Daniele Dendi

Recent distribution data and conservation status of the leopard (Panthera pardus) in the Niger Delta (Nigeria)

The leopard (Panthera pardus) is increasingly threatened in West Africa, and is apparently very rare and has been driven to extinction across much of Nigeria. In the Niger Delta, where it is considered extremely threatened, with very few sightings in the last decades. In this study we document both direct (skins, footprints, scats, etc.) and indirect (village hunter’s interviews) signs of leopard presence in order to reconstruct leopard presence in the Niger Delta, across the period 2000–2015. Data were combined into three survey periods: 2000–2002, 2006–2008 and 2012–2015, and compared with literature data for 1996–1997. Recent skins were recorded in 2.2–4.3% of the villages (n = 39–62). In addition, the leopard was reported to be present by hunters in another 3.3–10.3% of the villages. Overall, some specific sectors of the Delta were recurrently target of both direct and indirect signs of leopard presence (barrier islands and flood forest along the central axis of the River Niger), but all direct sightings occurred in a few barrier islands. In the Niger Delta, there was no evidence of females with cubs since decades and a few skins were the only direct signs of leopard’s current presence. Our results suggest that leopard populations may be functionally extinct in the Niger Delta, with just a few vagrant individuals, in dispersal and/or hunting, being still found. Barrier island forests are apparently the last vegetation zone of the Delta still potentially inhabited by leopards, and deserve careful managements in the years to come.

Aspects of the ecology of the tortoise Kinixys nogueyi (Lataste, 1886) in Togo and Nigeria (West Africa)

In this study, the sex ratio, habitat use, and diet of free-ranging Kinixys nogueyi are examined. Sex ratio and habitat use were examined in Togo and Nigeria (West Africa), and food habits only in Nigeria. Sex ratios were equal in both populations. Tortoises had clear habitat preferences in both countries, and the Nigerian population exhibited seasonal but not inter-sexual differences in habitat selection. The present study demonstrated that this species inhabits not only Guinea savannahs and relatively wet savannahs, as already reported in the literature, but also rainforest patches and hilly forests, especially in Togo. Food remains in the feces of Nigerian specimens belonged to plants and fungi as well as to animals, with inter-seasonal but not inter-sexual differences in dietary composition. In particular, there was a significant shift from a diet based mostly on animal food in the dry season towards a mainly vegetarian diet in the wet season.

Bushmeat consumption in the West African Sahel of Burkina Faso, and the decline of some consumed species

To explore the patterns of bushmeat trade in the Sahel we carried out a multidisciplinary study, focusing on Burkina Faso. We conducted baseline interview surveys to examine the variation in peoples perceptions of bushmeat in relation to their place of residence (urban vs rural), sex and age. We also analysed the long-term (1985–2010) population dynamics of two ungulate species, the oribi Ourebia ourebi and the common duiker Sylvicapra grimmia, known to be among the main targets of the bushmeat trade locally. For the antelopes we chose as our study area a protected area (Nazinga Game Ranch) where poaching activities occur and are likely to represent a threat to the local wildlife. The results of the interviews underlined significant differences in bushmeat consumption between rural and urban areas. In particular, the probability of finding people who did not consume bushmeat increased in the urban area, where bushmeat is less available than in the rural areas. Sex and age did not have any effect on peoples perceptions of bushmeat. In Burkina Faso bushmeat is still widely consumed, and this could be because the bushmeat trade is poorly controlled, with a lack of enforcement of the legislation. Long-term field surveys revealed that the oribi and the common duiker have declined significantly in Nazinga Game Ranch, suggesting that the bushmeat trade in Burkina Faso may have negative consequences in terms of the conservation outlook for these species.

Diversity and conservation status of ungulates in the Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, Togo (West Africa)

Ecological data on ungulate mammals are poorly available for Togo (West Africa), also with regard to the populations inhabiting the various protected areas. To provide preliminary data on the ecology of Togolese ungulates, several field missions were carried out between September 2014 and August 2017 in the various ecological units considered as key areas for large mammals of the Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (MTBR). MTBR, located along the Mono River, has several ecological units of varying sizes, with the Togodo Protected Areas Complex being the largest within the biosphere reserve (25,500 ha). A total of 12 species belonging to four families were recorded on the basis of direct observations and/or signs of presence. These include: Tragelaphus eurycerus, Tragelaphus gratus, Tragelaphus phaleratus, Syncerus brachyceros, Kobus kob, Philantomba walteri, Cephalophus rufilatus, Cephalophus sylvicultor, Sylvicapra grimmia, Hippopotamus amphibius, Potamochoerus porcus, Phacochoerus africanus. Another species (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) has been reported from hunter surveys. The field sightings of ungulates were especially concentrated in the Togodo protected area complex, but also the smaller ecological units (such as the Afito pools, the Avéve forest and the Akissa forest) seemed to play an important role in consolidating the ecological functioning of th biosphere reserve. Indeed, groups of T. gratus T. phaleratus and H. amphibius are reported by hunters to seasonally move between the complex of protected areas of Togodo and its units.

Population surveys of Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) in the Murchison Falls National Park, Victoria Nile, Uganda

Abstract 1. A 12-month-long survey (April 2013 to March 2014) for Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) was conducted along a section of the Victoria Nile/Ramsar site of Murchison Falls National Park, in order to update the historic information on crocodile populations in the area, locating nesting areas, determining seasonality patterns and habitat use, and assess the current abundance and the population size trends since the 1960s. The methods employed included visual encounter surveys, transect counts and opportunistic methods, by using boats. 2. In general, there were diurnal and seasonal fluctuations in the number of crocodile sightings. The crocodile sightings peaked between the months of June and August, with the highest mean number of sightings encountered on any single day being 67 (in July 2013), and the second peak was between January and March with the highest mean of 118 recorded in January 2014. The second peak also coincided with the crocodile breeding season. This clearly shows that the distribution of the sub-population sampled followed a climatic regime. 3. Crocodiles were observed most frequently in water (37%). Grassy banks, islands, river mouths and sandy banks constituted about 47% of the habitats utilised by the crocodile population. Although basking was the most frequent type of activity performed by crocodiles (50%) over the entire survey period, their key activities varied significantly from month to month. Nesting was very visible during the last quarter of the year and the first quarter of the New Year. 4. There was a clear decline of the abundance of crocodiles in this population between 1960s and nowadays. This declining trend was obvious also taking into account the various survey methodologies employed over the decades.

Survey of the status and distribution of primates in Togo (West Africa)

Abstract The distribution of West African primates is still poorly explored in Togo. Field data on distribution, abundance (kilometric index of abundance) and characteristics of primate habitat at six protected and unprotected areas of Togo are reported in this paper. Eight species and 831 primate individuals were visually recorded during field surveys. A few other species were suspected, but not recorded. Species directly observed in the field during our surveys were Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster, Cercopithecus petaurista petaurista, Cercopithecus mona, Chlorocebus tantalus, Colobus vellerosus, Erythrocebus patas, Papio anubis and Galago senegalensis. Our surveys did not provide any evidence of the persistence of the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) in the country. Most of the Togolese primates are of low conservation concern according to The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, our surveys suggested that the status of most of the species in Togo is instead ‘threatened’. Fazao Malfakassa and Togodo National Parks appeared to be the most relevant areas for primates in terms of their species diversity and relative density, and also the most promising sites for developing primate-oriented ecotourism strategies in Togo.