4.3 Article

THE WESTERN CHIMPANZEE (PAN TROGLODYTES VERUS) IN THE ANTENNA ZONE (NIOKOLO KOBA NATIONAL PARK, SENEGAL): NESTING ECOLOGY AND SYMPATRICS WITH OTHER MAMMALS

Journal

APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
Volume 20, Issue 3, Pages 2663-2681

Publisher

CORVINUS UNIV BUDAPEST
DOI: 10.15666/aeer/2003_26632681

Keywords

great apes; protected area; nest behavior; large wild mammals; Senegal

Funding

  1. Facultdes Sciences et Techniques de l'Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Purdue University
  2. National Science Foundation
  3. Primate Conservation, Inc.
  4. Leakey Foundation

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The western chimpanzee is critically endangered due to population decline and habitat degradation. Niokolo Koba National Park is an important area for western chimpanzee conservation, but it has been listed as endangered since 2007. Previous studies on the park's chimpanzees have been sporadic, so this study focused on their nesting ecology and identified other mammals using camera traps.
The western chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) is ???Critically Endangered??? due to a gradual decrease of its population and a continuous degradation of their habitats. Niokolo Koba National Park is considered an important biodiversity area in West Africa and has high conservation value for western chimpanzees. However, Niokolo Koba National Park has been inscribed on the World Heritage list as being in Danger since 2007 due to anthropogenic factors. Over the last 40 years, only sporadic and shortterm studies on the ecology and behavior of chimpanzees in the park have occurred. For this reason, we studied the nesting ecology of a putative chimpanzee community in the Antenna zone. We also identified sympatric medium and large mammals using a camera trap. Chimpanzees mostly used Hexalobus monopetalus for nesting, followed by Pterocarpus erinaceus. Nest heights in the Antenna zone were lower than they are in Assirik, and outside the park at Fongoli and Diaguiri sites despite the presence of potential predators in the park. Predator presence influences nesting height behavior. These data deepen our knowledge about chimpanzees in Senegal, and are useful for the management plan of the park and will contribute to an action plan for their conservation there.

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