Butynski & Dejong -2017- Primates NE Uganda Kenya (PDF)
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Biogeography, Taxonomy, Abundance, and Conservation Status of the Primates of Northeast Uganda and West Kenya Report for the National Geographic Society Thomas M. Butynski, PhD & Yvonne A. de Jong, PhD Eastern Africa Primate Diversity and Conservation Program & Lolldaiga Hills Research Programme 2 Primates of North-eastern Uganda Biogeography, Taxonomy, Abundance, and Conservation Status of the Primates of Northeast Uganda and West Kenya April 2017 NG Explorers Journal Blog: newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/author/yvonnedejong/ Global Exploration Fund: #9409-13 All photographs and maps by Yvonne de Jong and Thomas Butynski. Thomas M. Butynski (PhD) & Yvonne A. de Jong (PhD) Eastern Africa Primate Diversity and Conservation Program Lolldaiga Hills Research Programme P.O. Box 149, 10400 Nanyuki, Kenya [email protected] / [email protected] ___________________________________________________________________________ Cover photograph: Adult male eastern patas monkey Erythrocebus patas pyrrhonotus, Kidepo Valley National Park, northeast Uganda. 3 Primates of North-eastern Uganda CONTENTS Acknowledgements ………………………………………………………………………………………..…………. 5 Executive Summary …………………………………………………………………………………………..………. 6 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……. 8 Study Area ……………………….……………………………………………………………….………….……..…… 10 Methods …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 11 Diurnal primate surveys ………………………………………….……………..…………………… 11 Nocturnal primate surveys ……….…………………………………………………………………. 13 Camera trap surveys …………………………………………………………………………………….. 13 Data analysis ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 14 Distribution mapping ……………………………………………………………………… 14 Galago vocalization analysis …………………………………………………………… 14 Primate photographic maps …………………………………………………………… 14 Outcomes ……………………………………………….………………………………………………………………. 16 Results …………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………. 17 Robust chimpanzee Pan troglodytes ………………………………………...…………………… 19 Guereza colobus Colobus guereza ……………………………………………………………….. 20 Dodinga Hills guereza Colobus guereza dodingae ……………………………. 20 Western guereza Colobus guereza occidentalis ………………………………. 24 Mau Forest guereza Colobus guereza matschiei …………………………….. 25 Mount Kenya guereza Colobus guereza kikuyuensis ………………………. 25 Conservation status Colobus guereza …………………………………………….. 25 Olive baboon Papio anubis ……………………………………………………………….…………. 26 Conservation status Papio anubis ………………………………………………….. 26 Patas monkey Erythrocebus patas ………………………………………………………….…… 28 Conservation status Erythrocebus patas …………………………………….….. 28 Savanna monkey Chlorocebus species ..………………….………………………………… 30 Conservation status Chlorocebus species ……………………………………… 32 Gentle monkey Cercopithecus mitis ……….…………………………………………..……… 34 4 Primates of North-eastern Uganda Conservation of Cercopithecus mitis ……………………………………………… 37 Eastern potto Perodicticus ibeanus ……………………………………………………….…… 39 Conservation of Perodicticus ibeanus …………………………………………… 39 Northern lesser galago Galago senegalensis …………………….………………………… 41 Conservation of Galago senegalensis ……………………………………………. 41 Primate conservation in northeast Uganda ……………….…………………….……………………… 43 Major threats to the primates of northeast Uganda …………………………..……… 46 Primate hotspots in northeast Uganda .…………………………………………..………… 47 Otzi Mountains ……………………………………………………………………………. 47 Future primate research in northeast Uganda …………………………………….…… 48 References ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 49 Blog 1. Finding a New Monkey for East Africa ……………………………………………………….. 53 Blog 2. Primate Survey Raises Question: Are Uganda’s Northernmost …………………… 59 Chimpanzees Vanishing? Blog 3. Why Uganda´s Bushfires Aren’t All Bad ………………………………………………………. 67 Blog 4. 10 Beautiful Birds of Prey Sighted in Uganda ……………………………………………… 71 Blog 5. Giant Volcano and its Baboons with Altitude! …………………………………….………. 76 Appendix 1. National Geographic Society Research Final Report……………………………… 80 5 Primates of North-eastern Uganda ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Funds for this research were provided by the National Geographic Society under Research and Exploration Grant #9409-13. This project was conducted under the following permits: Uganda National Forestry Authority (permit 202), Uganda Wildlife Authority (permits 35160, 34345, 34036, 34344), Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (permit 499), Kenya National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (permits NACOSTI/P/15/5151/4859, NACOSTI/P/15/2864/4867). Colin Chapman reviewed the proposal and provided much guidance in support of our securing the permits required for this research. Omeja Aria Patrick helped us to secure our research permits among the offices in Kampala. Aggrey Rwetsiba, Charles