Grebo-Krahn National Park
West Africa > Liberia > Grebo-Krahn National Park
Summary
- Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) are present in Grebo-Krahn National Park.
- It has been estimated that 313 (CI: 186-449) individuals occur in the site.
- The chimpanzee population trend is stable.
- This site has a total size of 971 km².
- Key threats to chimpanzees are poaching, illegal mining and farming activities.
- Conservation activities, led primarily by the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF), have focused on law enforcement, awareness campaigns, and supporting sustainable small-scale aquaculture activities in local communities.
Site characteristics
Located in southeastern Liberia, the site is part of the Tai-Grebo-Sapo Forest Complex, a biodiversity hotspot and conservation priority in West Africa (Kouakou et al. 2012). In addition to the western chimpanzee, several endangered species inhabit Grebo-Krahn National park, including Jentink’s duiker (Cephalophus jentinki), forest elephants (Loxodonta africana), pygmy hippos (Hexaprotodon liberiensis), and Diana monkeys (Cercopithecus diana diana, Kouakou et al. 2012, Barrie et al. 2007).
Table 1. Basic site information for Grebo-Krahn National Park
| Area | 971.36 km² |
| Coordinates | 5.66, -7.53 |
| Designation | National Park |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland Forest |
IUCN habitat categories Site designations
Ape status
In 2012, the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF) and the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) conducted the first complete survey of chimpanzees and other large mammals of the Grebo National Forest (Kouakou et al. 2012). The estimated abundance has remained relatively stable since then; the most recent survey estimated a total population of approximately 313 individuals in 2015 (Furnell et al. 2015). Based on two population surveys in 2005 (Kouakou et al. 2012) and 2014 (Kouakou et al. 2014), Kühl et al. (2017) estimated a stable chimpanzee population trend for this site.
Table 2. Great ape population estimates in Grebo-Krahn National Park
| Species | Year | Abundance estimate (95% CI) | Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI) | Encounter rate (nests/km) | Area | Method | Source | Comments | A.P.E.S. database ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pan troglodytes verus | 2005 | Present | Grebo National Forest | Index survey | Barrie et al. 2007 | Camera traps and reconnaissance walk, nut-cracking sites and vocalizations | |||
| Pan troglodytes verus | 2012 | 412 (216-787) | 0.111 | Grebo National Forest | Line transects (Distance) | Kouakou et al. 2012 | Total survey effort: 178.21 km | ||
| Pan troglodytes verus | 2012 | 352 (214-578) | 0.10 | Grebo National Forest | Line transects (Distance) | Tweh et al. 2014 | |||
| Pan troglodytes verus | 2013 | 341 (139-836) | 0.289 | Proposed Grebo-Krahn National Park (including Glaro Native Reserve) | Line transects (Distance) | Kouakou et al. 2013 | Total survey effort: 51.5 km | ||
| Pan troglodytes verus | 2014 | 247 (155-396) | 0.161 | 0.91 | Proposed Grebo-Krahn National Park (including Glaro Native Reserve) | Line transects (Distance) | Kouakou et al. 2014 | Total survey effort: 242.73 km | |
| Pan troglodytes verus | 2015 | 313 (186-449) | 0.230 | 1.01 | Proposed Grebo-Krahn National Park (including Glaro Native Reserve) | Line transects (Distance) | Furnell et al. 2015 | Total survey effort: 249.32 km |
Threats
Grebo-Krahn National Park is mainly threatened by illegal hunting, mining, and farming activities (WCF 2019). The park has also been highly threatened by chewing-stick (Garcinia spp.) harvesting, which developed into industrial-scale operations in some areas of the park (WCF 2017).
