reports have come from to give tremendous thanks to the staff of the working together to communicate to PHP, DSPA and above all the brave rangers disparate sources and filter through the the international community the most that courageously continued working through­ news only sporadically. Sparks erupt accurate and realistic details of the im- out the crisis. when celebrities post photos cuddling proving situation on the ground in an infant great apes in the Middle East, or effort to revive the tourism programme. when the public sees stories of an or- With the above challenges it might Ape Trade from Guinea angutan being discovered in a suitcase be debated as to whether or not it is When CITES suspended Guinea in the Jakarta airport or chimpanzees worth struggling to assure the con- from all trade in Appendix I species smuggled in sacks of marijuana, but tinuous functioning of the PHP under in 2013, it did more than highlight that the flow and scope of great ape trade such difficult circumstances, but there country’s failure to control illicit traffic is not readily apparent, nor is the prov- are numerous arguments for support- in great apes and other wildlife from enance of these apes often clear. ing the project’s continuation. PHP’s West Africa to Asia. It shed light on an But a 2011 CITES mission to inves- contribution to increasing the scientif- illegal ape trade that was much more tigate claims that a large-scale traffic of ic knowledge of western lowland goril- sophisticated, global, and corrupt than great apes was churning out of West las has been significant (1998–2013: ever before. Africa quickly uncovered an operation 35 published articles, 8 submitted, The sale of infant great apes was that was as comprehensive as it was 3 PhDs, 4 Masters Theses and one originally considered a consequence of corrupt. In 2010 alone, the CITES re- Bachelor’s thesis), despite the fact the bushmeat trade, an ad-hoc and op- port found that 69 chimpanzees had that the programme originated not to portunistic endeavor that rarely extend- been exported under falsified permits, support research, but with the primary ed past country lines. But the export of and hinted that the collateral damage goal of promoting conscientious eco- an alleged 138 chimpanzees and 10 was far worse. tourism. The programme has already demonstrated that, with regional stabil- ity, it can eventually become self-sus- Daniel Stiles, Ian Redmond, taining, not only supporting the local Doug Cress, Christian Nellemann community through employment, but and Rannveig Knutsdatter Formo also through revenue sharing schemes (eds.) and assistance to the health and edu- Stolen Apes – The Illicit Trade in cation sector. Notably, it also endeav- Chimpanzees, Gorillas, Bo­no­bos ours to help preserve the traditional and Orangutans. A Rapid Response forest skills of the increasingly urban- As­sessment. United Nations En­ ized Ba’Aka community and has pro- viron­ment Programme, GRID- vided the opportunity for over 3,000 Arendal 2013. 53 pages. ISBN 978- tourists and media representatives to 82-7701-111-0. PDF download at: view these amazing gorillas. Most im- http://www.grida.no/publications/rr/ portantly it has increased their overall apes/ protection in the area: while poaching