Tumwesigye, and John Makombo provided advice on behalf of the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Lorna Depew reviewed this report. Many people help to facilitate this project in various ways. In particularly, we acknowledge Mr. Chris Oryema (Senior Warden, Pian Upe Game Reserve), Mr. Johnson Masereka (Conservation Area Manager, Kidepo Valley National Park), Philliphs Akorongimde, Leslie Muhindo, Ilukol Patrick Chiyo, Joseph Owaley, David Muthoga, Ojiwa Christophe, Bilal Pasquion, Metuku Sam Evans, Izule Terence, James Kareate Takor, Drani Charles Balla, Nyeko Milton, Joefrey Taliga, David Mutai, David Lagat, Tim Davenport, Andrew Plumtre, Panta Kasoma, Peter Apell, Jean-Pierre Dekker. The Sustainability Centre Eastern Africa and Lolldaiga Hills Ranch in Kenya provided the office space where this report was prepared. We wish to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to all of the above-mentioned institutions and individuals. Figure 1. Juvenile eastern patas monkey Erythrocebus patas pyrrhonotus, Kidepo Valley NP, northeast Kenya. 6 Primates of North-eastern Uganda EXECUTIVE SUMMARY At the country-level, the biogeography, taxonomy, abundance, and conservation status of most of East Africa's non-human primates remains poorly-known. During this survey, 'rapid surveys' were used to gather data on the biogeography, taxonomy, abundance, and conservation status of the primates of northeast Uganda. A total of 402 h of survey were conducted (261 h diurnal and 141 h nocturnal, including 125 h listening) during two field trips in west Kenya and northeast Uganda. The two principal researchers each spent 30 days in the field. A total of 5,787 km were surveyed (5,690 km diurnal, 97 km nocturnal). Natural history and conservation data were obtained for seven genera, eight species, and 11 subspecies of primate. In addition, indirect evidence for eastern robust chimpanzee Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii was collected in the Otzi Mts., north Uganda. Diurnal primates were encountered at 0.01 groups/km and 0.27 groups/h (n=62 groups) during vehicle surveys and 0.21 groups/km and 0.42 groups/h (n=12) during foot surveys. These groups represented five genera, six species, and nine subspecies; western guereza Colobus guereza occidentalis (n=2 groups), Mau Forest guereza Colobus guereza matschiei (n=17), Mt. Kenya guereza Colobus guereza kikuyuensis (n=3), Dodinga Hills guereza Colobus guereza dodingae (n=3), olive baboon Papio anubis (n=30), eastern patas monkey Erythrocebus patas pyrrhonotus (n=6), Budgett's tantalus monkey Chlorocebus tantalus budgetti (n=5), Hilgert's vervet monkey Chlorocebus pygerythrus hilgerti (n=7), savanna monkey Chlorocebus sp. (n=3), Stuhlmann's blue monkey Cercopithecus mitis stuhlmanni (n=23), and Kolb's monkey Cercopithecus mitis kolbi (n=2). Nocturnal primates were encountered at 0.14 individuals/km and 1.20 individuals/h (n=12 individuals) during vehicle surveys and 0.38 individuals/km and 0.50 individuals/h (n=3) during foot surveys. Two genera, two species, and two subspecies were encountered; eastern potto Perodicticus potto ibeanus (n=2) and Senegal lesser galago Galago senegalensis senegalensis (n=24). Colobus g. dodingae, was found in Agoro-Agu Forest Reserve (FR), central north Uganda. This finding is important as it (1) reduces the list of endemic primate subspecies in South Sudan by one; (2) is an additional primate subspecies for Uganda and East Africa; and (3) establishes C. g. dodingae as one of the most threatened primate subspecies in Uganda and East Africa. Two groups of C. g. occidentalis were encountered in Otzi East Central Forest Reserve (CFR). This is the first record of this species for this forest. The Otzi Mts. represent the northeast limit for C. g. occidentalis. The White Nile River is the geographic barrier that separates C. g. occidentalis in the west from C. g. dodingae in the east. Pan t. schweinfurthii, discovered in Otzi East CFR in 1993, was not encountered, and only indirect evidence of its (past) presence found. Residents claimed that P. troglodytes sometimes occupy Mt. Nyeri (Otzi East CFR) but seasonally move up Mt. Nyeri and into South Sudan's Nimule National Park (NP). None of the residents interviewed had seen or heard chimpanzees within the last 3 years. 7 Primates of North-eastern Uganda A group of P. anubis was observed at 2,738 m above sea level (asl) on Mount Elgon NP, west Kenya. The previous altitude record for P. anubis in East Africa is 2,550 m asl. Six groups of E. p. pyrrhonotus were encountered during this survey, all in Kidepo Valley NP. Reports were obtained of presence in seven other areas. Four groups and one individual C. t. budgetti were encountered. Four groups and three solitary individuals C. p. hilgerti were encountered. All individuals encountered (solitary or within a group) were shy. Cercopithecus m. stuhlmanni was