Proceedings of the First Tanzania Small Carnivore Conservation Action Plan Workshop Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) 19th-21st April 2006, Tanzania Carnivore Unit, TAWIRI, Arusha, Tanzania Proceedings of the first Tanzania Small Carnivore Conservation Action Plan Workshop final draft.doc 27/02/2007 Proceedings of the first Tanzania Small Carnivore Conservation Action Plan workshop Sarah M Durant, Charles Foley, Lara Foley, Chediel Kazaeli, Julius Keyyu, Edwin Konzo, Alex Lobora, Novatus Magoma, Simon Mduma, Godwell E. Ole Meing`ataki, Midala BDVM, Linus Minushi, Noah Mpunga, Pauline M. Mpuya, Mwemezi Rwiza, Rehema Tibyenda, edited by Durant, SM, Lobora, A, Pettorelli, N Contents 1. Agenda 2. Summary 3. Introduction and background 4. Small carnivore distribution and abundance 5. Conservation threats 6. Conservation and research priorities Appendix 1 List of Participants 2 Proceedings of the first Tanzania Small Carnivore Conservation Action Plan Workshop final draft.doc 27/02/2007 1. Agenda DAY I Time Event Responsible 8.30-8.45 Registration Flora Kipuyo 8.45-8.50 Official opening Simon Mduma 8.50-9.00 Self introduction Facilitator 9.00-9.30 Meeting background Sarah Durant 9.30-9.45 Agreement on the agenda Facilitator 9.45-10.30 Background on small to medium carnivores Noah Mpunga conservation 10.30-10.35 Group photograph All 10.35-11.00 Tea / coffee break All 11.00-11.15 Individual species distribution and abundance Alex Lobora 11.15-12.30 (a) What do we know? All • Distribution • Density • Trends (b) What do we need to know? All • Significant data gaps 12.30-2.00 LUNCH BREAK All Discussion to establish a list of the current threats 2:00-3:30 Conservation threats to small carnivores All 3:30-4:00 Tea break All 4:00-5:00 Conservation threats to medium carnivores All 3 Proceedings of the first Tanzania Small Carnivore Conservation Action Plan Workshop final draft.doc 27/02/2007 DAY II Information and conservation needs All 8.30-9.00 Research methods Sarah Durant 9:00-10:00 Prioritization of information needs: small carnivores 10.00-10.30 Tea Break All 10.30-11.00 Prioritization of information needs: small All carnivores cont. 11:00-12.30 Prioritization of information needs: medium All carnivores All 12.30-2.00 Lunch Break All 2.00-5.00 Conservation Needs: All Discussion as to how to address and manage threats 2:30-3:30 Recommendations for conservation: small carnivores 3:30-4:00 Tea break All 4:00-5:00 Recommendations for conservation: medium carnivores 4 Proceedings of the first Tanzania Small Carnivore Conservation Action Plan Workshop final draft.doc 27/02/2007 DAY III 8.30-9:30 Summary of previous 2 days: Facilitator Distribution, data gaps, threats, information needs. Regional Priority setting for research and conservation 9:30-10:00 Small carnivores All 10.00-10.30 Tea Break All 9:30-12:30 Small carnivores cont All Lunch 2-3:30 Medium carnivores 3:30-4:00 Tea break All 4:00-4:30 Medium carnivores cont. 4:30-5:00 Summing up and closure Facilitator 5 Proceedings of the first Tanzania Small Carnivore Conservation Action Plan Workshop final draft.doc 27/02/2007 1. INTRODUCTION The First Tanzanian Small Carnivore Conservation Action Plan Workshop was held 19th-21st April 2006 in the meeting room in the Tanzania Carnivore Unit, at the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) headquarters in Arusha. The workshop brought together stakeholders to assess existing information and set priorities for the conservation of 28 species of small to medium carnivores in Tanzania. These are 3 species of small to medium sized felids or cats: serval (felis serval); caracal (felis caracal) and wild cat (felis sylvestris). A total of 5 mustelids, including two species of otter: Cape clawless otter (Aonyx capensis) and spotted necked otter (Lutra maculicollis); one badger, the honey badger or ratel (Mellivora capensis); and two species of weasel or polecat: striped weasel (Poecilogale albinucha) and zorilla (Ictonyx striatus). Four species of canid: bat eared fox (Otocyon megalotis); black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas); golden jackal (Canis aureus); side-striped jackal (canis adustus). Six species of viverrids including the genets and civets: common genet (Genetta genetta); large spotted genet (Genetta maculata); miombo genet (Genetta angolensis); servaline genet (Genetta servalina); one civet, the African civet (Viverra civetta); one palm civet, the two-spotted palm civet (Nandinia binotata). Finally, there are ten species of mongoose or herpestidae: bushy tailed mongoose (Bdeogale crassicauda); Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon); banded mongoose (Mungos mungo); dwarf mongoose (Helogale parvula); marsh mongoose (Atilax palutinosus); Mellers mongoose (Rhynocholgale