19 Gorilla Journal 49, December 2014 GORILLAS

“The capture of such large numbers was, in fact, happening on a worldwide have capitalized on great apes to make of chimpanzees must have been a con- scale that existing systems were not eco-tourism a profitable aspect of con- siderable undertaking in itself, which set up to quantify or track. servation, Guinea and many other na- past experience indicates would have Stolen Apes revealed that at least tions have been unable to convert this involved the killing of mothers, and 3,000 apes were lost each year from natural heritage into a sustainable re- perhaps other family group members, the wild between 2005 and 2011, and source. since it is invariably juvenile chimpan- recent reports from the partnership in- But if West Africa represents the zees that are wanted for trade,” the dicate that this trade continues to flour- origin of the illegal trade, what about CITES report stated. “Such crime has ish. In 2015, GRASP will launch the regions that represent the transit and the potential to have considerable neg- Apes Trafficking Database, a compre- destination markets? North Africa and ative impact upon chimpanzee popu- hensive data bank of orphaned apes the Middle East have long been ma- lations.” being traded that will help bring trans- jor players in the ape trade, with Egypt The loss of such a huge number of parency and coordination to combat serving as an exit point from Africa and great apes from the forests of West Af- this illicit trade that is posing a serious Gulf States such as Qatar, the United rica is no longer considered small-scale risk to ape survival. The database will Arab Emirates, and Lebanon as the ul- or anecdotal. Though it was Guinea also chart whether the laws in place in timate buyers. But the rapid and mas- that was sanctioned by CITES, it is great ape range states are being up- sive growth of China’s middle class clear that many of the exported apes held and prosecutions issued in traf- – which triggered a major expansion came from nearby countries – particu- ficking cases. Stolen Apes reported of leisure-time sites such as zoos and larly as gorillas do not originate in Guin- only 27 arrests in Africa and Asia from theme parks – kicked the illegal trade ea – and that the flow of illegally traded 2005–2011, and a quarter of those ar- into overdrive. apes merely terminated in Guinea. But rests were never prosecuted. The ordeals faced by chimpanzees the pattern was clear: as foreign invest- Evidence suggests, however, that and gorillas brought to China are con- ment and development continue to ex- many of those arrests were merely siderable. The 10 gorillas thought to pand into pristine forest areas in great pawns in the trade: low-level dealers have been exported to China have ape range states, an increase in wildlife without much influence. Many of the never been put on public display nor crime and trafficking is sure to follow. parameters of the Apes Trafficking Da- been registered as having arrived, and It has become clear that combat- tabase are designed with the goal of there is speculation that they were eu- ting wildlife crime requires a more or- being able to identify patterns that lead thanized as a disease risk. The chim- ganized defense. In December 2014, to the kingpins of wildlife trafficking. panzees, meanwhile, are prominent Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, One such kingpin, Ousmane Diallo fixtures in at least 20 Chinese zoos stated that “Cooperation is our great- of Guinea, has already felt the effect of and animal parks, even though CITES est weapon and we must be brave and a coordinated effort toward justice. The regulations prohibit the use of illegal- ambitious in taking a truly internation- work of both the WARA Conservation ly sourced wildlife in entertainment. al approach to get one step ahead of Project and Guinean authorities led to Unfortunately, only a fraction of these the criminals and hold to account those Diallo’s arrest in 2013, after he boast- zoos fall under the authority of the Chi- who look the other way.” ed on hidden cameras that he had per- nese Association of Zoological Gar- The Great Apes Survival Partnership sonally trafficked more than 500 chim- dens (CAZG). (GRASP) works to leverage its broad panzees out of Guinea as far back as Studies show that chimpanzees de- alliance of national governments, con- 1994. Said Diallo: “Sometimes, I can prived of the maternal bond, such as servation organizations, United Na- sell 10 or 15 chimpanzees. We have orphans like those from Guinea, exhib- tions agencies, research institutions, clients for this.” it abnormal behavior, including severe and private companies on behalf of Yet, without steps towards demand violence not only towards other chim- issues such as illegal trade. In 2013, reduction, the prosecution of ape traf- panzees but towards humans as well. the GRASP network produced the data fickers will not be enough. The illegal Abnormal behaviors include repeti- that became, Stolen Apes: The Illicit wildlife trade in Guinea and neighbour- tive rocking, stereotyped body move- Trade in Chimpanzees, Gorillas, Bono­ ing countries remains viable because a ments, unusual posturing, self-orality, bos, and Orangutans, the first publica- daily wage in many areas is less than depilitation, regurgitation, coprophagy, tion that assembled all of the “anecdo- 5 USD/day, and the lure of big money urophagy, and others. Additionally, tal” reports to establish baseline infor- through illicit activity is strong. While many chimpanzees raised in non-natu- mation that proved great ape trafficking countries like Rwanda and Uganda ral environments exhibit a lack of inter-