Table 3. Threats to great apes in Grebo-Krahn National Park
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Quantified severity | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | 1.1 Housing & urban areas | Low | Illegal settlements (Furnell et al. 2015) | Ongoing (2015) | |
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Present | 5 farms found in the site in 2016 (WCF 2017) | Farming activities, including cocoa production in southern areas of the park (Furnell et al. 2015, WCF 2017) | Ongoing (2017) |
| 3. Energy production & mining | 3.2 Mining & quarrying | Medium | 6 illegal mining sites in 2016 (WCF 2017) | Mining activities have increased (WCF 2017) | Ongoing (2017) |
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | 4.1 Roads & railroads | High | Logging roads and paths leading to mining, farming, and logging sites (Furnell et al. 2015) | Ongoing (2015) | |
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | High | In 2016, 13 bushmeat hunting tents, 7 animal traps, 8 gunshots, and 503 cartridges were detected (WCF 2017) | Although hunting levels decreased in 2015 due to the Ebola outbreak, hunting for bushmeat continues to be a main threat in the site (Barrie et al. 2007, WCF 2017) | Ongoing (2017) |
| 5.2 Gathering terrestrial plants | High | 204 chewing stick harvesting sites found in 2016 (WCF 2017) | Harvest of chewing stick (roots of Garcinia spp. (WCF 2017) | Ongoing (2017) | |
| 5.3 Logging & wood harvesting | Low | Logging (Furnell et al. 2015) | Ongoing (2015) | ||
| 6. Human intrusions & disturbance | 6.3 Work & other activities | High | Human encroachment due to mining, hunting, farming activities, as well as harvesting of chewing stick (WCF 2017) | Ongoing (2017) | |
| 7. Natural system modifications | Unknown | ||||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Unknown | ||||
| 9. Pollution | Unknown | ||||
| 10. Geological Events | Unknown | ||||
| 11. Climate change & severe weather | Unknown | ||||
| 12. Other options | Absent |
Conservation activities
The WCF has invested much effort in conservation activities in the Tai-Grebo-Sapo Forest Complex, including Grebo-Krahn National Park. In 2018 WCF worked alongside two theatre companies to produce plays aiming to sensitize the communities surrounding the park to issues of deforestation and wildlife protection (WCF 2019). The WCF also works together with Liberia’s Forestry Development Authority (FDA) to systematically survey the park and collect signs of large mammals, as well as hunting and habitat disturbance signs. Sustainable fish farming has also been facilitated by the WCF to provide an alternative protein source to bushmeat. In addition, the WCF is evaluating the feasibility of establishing a conservation corridor between Sapo National park and Grebo-Krahn National Park (WCF 2019).
Table 4. Conservation activities in Grebo-Krahn National Park
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Not reported | ||
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.11. Farm more intensively and effectively in selected areas and spare more natural land | A survey conducted by the Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia (SCNL) and Multi-Agrosystems Promoters (MAP) identified top priorities for agricultural projects; the FDA is already working on developing sustainable cocoa farming with local communities outside the park (WCF 2019) | Ongoing (2019) |
| 3. Energy production & mining | Not reported | ||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Not reported | ||
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.6. Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols | As part of the community eco-guard program, patrol missions are conducted (WCF 2019) | Ongoing (2019) |
| 5.9. Regularly de-activate/remove ground snares | Community eco-guards remove snares during patrols (WCF 2019) | Ongoing (2019) | |
| 5.11. Provide training to anti-poaching ranger patrols | Trainings are conducted for new eco-guards (WCF 2019) | Ongoing (2019) | |
| 5.15. Implement monitoring surveillance strategies (e.g. SMART) or use monitoring data to improve effectiveness of wildlife law enforcement patrols | Starting in 2016, SMART data collection methods are being used during patrols (WCF 2017) | Ongoing (2017) | |
