STATUS OF GRAUER’S GORILLA AND CHIMPANZEES IN EASTERN .

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Status of Grauer’s gorilla and chimpanzees in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo1STATUS OF GRAUER’SGORILLA ANDCHIMPANZEESIN EASTERNDEMOCRATICREPUBLIC OF CONGOHistorical and CurrentDistribution and AbundanceAndrew J. Plumptre, Stuart Nixon, RobertCritchlow, Ghislain Vieilledent, Radar Nishuli,Andrew Kirkby, Elizabeth A. Williamson,Jefferson S. Hall and Deo Kujirakwinja

STATUS OFGRAUER’S GORILLAAND CHIMPANZEESIN EASTERNDEMOCRATICREPUBLIC OF CONGOHistorical and CurrentDistribution and AbundanceAndrew J. Plumptre1Stuart Nixon2*Robert Critchlow3Ghislain Vieilledent4Radar Nishuli5Andrew Kirkby1Elizabeth A. Williamson6Jefferson S. Hall7Deo Kujirakwinja11. Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York10460, USA2. North of England Zoological Society, Chester Zoo, Upton by Chester,CH21LH, UK3. Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK4. CIRAD, UPR BSEF, F-34398 Montpellier, France5. Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN),Bukavu,Democratic Republic of Congo6. School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Scotland, UK7. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Av. Roosevelt 401, Balboa, Ancon,Panama*Formerly Fauna & Flora International, David Attenborough Building,Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZFront and back cover photos: A.Plumptre/WCSISBN 10: 0-9792418-5-5ISBN 13: 978-0-9792418-5-7