20 Gorilla Journal 49, December 2014 GORILLAS

est in sex and breeding, or an inability eliminate the possibility of great apes compromising the survival of great to perform properly. The potential lack being illegally traded so abundantly but apes in the wild. of births in many of these zoos and we can make those driving the trade re- Laura Darby animal parks could inadvertently fuel alize the true impacts of their actions: greater demand for imported apes. Studies also connect the use of chimpanzees in anthropomorphic set- tings and wearing clothing with a lack Gorillas in Illegal Trade of knowledge about their status as an endangered species. The presence of In previous Gorilla Journals, we have presented several articles about the these chimpanzees in Chinese com- wildlife law enforcement organisation LAGA in Cameroon. In the meantime, munities therefore contradicts the glob- sister organisations have been established in many African countries, al conservation message that this spe- forming the EAGLE Network, and, in cooperation with the authorities of cies needs to be protected. the respective countries, they arrest wildlife traffickers. Among the items In the current climate where wild- seized during the last months are ivory, pangolin scales, leopard and lion life trafficking is increasingly organ- skins, but also ape skulls and body parts. From July to October 2014, 22 ized and international, it is important ape traffickers were arrested, and a total of over 34 chimp skulls and fresh to concentrate energies and efforts in heads, 34 fresh chimp limbs, 24 gorilla skulls and fresh heads and 16 fresh the most productive way. The ability gorilla limbs have been seized. Regarding arrests of people who tried to of officials in Guinea to falsify permits, sell gorillas or parts of them, Ofir Drori reported the following events on his claim captive-born status, and arbitrar- facebook page: ily amend existing documentation has 14 July: In Cameroon 5 traffickers highlighted a need for system over- were arrested with a gorilla skull. haul. Future options under discussion 16 July: A trafficker tried to sell a gorilla include an electronic permit system, baby who died before the team arrived. a captive-breeding database, and col- He was arrested. laboration with organizations such as 23 August: In Cameroon an ape traf- TRAFFIC that would prevent the abuse ficker was arrested with 2 gorilla skulls. of CITES permitting. 27 August: In Cameroon 2 dealers The best recourse, in addition to were arrested with gorilla bones and committing funds and energy to the im- skull. provement of reporting mechanisms, 8 September: In Cameroon an ape working together on projects like the trafficker was arrested with 4 gorilla Apes Trafficking Database, is to raise heads and 16 hands and legs. awareness of the perils facing chim- 1 October: In Cameroon 2 ape dealers panzees and other great apes, and were arrested with a gorilla skull. They create systems that will mandate their are behind bars. protection. Zoo associations in Europe, 14 October: In Cameroon a trafficker North America, and China are working with 5 gorilla skulls was arrested. His bike to produce a joint statement calling for was seized and he is behind bars. an end to all public shows that feature 6 November: In Cameroon a trafficker great apes. It is the responsibility of the was arrested with 3 gorilla skulls. public to inquire as to where the apes 28 November: In Cameroon an ape on display have come from, and to alto- trafficker was arrested with a gorilla skull. gether avoid animal parks where apes are forced to perform. As Prince William emphasized, “with Above: dead gorilla baby the illegal wildlife trade on the rise, our Below: a trafficker arrested with response to the problem must evolve, several skulls in Cameroon and do so rapidly.” Through collabora- Photos: LAGA tion and cooperation, not only can we

