Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
West Africa > Republic of Guinea > Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
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Summary
- Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) are present in Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve.
- There is an ongoing study to determine the chimpanzee population size (Koops et al. in prep.).
- The chimpanzee population trend is unknown.
- This site has a total size of 125 km².
- Key threats to chimpanzees are iron ore mining, poaching and habitat encroachment.
- Conservation activities have focused on improving tri-national coordination and capacity building for local communities.
- The Nimba Mountains are exceptional in their diversity of fauna and flora with a high rate of endemism. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981 and listed as World Heritage in Danger since 1992. It is also recognized as an Important Bird Area.
- Long-term chimpanzee research has been ongoing since 2003 at the Seringbara study site on the Guinean side of the Nimba Mountains.
Site characteristics
Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve is located in the Nimba Mountains at the tri-national border of Guinea, Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire. It was designated a Strict Nature Reserve in 1944 (IUCN Category Ia) and is transboundary with Mount Nimba Integral Reserve (Côte d’Ivoire) and East Nimba Nature Reserve (Liberia, UNEP-WCMC and IUCN 2018).
Table 1. Basic site information for Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
| Species | Pan troglodytes verus |
| Area | 125 km² |
| Coordinates | Lat: 7.64 , Lon: -8.41 |
| Type of site | Protected area (Strict Nature Reserve) |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical moist montane forest, Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest, Savanna, Wetlands (lakes, rivers, streams, bogs, marshes), Agricultural land |
| Type of governance |
IUCN habitat categories Site designations
Ape status
Surveys in different parts of the Nimba Mountains confirmed the presence of western chimpanzees (Sugiyama 1995, Shimada 2001). From the beginning these surveys were also aimed to study chimpanzee behavior, such as nesting behavior and tool-use behavior (details below). In the Regional Conservation Action Plan for western chimpanzees in 2003 the Nimba Mountains were identified as an ‘Exceptionally Important Priority Area’ (Kormos & Boesch 2003). Detailed surveys on chimpanzee density distribution were conducted by Nicolas Granier during multiple surveys after 2006 that focused on the eastern part of the protected area and the southern slope of Mount Nimba (Granier 2011, Granier et al. 2014). A transect survey conducted by the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation estimated the chimpanzee population in the reserve at around 166 individuals (WCF 2012).
Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
| 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 | 1991 | Present | North of Goera | Reconnaissance walk | Sugiyama 1995 | Reconnaissance survey | |||
| Pan troglodytes verus | 1999 | Present | North east of Seringbara village | Reconnaissance walk | Shimada 2000 | Reconnaissance survey | |||
| Pan troglodytes verus | 1999 | Present | North of Goera | Reconnaissance walk | Shimada 2000 | Reconnaissance survey | |||
| Pan troglodytes verus | 2006-2008 | 1.14 chimpanzee signs /km | Eastern part of the reserve | Line transects & recces | Granier 2011 | Total survey effort: 350 km; combination of line transect, reconnaissance survey and scouting surveys | |||
| Pan troglodytes verus | 2009-2011 | 8-39 | 0.46 | Southern slope of Nimba Mountains [covered Guinean section (10km2) and Côte d’Ivoirian section (50km²)] | Line transects & recces | Granier et al. 2014 | Total survey effort: 78.21 km; combination of line transect and reconnaissance survey, abundance and density estimate only based on transects (i.e., 12.5 km) | ||
| Pan troglodytes verus | 2009 | 166 | 1.33 | 6.58 | Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (i.e., Guinean part of Nimba Mountains) | Line transects | WCF 2012 | Total survey effort: 59.4 km |
Threats
Since 1992 Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve is listed as a ‘World Heritage in Danger’ because of plans to mine iron ore inside the reserve and an increase in anthropogenic pressure due to the arrival of refugees from Liberia (UNESCO 2018). Insufficient institutional structure was also reported as a threat (UNESCO 2018). As a result the boundary of the reserve were changed by the World Heritage Committee in 1993 and 15.5 km2 were degazetted so that mining operations could take place (Brugière & Kormos 2009).
Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Residential & commercial development | Absent | |||
| 2 Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Medium | Agricultural activities especially in the northern part around Seringbara and towards the border with Liberia (METT 2009, WCF 2012) | Ongoing (2012) |
| 2 Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.3 Livestock farming & ranching | Present | Present (METT 2009, UNESCO 2018b), level of threat not known | Ongoing (2018) |
| 3 Energy production & mining | 3.2 Mining & quarrying | Present | Exploration for iron ore, activities seem to have ceased, but current threat level not clear (METT 2009, UNESCO 2018b) | Unknown (2018) |
| 4 Transportation & service corridors | 4.1 Roads & railroads | Present | Tarmacking of a road passing by the reserve in planning and would reinforce anthropogenic pressures such as poaching and illegal wood extraction (UNESCO 2018b), signs of paths inside reserve (WCF 2012) | Ongoing (2018) |
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | High | Most prevalent sign of human activity inside the reserve (WCF 2012), also confirmed by BirdLife International 2018b, METT 2009, Shimada 2000, UNESCO 2018b | Ongoing (2012) |
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.2 Gathering terrestrial plants | Medium | Collection of medicinal plants (BirdLife International 2018b) | Ongoing (2018) |
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.3 Logging & wood harvesting | Medium | Wood extraction (WCF 2012) | Ongoing (2012) |
| 6 Human intrusions & disturbance | Absent | |||
| 7 Natural system modifications | 7.1 Fire & fire suppression | Medium | Fires used to clear land for agricultural and cattle grazing (METT 2009, UNESCO 2018b, WCF 2012) | Ongoing (2018) |
| 8 Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Unknown | |||
| 9 Pollution | Unknown | |||
| 10 Geological events | Absent | |||
| 11 Climate change & severe weather | Unknown | |||
| 12 Other threat | Absent |
Conservation activities
The governmental unit responsible for the administration of the reserve is the Centre for the Management of the Environment of Mount Nimba-Simandou (CEGENS) under the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests and Sustainable Development, and fulfills administrative as well as scientific responsibilities (UNESCO 2018a).
Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Implementing organization(s) | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Development impact mitigation | 1.4 Farm more intensively and effectively in selected areas and spare more natural land | Communities received training on improved farming practices (BirdLife International 2018b) | 2017-2018 | |
| 2 Counter-wildlife crime | 2.13 Provide sustainable alternative livelihoods; establish fish- or domestic meat farms | Communities received training in financial, marketing and advocacy matters and in farming practices to decrease their reliance of natural resources from the protected area (BirdLife International 2018b) | 2017-2018 | |
| 5 Protection & restoration | 5.2 Legally protect ape habitat | Designated a Strict Nature Reserve in 1944 (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN 2018) | Since 1944 |
Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)
Challenges
Lack of transboundary cooperation as well as lack of technical, financial and human resources were mentioned as impediments to effective protection of the reserve (Granier and Martinez 2011, UNESCO 2018a, UNESCO 2018b).
Table 5. Challenges reported for Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
| Challenges | Specific challenges | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Resources and capacity | 2.1 Lack of capacity/training | UNESCO 2018a, UNESCO 2018b | |
| 2 Resources and capacity | 2.3 General lack of funding | UNESCO 2018a, UNESCO 2018b | |
| 2 Resources and capacity | 2.2 Lack of staff | UNESCO 2018b | |
| 2 Resources and capacity | 2.5 Lack of equipment/transportation | UNESCO 2018a | |
| 4 Institutional support | 4.4 Lack of transboundary cooperation | Granier and Martinez 2011, UNESCO 2018b |
Enablers
Table 6. Enablers reported for Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
| Enablers | Specific enablers | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Site management | |||
| 2 Resources and capacity | |||
| 3 Engaged community | |||
| 4 Institutional support | |||
| 5 Ecological context | |||
| 6 Safety and stability |
Research activities
The Nimba Mountains have been the focus of research for several decades. In the 1940’s a research station was established in Ziéla to the North of the Nimba Mountains and researchers including Maxime Lamotte, Roger Roy, and other scientists from the Institut Français d’Afrique Noire in Dakar, conducted studies on the fauna and flora, but also on climate and geology (Granier & Martinez 2011). In the context of the recognition of Nimba as a World Heritage Site several missions have been conducted by UNESCO (UNESCO 2018b). Many other organization conducted research here, for example on the Nimba toad (Hillers et al. 2008, Sandberger-Loua et al. 2016). Studies targeted at chimpanzees in the Mount Nimba Strict Nature reserve, also investigated chimpanzee behavior, such as tool use (Sugiyama 1995, Shimada 2000), but also habitat use and nesting behavior (Granier et al. 2014). Long-term chimpanzee research is ongoing at the Seringbara study site in Guinea. Initial research at Seringbara focused on tool use behaviour by the Nimba chimpanzees especially in comparison to the chimpanzees at Bossou (e.g., Humle & Matsuzawa 2001, Koops 2011, Shimada 2000, Sugiyama 1995). Subsequently, Seringbara research broadened to include chimpanzee tool use patterns (Koops et al. 2013, 2015), feeding ecology (Koops 2011, Koops et al. 2013, 2019), grouping and ranging patterns (van Leeuwen et al. in press), nesting behaviour (Koops et al. 2007, 2012a,b), habitat suitability modeling (Fitzgerald et al. 2018), molecular genetics (Koops et al 2012b, Koops et al. in prep), nutritional analyses (Koops et al. 2019) and conservation strategies (Fitzgerald et al. in prep).