Status of Grauer’s gorilla and chimpanzees in eastern Democratic Republic of CongoTABLE OF CONTENTSExecutive Summary. 5Great Apes in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. 6Conservation action plan for great apes. 7Historical Distribution of Grauer’s Gorilla. 8Distribution. 9Conservation status 1959–1996: Historic perspectives. 10Conservation status 1996–2010: Conflict and increasing threats. 12Conservation status 2012: Current “best guess” abundance. 14Threats to great apes in eastern DRC. 16Methods . 18Occupancy analysis. 20Original plan for surveys. 20Final method used. 21Comparison of trend estimates of ape nests and ape populations. 22Re-analysis of 1994 transect survey data. 23WCS transect surveys 2011–2015. 23Comparison of encounter rates. 23Results . 24Occupancy analysis. 25Grauer’s gorillas. 26Chimpanzees. 27Comparison of density estimates. 28Survey effort and detection curves. 28Gorilla densities. 30Chimpanzee densities. 32Comparison of encounter rates for different sites. 33Correlations of encounter rates and density. 36Predicting ape numbers from the occupancy analysis. 37Estimated gorilla numbers. 37Estimated chimpanzee numbers. 37Discussion. 38Population changes. 38IUCN Red List status of Grauer’s gorilla. 38The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) saves wildlife and wildplaces worldwide through science, conservation action, education,and inspiring people to value nature. WCS envisions a world wherewildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas, valued by societies thatembrace and benefit from the diversity and integrity of life on earth.Our goal is to conserve the world’s largest wild places in 15 priorityregions, home to more than 50% of the world’s biodiversity. In theAlbertine Rift region of Africa WCS has been supporting conservationsince 1957 and is the oldest International Conservation NGO workinghere. Our focus has been on building the capacity of the protectedarea authorities in the region to be able to better manage theirprotected areas as well as providing results of scientific research tobetter understand the importance of the Albertine Rift and how best toconserve the incredibly rich biodiversity to be found here. Find more at:www.albertinerift.org, www.wcsuganda.org, and www.wcs.orgEstablished over a century ago, Fauna & Flora International (FFI) wasthe world’s first international conservation organisation. It is renownedfor its innovative, landmark programmes, many of which have cometo be regarded as classic examples of conservation practice .Thepioneering work of its founders in Africa led to the creation of numerousprotected areas, including Kruger and Serengeti National Parks. TodayFauna & Flora International’s work spans across the globe, with over140 projects in over 40 countries, mostly in the developing world. FFIproudly stands up for biodiversity and aims to show just how relevantit is to all of those who share the planet. FFI has supported Great Apeconservation in DRC since 1991 with the creation of the collaborativeInternational Gorilla Conservation Programme which helps protect theCritically Endangered mountain gorillas of DRC, Rwanda and Uganda.In 2009 FFI started community conservation programmes aroundthe Maiko and Kahuzi-Biega national parks in support of ICCN, andsince this time has worked with rural communities to reduce forestexploitation, conducted participatory biodiversity surveys throughoutthe landscape, provided capacity-building programmes for DRCnationals in ape monitoring techniques, and developed communitybased ape monitoring programmes around the Maiko National Park.Find out more at: www.fauna-flora.orgThe Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN)has a mission to assure the protection of the fauna and flora in thenetwork of protected areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo, toencourage research and tourism and to manage stations for captureand domestication of wild animals. ICCN manages five World Heritagesites including the Virunga National Park, Africa’s oldest park, andthe Kahuzi-Biega National Park which conserves a large proportionof the endangered Grauer’s gorilla population. For more information:www.iccn.cdConservation implications and interventions required. 39Key interventions needed to halt the declining populations. 40References. 41Appendix 1. Details of the occupancy analysis method and results. 44Acknowledgements. 46Citation: Plumptre, A.J., Nixon, S., Critchlow, R., Vieilledent, G., Nishuli, R., Kirkby,A., Williamson, E.A., Hall, J.S. & Kujirakwinja, D. (2015). Status of Grauer’s gorillaand chimpanzees in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: Historical and currentdistribution and abundance. Unpublished report to Arcus Foundation, USAID and USFish and Wildlife Service.5EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThis report summarises the current state of knowledge on thedistribution, densities and trends in abundance of Grauer’s gorilla(Gorilla beringei graueri) and the eastern chimpanzee (Pan troglodytesschweinfurthii) in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).It summarises the historical knowledge about the distribution ofGrauer’s gorilla across its range and describes the development of aConservation Action Plan (CAP) for these two ape species. A result ofthis CAP was funding from Arcus Foundation, KfW, USAID, UNESCOand US Fish and Wildlife Service to undertake an assessment ofthe current status of these apes across the range of Grauer’s gorilla.Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Fauna & Flora International(FFI) worked with Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature(ICCN) and the Reserve managers of the Reserve des Gorilles dePunia (RGPU) and local communities to undertake surveys across theregion using a variety of methods: line transects, recces along pathsand patrol data from data collected by rangers while on patrol andentered into SMART software.This survey region has been characterised by insecurity andlawlessness since the start of the Congolese civil war in 1996. Manymilitia groups have controlled different areas and established artisanalmining camps to fund their operations. Most of these mining campsrely on access to bushmeat for the miners to survive and great apesare among the more highly prized species because of their relativelylarge size.Results show a major decline in both species of ape across this regionwith an estimated 77–93% decline in Grauer’s gorilla across itsrange and between a 22 and 45% decline in the eastern chimpanzeepopulations. In the case of Grauer’s gorilla, an 80% decline in 20years is justification for listing this subspecies as Critically Endangeredon the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN 2015). Theeastern chimpanzee is more widespread, occurring across northernand eastern DRC as well as in Central African Republic, Uganda,Rwanda, Burundi, western Tanzania and western South Sudan, andmay not be as threatened across its range but given the decline in thispart of DRC it should be monitored more closely.Using an occupancy analysis and the True Skills Statistic (TSS) toidentify a threshold occupancy probability we estimate the area whereeach ape is likely to occur in the landscape. Using measures of averagedensity from across the landscape we estimate that only 3,800 (95%confidence limits: 1,280–9,050) Grauer’s gorillas remain in thewild across their range, and about 37,740 (95% confidence limits:14,019–67,196) chimpanzees in this landscape.

