Conservation of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Zaïre
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by RERO DOC Digital Library ORYX VOL 31 NO 1 JANUARY 1997 Conservation of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Zaire Peter J. Stephenson and John E. Newby The Okapi Wildlife Reserve was created in May 1992 to conserve a representative area of the Ituri rainforest in north-eastern Zaire. This article examines the threats facing this large protected area and summarizes the management actions proposed to address these problems within the next 10 years. Emphasis is placed on the need to integrate the local population into reserve management and to empower people as much as possible to manage their own resources. The long-term future of the reserve in the context of national economic and political instability is discussed. Introduction OWR contains at least 13 species of diurnal anthropoid primates, the highest diversity Zaire is one of the most important countries in known from a single site in Africa (Hart et al, Africa for the conservation of biodiversity, 1986; Thomas, 1991), and provides refuge for with a larger area of tropical rain forest and one of the largest populations of forest eleph- more species of vertebrate than any other ant Loxodonta africana cyclotis in Zaire (Alers et country on the continent (Doumenge, 1990; al, 1992). The Ituri is considered to be the McNeely et al, 1990). The Ituri Forest in north- third most important forest for bird conser- eastern Zaire is one of the largest remnants of vation in mainland Africa (Collar and Stuart, Congo Basin rain forest and represents a re- 1988) and several key species are found in the gional centre of biodiversity (e.g. Oates et al., OWR (Table 1). 1987; Collar and Stuart, 1988; Stuart and Populations of hunter-gatherer pygmies, Adams, 1990). In order to safeguard a repre- collectively known as the BaMbuti, have long sentative area of the Ituri, on 2 May 1992 a lived in the Ituri Forest in association with in- ministerial decree created the Reserve de digenous Bantu and Sudanic-speaking shifting Faune a Okapi (Okapi Wildlife Reserve; cultivators (Harako, 1976; Turnbull, 1961, OWR). 1983, 1986). Historically these populations The OWR covers an area of 1,372,625 ha have lived off the land and will require contin- (13,726 sq km) between TOO'N and 2"29'N, ued access to forest resources in the environs and 28°00'E and 29°04'E, at an altitude of be- of the OWR. The challenge for reserve man- tween 700 and 1000 m (Figure 1). Mixed moist agers is to work with local communities to semi-evergreen rain forest is the most diverse produce a mutually acceptable management habitat in the OWR (Hart, 1985). This is inter- system that allows for sustainable resource spersed with mbau forest, a rain forest charac- use while ensuring the long-term viability of terized by the dominance of Gilbertiodendron forest ecosystems. dewevrei (Caesalpiniaceae). The rest of the re- serve comprises secondary forest and swamp forest. Vertebrate species of conservation con- Management of the OWR cern in the OWR (Table 1) include the okapi Protected areas in Zaire are managed by the Okapia johnstoni, an endemic forest giraffe Institut Zairois pour la Conservation de la with a distribution centred on the Ituri Nature (IZCN). The governing body (Verschuren, 1978; Hart and Hart, 1988). The (Direction General) has its headquarters in © 1997 FFI, Oryx, 31 (1), 49-58 49 Downloaded from https:/www.cambridge.org/core. University of Basel Library, on 11 Jul 2017 at 09:40:35, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https:/www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3008.1997.d01-3.x P. J. STEPHENSON AND J. E. NEWBY Kinshasa. The OWR is managed from an Threats to the Okapi Wildlife Reserve IZCN reserve station at Epulu (Figure 2). In recent years, three non-governmental organ- izations (NGOs) have provided institutional Immigration support and technical assistance to IZCN in Immigration is one of the greatest threats to the Ituri: WWF (World Wide Fund for the OWR (e.g. Peterson, 1990, 1991; Curran, Nature), WCS (the Wildlife Conservation 1992; IZCN/WWF, 1994). Of 156 village col- Society) and GIC (Gilman Investment lectives where censuses were recently carried Company). There is now an urgent need to es- out in and around the reserve, 129 (83 per tablish an effective and coherent management cent) exhibited some level of immigration system for the newly created reserve. among the Bantu population (B. Curran, un- Recently, management guidelines were pro- published data). Immigrants come from a var- duced to provide a framework to help set ob- iety of locations in Zaire. The main factors jectives and priorities over a 10-year period influencing people's resettlement include high (IZCN/WWF, 1994). population densities and a dearth of arable This article outlines the threats facing the land in their home areas, coupled with an OWR and summarizes the proposed manage- abundance of land, its ease of acquisition, and ment actions required over 10 years to ensure the lure of liberalized gold prospecting at the long-term conservation of this important pro- forest frontier (Peterson, 1991). Immigration tected area. control is complicated by ambiguous laws and CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC SUDAN Lake Mobutu CONGO UGANDA Lake Edward RWANDA BURUNDI Lake Tanganyika TANZANIA ANGOLA ZAMBIA Ituri Forest '•[•yy.