Inventories of Kivu Lake Islands Biodiversity In Support To Their Inclusion Into The Protected Areas Network In Rwanda TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................................... 4 LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................................... 5 LIST OF PHOTOS ..................................................................................................................................... 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.......................................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 9 1.1. Kivu Lake ................................................................................................................................ 9 1.1.1. General information .......................................................................................................... 9 1.1.2. The biological environment ............................................................................................ 10 1.1.2.1. Fish fauna ................................................................................................................. 10 1.1.2.1. Plankton fauna .......................................................................................................... 11 1.2. Kivu Lake islands ................................................................................................................. 12 1.2.1. General information ........................................................................................................ 12 1.2.2. Study sites ....................................................................................................................... 12 1.3. Scope of the study ................................................................................................................. 15 1.4. Objectives of the study ......................................................................................................... 16 CHAPTER II. RESEARCH METHODS AND MATERIALS............................................................. 16 2.1. Birds survey .......................................................................................................................... 16 2.1.1. Line Transect ................................................................................................................... 16 2.1.2. Mist-netting technique used to capture birds .................................................................. 16 2.1.3. Opportunistic observation ............................................................................................... 17 2.2. Vegetation and plants survey .............................................................................................. 17 2.2.1. Sampling techniques ....................................................................................................... 17 2.2.2. Useful plants identification and analysis ......................................................................... 18 2.3. Invertebrates survey ............................................................................................................. 19 2.3.1. Quadrats method ............................................................................................................. 19 2.3.2. Relative methods using observation technical surface of flying insects ......................... 20 2.4. Small mammals ..................................................................................................................... 20 2.5. Reptiles and Amphibians ..................................................................................................... 20 2.6. Socio-economy survey .......................................................................................................... 21 CHAPTER III. RESULTS ...................................................................................................................... 22 3.1. Biodiversity inventory .......................................................................................................... 22 3.1.1. Nyamunini Island ............................................................................................................ 26 Page 1 of 159 Inventories of Kivu Lake Islands Biodiversity In Support To Their Inclusion Into The Protected Areas Network In Rwanda 3.1.1.1. Geographic description ............................................................................................. 26 3.1.1.2. Birds ......................................................................................................................... 27 3.1.1.3. Flora and vegetation ................................................................................................. 33 3.1.1.4. Invertebrates ............................................................................................................. 38 3.1.1.5. Mammals .................................................................................................................. 38 3.1.1.6. Reptiles ..................................................................................................................... 42 3.1.1.7. Amphibians............................................................................................................... 45 3.1.2. Mukondwe Island ............................................................................................................ 47 3.1.2.1. Geographic description ............................................................................................. 47 3.1.2.2. Birds ......................................................................................................................... 49 3.1.2.3. Flora and vegetation ................................................................................................. 52 3.1.2.4. Invertebrates ............................................................................................................. 56 3.1.2.5. Mammals .................................................................................................................. 58 3.1.2.6. Reptiles ..................................................................................................................... 58 3.1.2.7. Amphibians............................................................................................................... 60 3.1.3. Shegesha Island ............................................................................................................... 60 3.1.3.1. Geographic description ............................................................................................. 60 3.1.3.2. Birds ......................................................................................................................... 62 3.1.3.3. Flora and vegetation ................................................................................................. 62 3.1.3.4. Invertebrates ............................................................................................................. 65 3.1.3.5. Mammals .................................................................................................................. 68 3.1.3.6. Reptiles ..................................................................................................................... 68 3.1.3.7. Amphibians............................................................................................................... 68 3.1.4. Amahoro Island ............................................................................................................... 69 3.1.4.1. Geographic description ............................................................................................. 69 3.1.4.2. Birds ......................................................................................................................... 71 3.1.4.3. Flora and vegetation ................................................................................................. 71 3.1.4.4. Invertebrates ............................................................................................................. 73 3.1.4.5. Mammals .................................................................................................................. 75 3.1.3.6. Reptiles ..................................................................................................................... 75 3.1.3.7. Amphibians............................................................................................................... 75 3.1.5. Nyenyeri Island ............................................................................................................... 75 3.1.5.1. Geographic description ............................................................................................. 75 3.1.5.2. Birds ......................................................................................................................... 77 3.1.5.3. Flora and vegetation ................................................................................................. 79 3.1.5.4. Invertebrates ............................................................................................................. 85 3.1.4.5. Mammals .................................................................................................................