Mozambique: Preliminary Assessment of the Status and Distribution of Cheetah

Gianetta Purchase 1

1 The Zambezi Society, P.O Box FM 441, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, [email protected]

Historically cheetah were relatively widespread in Mozambique with records from the north, west and southern parts of the country. More recently significant populations were only known to exist in the north west corner of Tete Province, and within and on the periphery of the Limpopo Valley and Bauhine National Parks. Previous assessments of population concluded that hunting cheetahs for skins had reduced its ranged within the country, as well as a reduction in prey populations. This assessment indicates that the population of cheetahs appears to have further declined, with recent records only reported from the north west of Tete Province. However, given the historical distribution of cheetahs and the potential for the threats of poa- ching and reduction in prey to be alleviated there are areas where natural recolonisation may occur.

The distribution of cheetahs in Mozam- was estimated to be around 200 at that that were reported to have formed in bique appears to have changed substan- time (Myers 1975). Myers argued that many areas of Mozambique when vil- tially during the last 30 years accord- hunting for skins was a major factor in lages were abandoned during the war ing to published literature. Smithers & the decline of cheetah, with cheetah of- years (Fuller 2006) could have had a Labao Tello (1976) reporting on field ten being hunted to “console the disap- large adverse effect on the cheetah pop- data collected up to 1970, that cheetahs pointed hunter who fails to bag [a leop- ulation as dogs are known to tree and had been seen in the Niassa and Cabo ard]” (Myer 1975, p. 32). kill cheetahs on farmland in Zimbabwe Delgado provinces (Fig. 1) with four In a more recent report, Skinner & confirmed visual records. The same Smithers (1990) included the area in- paper reported that cheetahs were seen corporating the Limpopo Valley and in the Zambezi delta area and in an al- Bauhine National Parks in their dis- most continuous band from the north tribution map for cheetahs, as well as west part of Tete Province (south of the parts of Tete Province. However, the Zambezi river) down to the Limpopo most northern part of Tete province was Valley National Park (Fig. 1). Cheetahs excluded from the distribution, corre- were not reported from the north of the sponding to the absence of cheetah re- Zambezi river in Tete Province, but the ported in the Lower Zambezi valley in authors felt that this was due to a lack Zambia (Ansell 1978). More recent lit- of records rather than true absence. The erature shows cheetahs in Mozambique distribution of cheetahs at this time cor- as also being present in the north west related to the distribution of Eastern corner of Tete Province on both sides of Miombo and ZambezianMopane wood- the Zambezi river (Nowell & Jackson lands (Fig. 2). 1996, Skinner & Chimimba 2005). All In a contemporary report by Myers these sources of information reported (1975) based on more recent informa- that cheetah were only present in Mo- tion, the author argued that cheetahs zambique in these two localities (Tete were only present in Mozambique in Province and in the area incorporating three areas: south of the Zambezi river Limpopo Valley and Bauhine National Fig. 1. Provinces and Protected areas of extending westward towards Cabora Parks). Mozambique (Source: WDPA Consortium, Bassa (the central and southern areas of Cheetahs are now protected in 2006). A = Niassa Province, B = Cabo Del- Tete Province); between the Gorongosa Mozambique and cannot be hunted or gado, C = Nampula, D = Tete; 1 = Niassa National Park and the headwaters of the exported. However, the effectiveness Game Reserve, 2 = Gile Game Reserve, 3 Pungwe river, and in the Limpopo Val- of this protection was limited until re- = Gorongosa National Park, 4 = Marromeu ley National Park and peripheral areas cently due to civil war. Anecdotal re- Game Reserve, 5 =Zinave National Park, 6 = Bauhine National Park, 7 = Limpopo Val- (Fig. 1). The author goes onto argue ports (C. Stockil, pers. comm.) indicate ley National Park and 8 = Maputo Game that although cheetah may have been that poaching both of cheetah and their Reserve. Green circle = currently present; recorded in other areas of Mozambique, prey was intense during the civil war, blue circle = possibly currently present; by 1975 they were no longer present. possibly reducing populations. In addi- orange circle = currently extirpated; black The total population for the country tion, the large packs of domestic dogs circle = no data.

CAT News Special Issue 3 – Cheetahs in Southern Africa 37 vey, suggesting that protection has been sufficient. As cheetahs were reported as being present by Smithers & Tello (1976) in these northern provinces it appears that they may have become lo- cally extinct or now occur at such low densities as to difficult to detect during surveys.

Gile Game Reserve (No 2, Fig. 1) and Maputo Game Reserve (No 8, Fig. 1) No data was available from these ar- eas, and the status of cheetah is still un- known. However, given that all these ar- eas fall outside the distribution of chee- tahs reported by Skinner & Chimimba (2005) it can be assumed that cheetahs are absent.

Marromeu Game Reserve (No 4, Fig. 1) No cheetah have been observed recently in Marromeu Game Reserve (A. Marc, pers. comm.) or in the neighbouring hunting coutadas (areas).

Zinave National Park (No 5, Fig. 1) There is a possibility that cheetahs exist in Zinave based on the confiscation of a skin that has yet to be confirmed to be cheetah (Fig. 3). The skin was confis- cated early in 2007 from a villager liv- ing within the Park.

