header: Chimpanzee
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line Pan troglodytes Blumenbach, 1799


CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
(numbered projects are WWF projects)


Revised African Primate Action Plan:7,21 An updated IUCN/Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group Action Plan for African Primate Conservation was published in 1996.

Tanzania:6,7 Research on the chimpanzees in the Gombe Stream National Park (52 km2) has been undertaken for over 30 years. Although the Park is relatively small in size and has a low diversity of primate species, research has provided valuable long-term data on ape populations and behaviour. The chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains National Park (1,577 km2), on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, are also part of a long-term research project. The establishment of more effective anti-poaching patrols for the Park were recommended by the IUCN/SSC African Primate Action Plan.

Uganda:20 The Budongo Forest Project (BFP) was established in 1990 within the Budongo Forest Reserve to investigate the effects of selective logging on forest primates, and the contribution of these primates to forest regeneration. The project is investigating the impacts of sawmill activity, illegal logging, Forest Department policy, poaching, population pressure and tourism. It is considered that the greatest threats to this population of chimpanzees are habitat destruction and poaching; if either or both of these activities increase significantly, the chimpanzees of this region could easily be exterminated.

The Bwindi-Impenetrable Forest, a World Heritage Site, is famous for its Mountain Gorillas, but it also harbours chimpanzees. Project UG0022: Support to Tropical Forest Conservation takes a broad-based approach to protection of biodiversity including species monitoring (and chimpanzee surveys), training of natural resource managers, community development and development of ecotourism.

Central African Republic (CAR): TheDzanga-Sangha Dense Forest Special Reserve and the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park are situated in the last undisturbed lowland rainforests in CAR and are home to a wide variety of primates including chimpanzees and gorillas. Project CF0005: Conservation and Development in the Tropical Forests of SW CAR is concerned with developing management policies for the National Park and its buffer zone. In eastern CAR, WWF-US has initiated a programme modelled on the Dzanga-Sangha approach in a 10,000 sq. km. forest (Project CF0851:Integrated Conservation and Development in Bangassou Dense Forest). Bangassou harbours Africa's most northerly chimpanzee population.

Cameroon: Efforts are continuing to establish a tri-national protected area in the forests of southeast Cameroon which are threatened by commercial timber extraction. Although Project CM0019: Integrated Plan for Regional Forest Elephant Conservation and Project CM0027:Conservation in the Boumba Bek area are focused on elephants, information is being collected on other mammals and birds including chimpanzees. In the same area, WWF-US and WCS are collaborating on forest surveys in the Lac Lobeke region (Project CM0852: Regional Forest Development in Southeast Cameroon). Chimpanzees also occur in the Korup National Park in the southwest of the country, where Project CM0008: Korup National Park has been running since 1982. The work in Korup is funded jointly by the EU and ODA and includes surveys of key species as well as protection and management of the Park and its integration into regional development plans. Project CM0043: Survey of Sources and Utilization of Bushmeat will include an assessment of utilization of primates such as chimpanzees in the bushmeat trade in Cameroon.

Gabon: Project GA0007: Conservation Support to the Gamba Protected Area Complex is developing management plans and community development projects in south-west Gabon. This area includes a variety of habitats including large areas of lowland rainforest which are home to chimpanzees. In addition, WWF-US is undertaking protected area development, land-use planning and promoting sustainable forestry and environmental awareness in north-east Gabon (Project GA0851: Conservation and Protected Area Development in Northeast Gabon (Minkebe)).

Nigeria: Nigeria's only remaining populations of chimpanzees are found in the southeast of the country. The Cross River National Park was established in 1991 with help from WWF and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF). Project NG0003:Development of the Northern Sector of Cross River NP, funded by ODA and the EU, concentrates on enhancing protection of this sector of the Park while Project NG0001:Oban Hills, Biological Research and Environmental Education is concerned with ecological surveys and training of Nigerian scientists in the southern sector of Cross River. Chimpanzees occur in both sectors. Gashaka Gumti National Park includes forested water catchments which are home to chimpanzees. Project NG0007:Gashaka Gumti National Park seeks to improve the management of the Park through providing equipment and also to implement environmental education programmes for surrounding communities. Tourism is being encouraged, including guided foot safaris to the Park's more inaccessible areas. Recently, surveys have shown that Gashaka Gumti's chimpanzee population may be much larger than previously thought. Chimpanzees also occur in the forests of Okumu Nature Sanctuary where NCF is working to safeguard their future (Project NG0009: Protection of Okumu Nature Sanctuary, Edo State)

Cote d'Ivoire: Chimpanzees have been the subject of long-running behavioural and ecological studies by scientists in the Tai National Park, a World Heritage Site which is threatened by loggers, poachers, agriculturalists and gold miners. WWF's Project CI0004: Conservation and Development of Tai National Park, running since 1982, seeks to address the Park's problems.

Gambia:6 Within Gambia, chimpanzees became extinct at the turn of the century. Two rehabilitation and reintroduction projects exist: an orphanage at Abuko Nature Reserve for young chimpanzees; and reintroduction onto Baboon Island in the River Gambia National Park. Reintroduction is proving successful.

Biomedical Research: The Ecosystem Conservation Group (which includes UNESCO, UNEP, FAO and IUCN) and the World Health Organization have issued a policy statement on the use of primates for biomedical purposes which recommends that species categorised by IUCN as Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare should only be used when obtained from self-sustaining captive breeding colonies.9

Other Projects: A survey of Cote d'Ivoire was completed in December 1990.10 A planned survey of Liberia had to be postponed because of the outbreak of civil war.4 Various aspects of chimpanzee ecology and social organization are currently being researched in Burundi, Zaïre and Mali. A ten-day primate survey was undertaken in the Cantanhez Forest, Guinea-Bissau in February 1994, following a nationwide wildlife census by the Director Generale des Forets et de la Chasse (DGFC). These surveys confirmed the continuing existence of chimpanzees in Guinea-Bissau, although it was not possible to make precise population estimates.19


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