| 5.17. Provide sustainable alternative livelihoods; establish fish- or domestic meat farms | The WCF is supporting sustainable aquaculture activities in two communities next to the national park to increase revenues and supply an alternative to bushmeat (WCF 2018); in addition, farmers were trained in bee-keeping in 2018 by the Universal Outreach Foundation (WCF 2019) | Ongoing (2019) | |
| 6. Human intrusions & disturbance | 6.7. Resettle illegal human communities (i.e. in a protected area) to another location | Community eco-guards report any illegal settlements (e.g., bushmeat tents) that they come across to the FDA (WCF 2019) | Ongoing (2019) |
| 7. Natural system modifications | Not reported | ||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Not reported | ||
| 9. Pollution | Not reported | ||
| 10. Education & Awareness | 10.1. Educate local communities about primates and sustainable use | Awareness campaigns carried out by community eco-guards (WCF 2019) | Ongoing (2019) |
| 10.5. Implement multimedia campaigns using theatre, film, print media, discussions | Theater plays to sensitize local communities to issues of wildlife protection and deforestation (WCF 2019) | Ongoing (2019) | |
| 11. Habitat Protection | 11.2. Legally protect primate habitat | Grebo-Krahn National Park was established in 2017 (WCF 2018) | Ongoing (2019) |
| 11.6. Demarcate and enforce boundaries of protected areas | Demarcation of national park boundary implemented in close collaboration with local communities (WCF 2019, WCF 2017) | Ongoing (2019) | |
| 12. Species Management | Not reported | ||
| 13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives | Not reported |
Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)
Challenges
Table 5. Challenges reported for Grebo-Krahn National Park
| Challenge | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
Research activities
Documented behaviours
Table 6. Great ape behaviors reported for Grebo-Krahn National Park
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
References
Barrie, A., Zwuen, S., Kota, A.N., Lou, M. Sr, Luke, R. 2007. Rapid survey of large mammals of North Lorma, Gola and Grebo National Forests. In A Rapid Biological Assessment of North Lorma, Gola and Grebo National Forests, Liberia (eds P. Hoke, R. Demey & A. Peal), pp. 59–64. Conservation International, Washington, DC, USA.
Furnell, S., Dowd, D., Tweh, C., Zoro Gone Bi, I.B., Vergenes, V., Normand, E., Boesch, C. 2015. Report on phase 2 in the proposed Grebo-Krahn National Park (February-June 2015) Report. Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Abidjan, Côted’Ivoire.
Kouakou, C.Y., Vergnes, V., V., Dowd D., Normand, E., Boesch, C. 2012. Large mammal survey and monitoring of chimpanzees in Grebo National Forest, Liberia (February-August 2012) Report. Wild Chimpanzee Foundation & the Forestry Development Authority, Monrovia, Liberia.
Kouakou, C.Y., Vergnes, Normand, E., Boesch, C. 2013. Report of the survey undertaken in the proposed Grebo National Park (February-March 2013) Report. Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Abidjan, Côted’Ivoire.
Kouakou, C.Y., Dowd, D., Tweh, C., Zoro Gone Bi, I.B., Vergnes, V., Normand, E., Boesch, C. 2014. Report on phase 1 in the proposed Grebo National Park (February-July 2014) Report. Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Abidjan, Côted’Ivoire.
Kühl, H.S., Sop, T., Williamson, E.A., Mundry, R., Brugière, D., Campbell, G., Cohen, H., et al. 2017. The Critically Endangered western chimpanzee declines by 80%. American Journal of Primatology, 22681. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.22681.
Tweh, C., Lormie, M., Kouakou, C.Y., Hillers, A., Kühl, H.S., Junker, J., et al. 2014. Conservation status of chimpanzees Pan troglodytes verus and other large mammals in Liberia: a nationwide survey. Oryx, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0030605313001191
Wild Chimpanzee Foundation. 2019. Activities of the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation for improved conservation of chimpanzees and their habitat in West Africa. Annual Report 2018.
Wild Chimpanzee Foundation. 2018. Activities of the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation for improved conservation of chimpanzees and their habitat in West Africa. Annual Report 2017.
Wild Chimpanzee Foundation. 2017. Activities of the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation for improved conservation of chimpanzees and their habitat in West Africa. Annual Report 2016.
Page completed by: A.P.E.S. Wiki Team Date: 30/08/2019