21 Gorilla Journal 49, December 2014 READING

Arcus Foundation 1980s. An increasing number of criti- Helped SOCO International Open Afri- Extractive industries and ape con- cal reports regarding the conservation ca’s Oldest National Park to Oil. London servation. State of the Apes. Cam- aspect of primate tourism have been 2014. 32 pages. ISBN 978-0-9926910- bridge (Cambridge University Press) published since the 1990s. It has be- 9-7. Download (4.5 MB): http://www. 2014. 367 pages. Hardcover £ 65.00, come obvious that many problems are globalwitness.org/sites/default/files/ US$ 99.00, ISBN 978-1-107-06749-3. connected with close human–primate library/drillers_in_the_mist.pdf Paperback £ 24.99, US$ 39.99, ISBN encounters. The authors of this book 978-1-107-69621-1 worked at many different sites where Medard Twinamatsiko, Julia Baker, This book provides a very good primates can be visited; some of the Mariel Harrison, Mahboobeh Shirk- overview of the impact that extractive contributions are original studies, some horshidi, Robert Bitariho, Michelle industries (logging and mining) in ape are reviews. The major issues – eco- Wieland, Stephen Asuma, E. J. Mil- distribution areas have on the living nomics, disease and tourism guide- ner-Gulland, Phil Franks, Dilys Roe conditions of these apes. In section 1, lines – are covered in separate chap- Linking Conservation, Equity and 8 chapters deal with trends, communi- ters. Poverty Alleviation: understanding ties, ecological impacts, timber extrac- It seems to be the rule that primate profiles and motivations of resource tion, mining and oil extraction, small- tourism is bound to have more or less users and local perceptions of govern- scale mining, indirect impacts and case negative effects, even when positive ef- ance at Bwindi Impenetrable Nation- studies; section 2 explains the status fects are obvious at the same time. Al- al Park, Uganda. IIED Research Re- of the apes in the wild and in captivity. though primate tourism is usually mar- port, London, August 2014. 104 pages. The chapters were written by different keted as “ecotourism”, many contribu- ISBN 978-1-78431-073-8. Download at authors and each one has its own char- tions demonstrate that in most cases http://pubs.iied.org/14630IIED.html acter. Some chapters describe activi- this label is not appropriate, especial- ties of logging and mining companies in ly if the primates are provisioned and Osipova, E., Wilson, L., Blaney, R., detail, and they explain the impacts of close contact to humans is possible. In Shi, Y., Fancourt, M., Strubel, M., each phase on apes. Many examples, general, visitors are not aware that this Salvaterra, T., Brown, C., Verschu- some of them in detail, show case stud- kind of tourism may harm the primates. uren, B. ies and problems. The authors are ex- Primate Tourism gives an excellent The Benefits of Natural World Her- perts and the explanations and exam- overview of the experiences with pri- itage: identifying and assessing eco- ples are up-to-date. mate tourism, the positive and nega- system services and benefits provided As these problems have been known tive effects, and it provides recommen- by the world’s most iconic natural plac- for a long time, many guidelines, poli- dations for the solution of the problems. es. Gland (IUCN) 2014. VI, 58 pages. cies, instruments and international pro- Angela Meder ISBN 978-2-8317-1694-7. https://por- grams have been developed to reduce tals.iucn.org/library/node/44901 the impacts of extractive activities on Fritz Jantschke and Thomas Marent apes (and other species) and to ensure Like Us: Encounters with Primates. de Wasseige, C., Flynn, J., Louppe, their sustainability. These instruments White Star Publishers 2014. 240 pag- D., Hiol Hiol, F., Mayaux, Ph. (eds.) and programs are listed and explained, es. Hardcover US$ 36.69. ISBN 978- The Forests of the Congo Basin – but sometimes it is not clear whether 8854408906 State of the Forest 2013. Weyrich, they really are successful. Belgium (OFAC/COMIFAC, CBFP) No- Angela Meder vember 2014. 328 pages. Legal de- New on the Internet posit: D/2014/8631/42. ISBN 978-2- Anne Russon and Janette Wallis 87489-299-8. For download (15.3 MB): (eds.) The latest issue of African Primates is http://www.observatoire-comifac.net/ Primate Tourism: A Tool for Conser- now available. You can download the docs/edf2013/EN/EDF2013_EN.pdf vation? Cambridge (Cambridge Uni- individual articles – or the entire issue – versity Press) 2014. 339 pages. Hard- at http://www.primate-sg.org/african- Global Witness cover US$ 99, £ 65.00, ISBN 978-1- primates-volume-9/ A Good Deal Better? Uganda’s secret 107-01812-9 oil contracts explained. London (Global Gorilla (and other primate) tourism Global Witness Witness) September 2014. 78 pages. started in the 1950s and has grown Drillers in the Mist. How Secret ISBN 978-0-9926910-8-0. http://www. for many decades, especially since the Payments and a Climate of Violence globalwitness.org/ugandaoilcontracts/