\ Forest-savannah mosaic Equatorial rain forest Brachystegia savannah woodland Figure 1. Map of Zaire to show Montane location of the Ituri Forest in relation to national vegetation I.Zaire River 2. Uele River 3. Lomami River 4. Lualaba River zones. Adapted from Richter et al. (1990). 50 © 1997 FFI, Oryx, 31 (1), 49-58 Downloaded from https:/www.cambridge.org/core. University of Basel Library, on 11 Jul 2017 at 09:40:35, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https:/www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3008.1997.d01-3.x CONSERVATION OF THE OKAPI WILDLIFE RESERVE, ZAIRE The okdpi Okupin joluiftoiii, a forest giraffe endemic to Zaire, which is protected by the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (WWF/P. /. Stephen foil). continuing political instability in Zaire, which lack of land-use monitoring over recent years often makes law enforcement impossible. If means that there is inadequate information to the human population around the reserve con- determine sites and rates of deforestation and tinues to expand, it will place an ever-increas- its impact on reserve ecosystems. ing demand on natural resources and reduce the likelihood of rational use. Illegal hunting People exploit the OWR as a source of game Forest clearance meat, even though it is illegal to hunt in the Zairean forests in general are not in imminent reserve. Several species are taken, including danger from commercial logging because small forest antelopes and primates. Although Zaire plays only a minor role in the inter- subsistence hunting is probably having a national tropical hardwood trade (Grainger, minor impact on mammal populations, com- 1993). However, throughout the country mercial hunting (to provide meat for sale in people continue to clear forest where and large towns) is expected to have a more signi- when they require land. Around the OWR, ficant effect, especially if techniques that are slash-and-burn agriculture is especially con- outlawed under the hunting act (Law 82-002), spicuous along roads. Although uncontrolled such as the use of firearms or wire snares, are deforestation is undesirable and illegal, the employed. Forest elephants have been © 1997 FFI, Oryx, 31 (1), 49-58 51 Downloaded from https:/www.cambridge.org/core. University of Basel Library, on 11 Jul 2017 at 09:40:35, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https:/www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3008.1997.d01-3.x P. J. STEPHENSON AND J. E. NEWBY subjected to systematic ivory poaching by information on the level and impact of this ac- armed gangs. Poaching will continue to be a tivity, and the continued logistical difficulties major problem because of the lack of accurate facing IZCN in controlling it. Table 1. Some mammal and bird species of conservation concern in the OWR Order Species English name Status Mammals Rodentia Malacomys verschureni K Tubulidentata Orycteropus afer Ardvark 1 Pholidota Munis gigantea Giant pangolin 1 Artiodactyla Okapia johnstoni Okapi 1 Hyemoschus aquaticus Water chevrotain 1 Probosddea Loxodonta africana cyclotis African forest elephant V, 1 Carnivora Osbornictis piscivora Aquatic genet 1 Profelis aurata African golden cat K, 1 Primates Cercopithecus Vhoesti L'Hoest's monkey V Cercopithecus hamlyni Owl-faced monkey V Pan troglodytes Chimpanzee V, 1 Birds Ciconiiformes Bostrychia rara Spot-breasted ibis (C) Falconiformes Dryotriorchis spectabilis Congo serpent eagle (C) Urotriorchis macrourus Long-tailed hawk (C) Galliformes Afropavo congensis Congo peacock K Agelastes niger Black guineafowl (C) Francolinus nahani Nahan's francolin (R),R Charadriiformes (Vanellus superciliosus) Brown-chested lapwing (C) Psittaciformes Agapornis swinderiana Black-collared lovebird (C) Strigiformes Otus icterorhynchus Sandy scops owl (C) Bubo leucostictus Eagle owl (C) Lophostrix letti Owl (C) Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgus batesi Bates's nightjar (C) Trogoniformes Apaloderma aequatoriale Trogon (C) Caraciiformes Bycanistes cylindricus Hombill (C) Passeriformes Campephaga lobata Ghana cuckooshrike (Q,v (Baeopogon damans) Greenbul (C) (Chlorocichla laetissima) loyful greenbul (C) Phyllastrephus lorenzi Sassi's olive greenbul (NT) (Zoothera princei) Prince's ground-thrush (C) Hyliota violacea Violet-backed hyliota (C) Muscicapa olivascens Olivaceous alseonax (C) Platysteira blissetti Blissett's wattle-eye (C) Platysteira tonsa White-spotted wattle-eye (C) Terpsiphone bedfordi Bedford's crested monarch (NT) Ploceus aureonucha Golden-naped weaver (i),R Ploceus dorsomaculatus Weaver (C) Status follows Groombridge (1993) except in parentheses, where it follows Collar and Stuart (1985).