Gorongosa National Park (No 3, Fig. 1) Fig. 2. Ecoregions of Mozambique. Six cheetah were introduced into an area north of this Park in 1973 (reasons for this introduction are not known) and as a result cheetahs were seen in (B. Leatham, pers. comm., R. Peek, Given the problems with differences Gorongosa during 1973 for a short pe- pers. comm.). The effect of the civil war in language, individuals were contacted riod of time. However, in 2004 during on prey populations, poaching of chee- in person and information gathered us- an extensive survey for large mammal tahs and the potential impact of domes- ing a modification of the open interview species no signs of cheetah were found tic dogs probably further depleted the approach. and it is assumed that they have now population from the estimate reported become locally extinct (Anderson et al. by Myer (1975). Protected Areas 2006). Niassa Game Reserve (No 1, Fig. 1) Review of available information An intensive survey to detect large car- Bauhine National Park (No 6, Fig. 1) Here we present information regarding nivores and estimate numbers was car- It appears that although cheetahs were the current status of cheetahs within ried out in a representative area of the present in Bauhine National Park in the Mozambique. This information was reserve by C. Begg in 2003. During this 1970’s (Natural History Museum, Bula- obtained through open interviews with survey no signs of cheetah were found, wayo; C. Stockil, pers. comm.), and lat- the Ministry of Tourism, and with indi- and the study concluded that cheetahs er distribution maps of cheetah included viduals known to be currently working are absent from the Reserve. He feels the park (Skinner & Chimimba, 2005), in the field, or who had worked in the that cheetahs were probably never there have been no sightings reported field since the year 2000. In addition, a found in this area, or at least, if they for a number of years. Excessive hunt- literature search was conducted to iden- were, at low densities (C. Begg, pers. ing of the prey base is assumed to be the tify recent published data regarding the comm.). The other large species of car- reason for their disappearance (B. Soto, status of cheetahs since 2000. nivore were all detected during the sur- C. Lopez Perreira, both pers. comm.).

38 2007 Limpopo valley National Park (No 7, Fig. 1) It appears that although cheetah were present in this area in the 1970s there are no recent records of sightings or signs (B. Soto, pers. comm.; C. Lopez Perreira, pers. comm.). It is assumed that they have became locally extinct due to a combination of excessive hunt- ing of their prey and poaching for their skins. However, this protected area has now become contiguous with Kruger National Park (KNP) as part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier National Park. Cheetah are present in KNP is relatively high numbers and natural rec- olonisation may occur.

Outside protected areas The Ministry of Tourism reported that Fig. 3. Photograph of a partial skin confiscated in Zinave National Park in early 2007. It is cheetahs are rarely seen in Mozambique not yet confirmed that the skin is from a cheetah (Photo C. Begg). both within and outside of Protected Areas (B. Soto, pers. comm.; C. Lopez may change with more detailed infor- Anderson J., Beilfuss R. D., Lopez Perriera Perreira, pers. comm.). However, two mation. Given that cheetahs occurred C. and Zolho R. 2006. Proposed strategy confirmed reports from the commu- historically throughout much of the to reintroduce and supplement wildlife nities living is the Zumbo district of country, there is a need to identify po- populations in Gorongosa National Park, Tete province indicate that cheetahs do tential corridors between the area where Mozambique. Myers N. 1975. The Cheetah (Acinonyx ju- still occur in the area around Caborra cheetahs are known to persist, and other batus) in Africa. IUCN Monograph No Bassa, but are seen sporadically and in potentially suitable habitat for cheetah 4, 90 pp. very low numbers (Area A in Fig. 3; J. to help guide planning for the conserva- Nowell K. and Jackson P. 1996. Wild Cats: P. Valente Valente, pers. comm.). The tion of the species in Mozambique. Status Survey and Conservation Action presence of cheetah in this area was in With the Limpopo Valley National Plan IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group, question in the available literature with Park becoming contiguous with the Gland, Switzerland. Ansell (1978) and Skinner & Smithers Kruger National Park as a result of the Skinner J. D. and Smithers R. H. N. 1990. (1990) reporting that cheetah were not removal of boundary fences, cheetah The Mammals of the southern African found in the Lower Zambezi valley, but from Kruger may naturally recolonise Subregion University of Pretoria Press, Pretoria. Nowell & Jackson (1996) and Skinner this area of Mozambique. Cheetahs are Skinner J. D. and Chimimba C. T. 2005. & Chimimba (2005) include this area as also present in the Gona-re-Zhou Na- The Mammals of the Southern African part of the range of cheetahs. The two tional Park in Zimbabwe which is now Subregion Cambridge University Press, confirmed sightings reported during part of this TFCA, and recolonisation Cambridge. 814 pp. this study indicate that cheetah do per- may occur naturally from here as well, Smithers R. H. N. and Lobao Tello J. L. P. sist in this part of Mozambique but the although human settlements may be a 1976. Checklist and Atlas of the Mam- population is likely to be small and may barrier to movement. mals of Mozambique. Museum Memoir depend on linkages to the population in No 8, National Museums and Monu- ments of Rhodesia. the north-east of Zimbabwe, where re- Acknowledgements ports of cheetah are infrequent. The Zambezi Society provided the financial support to carry out the preliminary assess- Recommendations ment. I am very grateful for the feedback There is still a lack of data regarding the from Dr Colleen Begg (Niassa), Jorge Pedro status, distribution and threats to chee- Valente Valente (Tete Province), Bartolom- tah in Mozambique, with large areas eu Soto (Ministry of Tourism), Dr Carlos Lopez Perriera, Clive Stockil, Jean Andre of the country unsurveyed. The com- Marc (Marromeu), Blondie Leatham, Rich- parison between historical distribution ard Peek and Woody Cotterill (Natural His- and current suggests that there has been tory Museum, Bulawayo). a significant reduction in range, and hence in population of cheetahs in Mo- References zambique, such that their current range Ansell W. F. H. 1978. The Mammals of can be confirmed in only a single area Zambia. Dept of National Parks, Chi- within their historical range. This status langa, Zambia.

CAT News Special Issue 3 – Cheetahs in Southern Africa 39