Population ecology, conservation status and genetics of the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo, including an assessment of the status of spotted hyenas in southeast Gabon Dissertation zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades des Doktors der Naturwissenschaften (Dr. rer. nat.) Eingereicht im Fachbereich Biologie, Chemie, Pharmazie der Freien Universität Berlin vorgelegt von Torsten Bohm aus Schwedt/Oder Berlin, Juni 2015 Diese Dissertation wurde am Leibniz-Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung Berlin im Zeitraum April 2011 bis Juni 2015 angefertigt und am Institut für Biologie der Freien Universität Berlin eingereicht. 1. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Heribert Hofer 2. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Dietmar Todt Disputation am: 18. Dezember 2015 In memory of Michael Bohm CONTENT Acknowledgements.............................................................................................................1 Chapter 1: General Introduction ........................................................................................3 1.1 Why study and conserve spotted hyenas?...............................................................3 1.2 Short introduction on the ecology and biology of spotted hyenas ............................5 1.3 Notes on the status and distribution of spotted hyenas with special emphasis on Central Africa............................................................................................................7 1.4 The Odzala-Kokoua National Park .........................................................................10 1.5 Objectives of this study and structure of the dissertation .......................................16 Chapter 2: Camera-traps based assessment of the status of the endangered spotted hyena population in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo, with a new methodology to identify clan memberships in spotted hyena populations ........21 2.1 Abstract ..................................................................................................................21 2.2 Introduction.............................................................................................................21 2.3 Material and methods .............................................................................................24 2.4 Results....................................................................................................................29 2.5 Discussion ..............................................................................................................38 2.6 Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................42 2.7 References .............................................................................................................43 Chapter 3: Diet of spotted hyenas in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo .................................................................................................................................47 3.1 Abstract ..................................................................................................................47 3.2 Introduction.............................................................................................................47 3.3 Material and methods .............................................................................................48 3.4 Results....................................................................................................................52 3.5 Discussion ..............................................................................................................56 3.6 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................59 3.7 References .............................................................................................................59 Chapter 4: Population density and activity patterns of servals in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo ...................................................................................63 4.1 Abstract ..................................................................................................................63 4.2 Introduction.............................................................................................................63 4.3 Material and methods .............................................................................................66 4.4 Results....................................................................................................................69 4.5 Discussion ..............................................................................................................73 4.6 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................75 4.7 References .............................................................................................................75 Chapter 5: Characteristics of spotted hyena den sites in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park and acoustic monitoring..........................................................................................80 5.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................80 5.2 Methods and results ...............................................................................................81 5.3 Discussion ..............................................................................................................88 Chapter 6: Conservation genetics of the spotted hyena in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park .....................................................................................................................90 6.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................90 6.2 Methods..................................................................................................................91 6.3 Results....................................................................................................................94 6.4 Discussion ..............................................................................................................98 Chapter 7: Community ecology of medium and large-sized mammals in the forest- savanna mosaic of the Odzala-Kokoua National Park.................................................101 7.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................101 7.2 Methods................................................................................................................101 7.3 Results..................................................................................................................111 7.4 Discussion ............................................................................................................123 Chapter 8: Status of spotted hyenas and other wildlife species in three regions of the Batéké Plateaux in southeast Gabon ............................................................................128 8.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................128 8.2 Methods................................................................................................................129 8.3 Results..................................................................................................................135 8.4 Discussion ............................................................................................................153 Chapter 9: General discussion ......................................................................................156 9.1 Methodological considerations .............................................................................156 9.2 Management implications for spotted hyenas in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park and recommendations for follow-up studies .........................................................158 Summary ..........................................................................................................................159 Zusammenfassung..........................................................................................................165 References .......................................................................................................................172 Camera traps pictures of spotted hyenas and other wildlife species from the Odzala-Kokoua National Park The three following manuscripts are part of this dissertation: 1. BOHM, T., East, M.L. & Hofer, H. Camera-traps based assessment of the status of the endangered spotted hyena population in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo, with a new methodology to identify clan memberships in spotted hyena populations. 2. BOHM, T., Wachter, B., Bodendorfer, T., Henschel, P. & Hofer, H. Diet of spotted hyenas in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo. 3. BOHM, T. & Hofer, H. Population density and activity patterns of servals in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo. Herr Torsten Bohm hatte den Hauptanteil an der Konzeption und Durchführung des Promotionsprojektes sowie beim Erstellen der Berichte. Acknowledgements Acknowledgements This study would not have been possible without the help and support of many people and organisations. I would firstly like to thank the SAVE - Wildlife Conservation Fund and in particular