melleri); slender mongoose (Herpestes sanguineus); sokoike dog mongoose (Bdeogale omnivora); Jackson‘s dog mongoose (Bdeogale jacksonii) and white-tailed mongoose (Ichneumia albicauda). Four further species were named as bordering the country and hence might have populations in Tanzania, but there is no evidence for this as yet. These are the golden cat (felis aurata); the congo clawless otter (aonyx congica); the long snouted mongoose (Herpestes naso); desert dwarf mongoose (Helogale hirtula). Two of these species are classified as threatened by IUCN, the Jackson‘s dog mongoose and the Sokoike dog mongoose. However there is very little information on most of species. The workshop was attended by 16 participants from TAWIRI, Wildlife Division (WD), Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA), Forestry and Beekeeping Division (FBD) together with experts from WCS‘s southern highlands project. TAWIRI, through the Tanzania Carnivore Monitoring Project, has been collecting information on all carnivores in Tanzania including those listed here since 2002. Despite this effort, information on all small to medium carnivore species in the country is still limited, making it difficult to plan for the conservation of these species. This workshop aims to document what we currently know about the status of these species and their conservation across the country and to set priorities for future research and conservation. These proceedings form a draft chapter for the small and medium carnivore section in the National Carnivore Conservation Action Plan. 6 Proceedings of the first Tanzania Small Carnivore Conservation Action Plan Workshop final draft.doc 27/02/2007 Fig. 1 Participants at the meeting, from back and starting from left. Back row: Novatus Magoma, Lara Foley, Noah Mpunga. Middle row: Rehema Tibyenda, Pauline M. Mpuya, Sarah Durant, Charles Foley, Simon Mduma, Linus Minushi. Front row: Julius Keyyu, Alex Lobora, Mwemezi Rwiza, Edwin Konzo, Midala. 3.1 Presentations 3.1.1. Behavioural Ecology and conservation Abstract of presentation by Noah to be added 7 Proceedings of the first Tanzania Small Carnivore Conservation Action Plan Workshop final draft.doc 27/02/2007 5. Distribution and abundance ,he Tanzania Carnivore Project has been collecting information on the distribution of all species of carnivore across the country since 2002 through its Carnivore Atlas project. Of the 28 species judged to be resident and hence covered in this report, there is at least one reliable recent record for all species. The majority of the information contributed to the atlas project is from the northern sector, principally due to the better infrastructure and higher number of visitors in the region; whereas, data from the south, west and central regions are limited. The group agreed on the following regions as the basis for regional analysis: Northern region - Serengeti, Maswa, NCA, LGCA, Kilimanjaro, Mt Meru, Mkomazi Maasai steppe - Tarangire, Manyara, Simanjiro, Mkungunero North west and central region - Ugalla, Mahale, Minziro, Bukoba, Rubondo, Singida, Dodoma, Tabora, Moyowosi/Kigosi Rukwa-Lukwati - includes Katavi, Ruaha, Rungwa, Lwafi Selous-Niassa - includes Mikumi, Lindi Coast - includes Mtwara, Zanzibar and Saadani Southern highlands - includes Mbeya, Rungwe, Kitulo, Mpanga/Kipengere Eastern arc mountains - includes Usambaras, Uluguru, Udzungwa Northern œ Serengeti/Ngorongoro Maasai Steppe œTarangire and West Kili/Mkomazi/Arusha; Natron Central/Western œ Ruaha complex; Katavi/Rukwa/Ugalla/Mahale complex; Moyowosi/Kigosi Southern œ Selous/Mikumi; Selous-Niassa corridor and coastal districts North west œ Ibanda/Burigi/Kagera/Buramulo These regions are more detailed than in the other carnivore reports within the national Carnivore Conservation Action Plan, reflecting a higher habitat and area specifity for several of the species in this report. The group went on to explore and summarise the evidence for species distribution within each of these regions. 4.1 The serval: Summary of current knowledge Scientific name: Felis serval Other names in use in Tanzania: Serval (English), Mondo (Kiswahili) CITES: Appendix II. 2006 Tanzania quota: 160 live animals. IUCN Red list: least concern (2001), with an overall downward trend. Fig. 2. Serval 8 Proceedings of the first Tanzania Small Carnivore Conservation Action Plan Workshop final draft.doc 27/02/2007 Physical description. ,he serval (Felis serval) is a medium sized cat, a pale sandy colour, with bold elongated black spots that tend to merge into longitudinal stripes on the back and legs. Black morphs are not uncommon in Tanzania. The coat can also have a small spotted pattern, not dissimilar to that of a cheetah, but this pattern has not been recorded in Tanzania. The tail is relatively short,