Documented behaviours
Table 7. Behaviours documented for Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Ant dipping | Humle & Matsuzawa 2001, Koops et al. 2015, Granier 2011 |
| Crab fishing | Koops et al. 2019 |
| Fruit cleaving (Treculia) | Koops et al. 2010 |
| Hand clapping | Koops & Matsuzawa 2006 |
| Leaf biting | Koops 2011 |
| Leaf cushion | Koops 2011 |
| Leaf swallowing | Koops 2011 |
| Making ground nests | Humle & Matsuzawa 2001, Koops et al. 2007, Koops 2011, Koops et al. 2012a,b |
| Medicinal uses of leaves | Koops 2011 |
Exposure to climate change impacts
External links
Relevant datasets
References
BirdLife International. 2018a. Important Bird Areas factsheet: Monts Nimba (part of Mount Nimba transboundary AZE). Online: www.birdlife.org
BirdLife International. 2018b. Fighting rural poverty: community empowered to conserve Guinean mountain reserve. Online: www.birdlife.org/news
Brugiere D, Kormos R. 2009. Review of the protected area network in Guinea, West Africa, and recommendations for new sites for biodiversity conservation, Biodiversity and Conservation, 18:847
Granier N. 2008. Ecological study and conservation of chimpanzees Pan troglodytes verus in the Nimba Mountain Biosphere Reserve, Republic of Guinea. Report to the Section on Great Apes of the IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group and Conservation International
Fitzgerald et al 2018. Modeling habitat suitability for chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in the Greater Nimba Landscape, Guinea, West Africa. Primates 59: 361-375.
Granier N. 2011. Chimpanzees in the Eastern Part of the Nimba Mountains Biosphere Reserve: Gouéla II and Déré Forest, In: Matsuzawa, T. et al. (eds.) The Chimpanzees of Bossou and Nimba. Springer, Tokyo, Japan.
Granier N et al. 2014. Density Estimates and Nesting-Site Selection in Chimpanzees of the Nimba Mountains, Côte d’Ivoire, and Guinea. American Journal of Primatology 76: 999–1010
Granier N, Martinez L. 2011. Conservation Issues in the Nimba Mountains, In: Matsuzawa, T. et al. (eds.) The Chimpanzees of Bossou and Nimba. Springer, Tokyo, Japan.
Hillers A et al. 2008. Assessment of the distribution and conservation status of the viviparous toad Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis on Monts Nimba, Guinea. Endangered Species Research, 5: 13–19.
Koops K et al. 2007. Ground-nesting by the chimpanzees of the Nimba Mountains, Guinea: environmentally or socially determined? American Journal of Primatology 69: 407–419.
Koops K et al. 2010. Do chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) use cleavers and anvils to fracture Treculia africana fruits? Preliminary data on a new form of percussive technology. Primates 51:175-178.
Koops K et al. 2012a. Nest-building by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) at Seringbara, Nimba Mountains: anti-predation, thermoregulation, and anti-vector hypotheses. International Journal of Primatology 33 (2): 356-380.
Koops et al 2012b. Terrestrial nest-building in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus): Implications for the tree-to-ground sleep transition in early hominins. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 148: 351-361.
Koops et al 2013. Ecology of culture: Do environmental factors influence foraging tool use in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus)? Animal Behaviour 85: 175-185.
Koops et al 2015. Chimpanzees prey on army ants at Seringbara, Nimba Mountains, Guinea: Predation patterns and tool characteristics. American Journal of Primatology 77: 319-329.
Koops et al 2019. Crab-fishing by chimpanzees in the Nimba Mountains, Guinea. Journal of Human Evolution 133: 230-241.
Koops K. 2011. Chimpanzees in the Seringbara Region of the Nimba Mountains, in Matsuzawa, T., Humle, T. and Sugiyama, Y. [eds.] The chimpanzees of Bossou and Nimba. Springer. Tokyo
Kormos R, Boesch C. 2003. Regional Action Plan for the Conservation of Chimpanzees in West Africa. IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group and Conservation International, Washington DC.
METT. 2009. Management Effectiveness Evaluations – Reserve naturelle integrale des Monts Nimba. Online: papaco.org
Sandberger-Loua L et al. 2016. Conserving the unique to save the diverse — Identifying key environmental determinants for the persistence of the viviparous Nimba toad in a West African World Heritage Site, Biological Conservation 198: 15-21
Shimada M. 2000. A survey of the Nimba Mountains, West Africa from three routes: confirmed new habitat and ant catching wand use of chimpanzees. Pan Africa News, 7, 7–10.
Sugiyama Y. 1995. Tool-use for catching ants by chimpanzees at Bossou and Monts Nimba, West Africa. Primates 36: 193-205.
UNEP-WCMC, IUCN. 2018. Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), Cambridge, UK: UNEP-WCMC and IUCN Online: www.protectedplanet.net
UNESCO MAB. 2011. UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve Directory. Haut Niger. Online: / www.unesco.org
UNESCO. 2018a. Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve. Online: whc.unesco.org
UNESCO. 2018b. State of Conservation - Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve. Online: whc.unesco.org/soc
WCF. 2012. Etat de la faune et des menaces dans les aires protégées terrestres et principales zones de forte biodiversité de Rep. de Guinée. Report. Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Sangaredi, Republic of Guinea. Online: www.wildchimps.org
Page created by: A.P.E.S. Wiki Team & Kathelijne Koops Date: NA