STUDY OF CHIMPANZEE POPULATIONS (Pan troglodytes verus) USING CAMERA TRAPS IN NON-PROTECTED DISTURBED-FRAGMENTED HABITATS IN SIERRA LEONE 2012-2013 Rosa M. Garriga Study of chimpanzees in non-protected disturbed-fragmented habitats in Sierra Leone. R. M. Garriga. 2013 Contents ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................................................4 COLLABORATING INSTITUTIONS...........................................................................................................................5 PROJECT PERSONNEL ............................................................................................................................................5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..........................................................................................................................................5 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................................6 CONTEXT ...............................................................................................................................................................7 Sierra Leone ......................................................................................................................................................7 Chimpanzees ....................................................................................................................................................8 Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary - TCS ...........................................................................................................8 Sierra Leone National Chimpanzee Census Project - SLNCCP ..........................................................................8 Tacugama Community Outreach Programme - TCOP ......................................................................................9 OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY ............................................................................................................................... 10 MATERIALS AND METHODS ............................................................................................................................... 11 1. Study period .......................................................................................................................................... 11 2. Field team .............................................................................................................................................. 11 3. Study areas ............................................................................................................................................ 11 4. Semi-structured interviews ................................................................................................................... 14 5. Camera traps ......................................................................................................................................... 15 6. Camera location sites ............................................................................................................................ 15 DATA ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................................................. 16 RESULTS ............................................................................................................................................................. 17 1. Semi-structured interviews ....................................................................................................................... 17 1.1. Lawana study area (LA-SA) .................................................................................................................... 18 1.1.1. Socio-cultural profile of interviewees ....................................................................................... 18 1.1.2. Agricultural aspects ................................................................................................................... 19 1.1.3. Measures of crop protection ..................................................................................................... 20 1.1.4. People's perception towards chimpanzees. .............................................................................. 20 1.1.5. Animal identification ................................................................................................................. 21 1.2. Moseilelo study area (MO-SA) ............................................................................................................... 24 1.2.1. Socio-cultural profile of interviewees ....................................................................................... 25 1.2.2. Agricultural aspects ................................................................................................................... 25 1.2.3. Measures of crop protection ..................................................................................................... 26 2 Study of chimpanzees in non-protected disturbed-fragmented habitats in Sierra Leone. R. M. Garriga. 2013 1.2.4. People's perception towards chimpanzees. .............................................................................. 26 1.2.5. Animal identification ................................................................................................................. 27 2. CAMERA TRAPS .......................................................................................................................................... 29 2.1. Lawana study area (LA-SA) .................................................................................................................... 29 2.2. Moseilelo study area (MO-SA) ............................................................................................................... 36 OTHER ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT DURING THE PROJECT .................................................................................. 46 Chimpanzee stool sample collection ............................................................................................................. 46 Rescue of a captive chimpanzee ................................................................................................................... 46 Environmental Education and Sensitization Campaigns ............................................................................... 47 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................................................... 48 ANNEXES ............................................................................................................................................................ 50 3 Study of chimpanzees in non-protected disturbed-fragmented habitats in Sierra Leone. R. M. Garriga. 2013 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS CBD - Convention on Biological Diversity CT-SA - Camera Trap Study Area CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora GFAS - Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries GoSL - Government of Sierra Leone IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature NBSAP - National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan PASA - Pan African Sanctuary Alliance PHVA - Population and Habitat Viability Assessment RAI - Relative Abundance Index SA - Study Area SD - Standard Deviation SLNCCP - Sierra Leone National Chimpanzee Census Project SSC - Species Survival Commission TCOP - Tacugama Community Outreach Programme TCS - Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary TN - Trap Nights UGFB - Upper Guinean Forest Block WAPFR - Western Area Peninsular Forest Reserve 4 Study of chimpanzees in non-protected disturbed-fragmented habitats in Sierra Leone. R. M. Garriga. 2013 COLLABORATING INSTITUTIONS Government of Sierra Leone Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security - Conservation and Wildlife Management Unit, Forestry Division (MAFFS) Barcelona Zoo The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, UK Associació Amics de Tacugama Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary - Sierra Leone Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Programme PROJECT PERSONNEL In situ main researcher: Rosa M. Garriga, graduated in Veterinary Medicine, University of Barcelona and Master in Wildlife Medicine, University of London. Technical advisors: Bala Amarasekaran, founder and director of Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Sierra Leone. Tatyana Humle, PhD, lecturer in Primate Conservation, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK Bernd Eckhardt, geographer and specialist in GIS (Geographic information system). Field assistants: Yirah Koroma David Momoh Joseph Marah Edward Kongofa Marah ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary staff, Anita McKenna, Stephen Brent, Kay Farmer, Doug Cress, Kris Vamadevan and John F. Oates. 5 Study of chimpanzees in non-protected disturbed-fragmented habitats in Sierra Leone. R. M. Garriga. 2013 SUMMARY The objectives of the present study were to obtain data on the wild chimpanzee population living in human-disturbed habitats, to estimate biodiversity richness, and to learn about the impact of crop raiding by chimpanzees and other wildlife. Wild chimpanzee populations are threatened with extinction and their successful conservation requires a multi and interdisciplinary