6Status of Grauer’s gorilla and chimpanzees in eastern Democratic Republic of CongoStatus of Grauer’s gorilla and chimpanzees in eastern Democratic Republic of CongoThis report summarises the current knowledgeabout the status of Grauer’s gorilla (Gorillaberingei graueri) throughout its range andof the eastern chimpanzee (Pan troglodytesschweinfurthii) in the eastern DemocraticRepublic of Congo (DRC). The area of focus isas defined in the Conservation Action Plan forGreat Apes in eastern DRC (Maldonado et al.2012), which encompasses the Maiko NationalPark in the north down to the Kabobo massifin the south and the border of DRC in the eastto the Lualaba River in the west. The forestsof eastern DRC are one of the most globallyimportant regions for biodiversity. Within thisregion lies the entire range of the endemicGrauer’s gorilla (Fig. 1). Grauer’s gorilla iscurrently classified as Endangered (A4abcd)on the IUCN Red List (Robbins & Williamson,2008), is listed on Appendix I of CITES andhas full legal protection under DRC law. Theeastern chimpanzee (chimpanzee henceforth)is also classified as Endangered (A4cd) onthe IUCN Red List (Wilson et al. 2008) andoccurs throughout the area of focus in bothforests and woodland habitats. This reportsummarises the historical information knownabout these great apes in eastern DRC andprovides measures of occupancy probabilityand changes in abundance in certain areaswhere these have been measured to providethe best estimate to date of the status.GREAT APESIN EASTERNDEMOCRATICREPUBLICOF CONGOGrauer’s gorilla is in severe crisis. Agriculturaland pastoral expansion, high levels ofsubsistence hunting and bushmeat extraction,the exotic animal trade, extensive miningand socio-economic depression from over adecade of civil war place tremendous pressureon DRC’s forest resources and fauna. Since1996, the entire range of Grauer’s gorillahas been consumed in conflict. This hasresulted in an almost complete breakdownof government control, including wildlifeprotection activities. Important populationsof this gorilla subspecies and their relatives,chimpanzees, have gone unmonitored foryears and, as a result, the current status ofGrauer’s gorilla has been poorly known sincesurveys made by the Wildlife ConservationSociety (WCS) between 1992 and 1995 (Hallet al. 1998a).Infant Grauer’s gorilla, Kahuzi-Biega National Park.Credit A. Plumptre/WCSConservation challenges are likely to increaseas DRC continues to stabilize. Security willbring further development of extractiveindustries, infrastructure and large-scaleagriculture. While this will increase DRC’sability to support itself and participate in7Figure 1. Distribution of Grauer’s gorilla in relation to other gorilla subspecies. Background map iselevation from light green (low) to dark brown (high)the global economy, it is likely to result inincreased settlement in forests aroundprotected areas, including those criticalfor gorillas. Targeted action as well asprioritization of specific conservation areaswill be vital to slow the decline of species likegorillas and chimpanzees. Failure could meanthe extinction of Grauer’s gorilla and otherimportant and threatened species within thenext few decades. Furthermore, the absenceof a viable ex situ population means thatall conservation efforts must focus on wildpopulations.2012). They also identified a landscapeboundary (Fig. 2).A primary recommendation emerging fromthe CAP process was the urgent need forfieldwork to establish the true status ofGrauer’s gorilla and chimpanzees in easternDemocratic Republic of Congos across thearea of focus (Fig. 3), and to identify prioritypopulations on which to focus conservationaction. Further engagement with communitiesCONSERVATIONACTION PLAN FORGREAT APESIn 2011, the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) tookthe lead in an effort, at the request of ICCN andthe Ministry of the Environment, to develop aparticipatory Conservation Action Plan (CAP).The CAP, facilitated by JGI with support fromArcus and the World We Want Foundation,brought together 104 representatives from11 organizations, including scientists, local,regional and national government agencies,and local and international NGOs includingthe IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group.Experts participating in the CAP, upon reviewof available data and anecdotal evidence,tentatively estimated that the total Grauer’sgorilla population might now be as low as2,000–10,000 individuals (Nixon et al.Bamboo forest Kahuzi-Biega National Park,highland sector. Credit A. Plumptre/WCS