22 Gorilla Journal 49, December 2014 BERGGORILLA & REGENWALD DIREKTHILFE

The Enough Project vember 2013. 52 pages. Download Our Donors How to Dismantle a Deadly Militia. (828 kB): http://www.ipisresearch.be/ Seven Non-Military Tactics to Help End publications_detail.php?id=426 From May to October 2014 we received­ the FDLR Threat in Congo. November major donations by Marion Arnoldi, 2014. 22 pages. Download (1.5 MB): Paolo Omar Cerutti, Guillaume Les- baupartner, Don Cousins, Angelika http://www.enoughproject.org/reports/ cuyer, Raphael Tsanga, Sam Nzien- Dick­mann, Marie Engel, Jürgen und how-dismantle-deadly-militia gui Kassa, Prisca Roseline Mapang- Irm­gard Friedrich, Peter Gausmann, ou, Edouard Essiane Mendoula, Ma­rieberthe Hoffmann-Falk, Michael Joyce Muraya and John Ahere Aimé Patrick Missamba-Lola, Rob- Jäh­de and Angelika Jähde-Stoeckle, Perpetuation of instability in the ert Nasi, Paule Pamela Tabi Eckebil, Dorothea Kaiblinger, Rafaela Kopy, Democratic Republic of the Con- Régis Yembe Yembe Karin Lyer, Hanna Otte, Kurt Rathfelder, go: When the Kivus sneeze, Kinsha- Social impacts of the Forest Stew- Birgit Reime, Wolfram Rietschel, Alfred sa catches a cold. ACCORD Occa- ardship Council certification. An Roszyk, Josefine Schmölzer, S.O.S. sional Paper Series: Issue 1, 2014. assessment in the Congo basin. CI- Gorilla, Sparkasse Herford, Michaela 44 pages. Download (1.2 MB): http:// FOR Occasional Paper 103, 2014. Steinhauser, Julia Stoppel, Kristin and www.accord.org.za/publications/ 74 pages. ISBN 978-602-1504-30-7. Thomas Tiede, Steve Tyler, Margit and occasional-papers/1268-perpetuation- Download (555 kB): http://www.cifor. Otto Wallner and Christof Wiedemair. of-instability-in-the-democratic-repub org/library/4487/social-impacts-of-the- The Stuttgart Zoo donated euro lic-of-the-congo forest-stewardship-council-certifica 1000 from the collection of mobile tion-an-assessment-in-the-congo- phones for recycling, and the Pieter- Ingunn Bjørkhaug and Morten Bøås basin/ nella Pols Fonds transferred euro 5000 Men, women, and gender-based vio- that was used to construct a building lence in North Kivu, DRC. Oslo, Fafo- Sylvia Wicander and Lauren Coad for rangers at the Mt. Tshiaberimu. The report 2014:39. 38 pages. ISBN 978- Learning our Lessons: A Review of colleagues of Ravid Aloni at the com- 82-324-0143-7 (paper edition), 978-82- Alternative Livelihood Projects in Cen- pany 1 & 1 collected donations when 324-0144-4 (web edition). Download: tral Africa. Environmental Change Insti- she left the company. http://www.fafo.no/pub/rapp/20386 tute, April 2014. 99 pages. Download: Many thanks to everybody, includ- http://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/publications/ ing all the donors that could not be list- IFAW downloads/coad14-workingpaper.pdf ed by name here. We are grateful for Wanted – Dead or Alive. Expos- any support, and we hope that you will ing Online Wildlife Trade. 62 pages. CITES continue to support our work in the new London (IFAW) 2014. Download (4.5 Elephant Conservation, Illegal Killing year. We wish everybody a happy, suc- MB): http://www.ifaw.org/united-states/ and Ivory Trade. Geneva, July 2014. 38 cessful 2015! resource-centre/wanted-dead-or-alive- pages. Available for download (2.1 MB) exposing-online-wildlife-trade at http://www.cites.org/sites/default/ files/eng/com/sc/65/E-SC65-42-01.pdf MONUSCO Report of the United Nations joint Hu- man Rights Office on human rights violations committed by the Mouve- ment du 23 mars (M23) in North Kivu Province April 2012 – November 2013. October 2014. 15 pages. http:// www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/ CD/UNJHROOctober2014_en.pdf

Ken Matthysen and Andrés Zarago- House for rangers at Mt. Tshia­ za Montejano berimu that was constructed with Conflict Minerals’ initiatives in DR funds donated by the Pieternella Congo: Perceptions of local min- Pols Fonds ing communities. Antwerp (IPIS) No- Photo: Claude Sikubwabo Kiyengo

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