8Status of Grauer’s gorilla and chimpanzees in eastern Democratic Republic of Congowas also prioritized, although it was agreedthat such activities must target the highestpriority ape populations. Thus, a thoroughfield assessment of gorilla and chimpanzeepopulations and socio-economic conditionsin key regions of their range was a researchpriority for both landscape-level conservationplanning and localized conservation projects.The process and development of the CAPhas provided an invaluable platform for theconservation and government agencies in theregion to base their activities and strategies. Itenabled a compilation of the existing data ongreat ape distribution in the region and sharingof data that has continued to the present day.HISTORICALDISTRIBUTION OFGRAUER’S GORILLAData used in this preliminary assessmentwere provided to the Jane Goodall institute forthe CAP process by the Wildlife ConservationSociety, Fauna & Flora International,Conservation International, Dian Fossey GorillaFund International, The Gorilla Organization,UGADEC and affiliated reserves, andICCN. Additional data were kindly providedby the Walikale Gorilla Reserve and Dr.George Schaller. A complete multi-authoredstatus report is in preparation, however acorresponding paper “The Forgotten Gorilla:Historic perspectives and future challengesFigure 2. Area of focus for the Conservation Action Plan: the CAP LandscapeYoung eastern chimpanzees grooming. Credit A. Plumptre/WCSStatus of Grauer’s gorilla and chimpanzees in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo9for conserving Grauer’s gorilla” (Nixon et al.2012) was presented at the InternationalPrimatological Society Congress in Cancun,Mexico, in August 2012. A summary of ourfindings is presented below.DISTRIBUTIONGrauer’s gorilla’s historic range is encompassedwithin an area of approximately 52,000 km2(Mehlman 2008), from the Albertine Riftescarpment in the east towards Punia in thewest, and from the Lindi River in the north tothe Itombwe massif in the south. Currently,four broadly-defined population centres arerecognized: Maiko (including Maiko NationalPark and adjacent forests, Tayna-Usala(including Tayna Nature Reserve, KisimbaIkobo Nature Reserve and the Usala forest),Kahuzi-Kasese (including Kahuzi-BiegaNational Park (KBNP) lowland sector andadjacent forest to the west in the Reservedes Gorilles de Punia), and the ItombweMassif (including Itombwe Natural Reserve).Additional isolated populations are found inMasisi and the Kahuzi-Biega National Parkhighland sector, and on Mt. Tshiaberimu inVirunga National Park (Fig. 4). Gorillas alsoranged south of Itombwe in the bambooforests of the western rift escarpment and aWCS survey found signs of a few remaininghere in 2014, but they were being hunted.All of the protected areas in which Grauer’sgorillas are found were created specifically orin part to protect this subspecies, with KahuziBiega and Maiko National Parks considered tosupport the most important populations.Figure 3. Location of protected areas referred to in this report. Those indicated with a black boundaryare legally protected areas. Blue-bounded protected areas are community reserves or proposedprotected areas. Many of these community reserves are in the process of being established andtheir boundaries are likely to change as this takes place.Lowland rainforest, Maiko National Park. Credit S. Nixon

10Status of Grauer’s gorilla and chimpanzees in eastern Democratic Republic of CongoStatus of Grauer’s gorilla and chimpanzees in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo11Figure 4. Distribution of Grauer’s gorilla from Emlen and Schaller’s surveys (left) and Hall et al.’s surveys (Right). Distribution layer by S. Nixon and L. Pintea(Jane Goodall Institute)CON

Established over a century ago, Fauna & Flora International (FFI) was the world’s first international conservation organisation. It is renowned for its innovative, landmark programmes, many of which have come to be regarded as classic examples of conservation practice .The pioneering work of its founders in Africa led to the creation of numerous

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