Central Africa > Democratic Republic of the Congo > RAFALE (Refuge Altitude Forests of the Albert Lake Escarpment)

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Summary

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Eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) are present in Refuge Altitude Forests of the Albert Lake Escarpment.
The population size is unknown.
The population trend is unknown.
The site covers approximately 500 km².
Key threats to chimpanzees are human encroachment, habitat degradation and destruction, and hunting traps intended for other species.
Conservation activities have focused on education and awareness raising, involvement of the local community in research and conservation activities.

Site characteristics

The site consists of forest fragments located along the Congolese Albertine Rift slope. It is known as the RAFALE landscape (Refuge Altitude Forest Fragments of the Albert Lake Escarpment) to distinguish it from the Ituri highlands, which have altitudes ranging from 1,700 m up to 2,455 m at Mount Aboro (Meessen 1951). A vast area of the Ituri highlands is classified as an IBA (code CD007, 410,000 ha, <8% protected - 2001 criteria met A1, 2 and 3) and Alliance For Zero Extinction - based on existing KBA boundaries and due to the historical presence of the Lendu crombec (IUCN CR - Sylvietta chapini) and the Lendu plateau clawed frog (IUCN CR - Xenopus lenduensis). None of the fragments within the RAFALE landscape are currently protected.

Table 1. Basic site information for RAFALE (Refuge Altitude Forests of the Albert Lake Escarpment)

Species	'Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii
Area	500 km²
Coordinates	Lat: 1.937869 , Lon: 30.899338
Type of site	Non-protected area (Community Forest)
Habitat types	Subtropical/tropical moist montane forest, Shrubland, Wetlands (lakes, rivers, streams, bogs, marshes), Savanna, Rocky areas (inland cliffs, mountain peaks)
Type of governance

IUCN habitat categories Site designations

Mbudha chimpanzees. Female holding a galago in her mouth © Caroline Thirion, 2017
Mbudha chimpanzees © Caroline Thirion, 2017

Ape status

Between 2015 and 2017, preliminary surveys were conducted in and around three fragments named Tsili-Bai forest (or FG1), Rogo-Zalu forest (FG2) and Dolokpa-Dzoo forest (FG3) covering ±18.15 km2 (Laudisoit et al. 2021). The presence of chimpanzees in relict forest fragments of the Congolese Albertine Rift region — determined in November 2015 based on informal discussion with local inhabitants — was unexpected. In March, June, August and September 2016, and in April 2017, a total of 14 unplanned pilot walks following the path of least resistance were conducted (Laudisoit et al. 2021). In August 2016 and April 2017, a structured investigation was carried out to estimate the density of chimpanzees in three forest fragments and the nest encounter rates (Laudisoit et al., 2021). Based on the identifications of individuals made over the course of the study period (2016-2017), the minimum size of the Mbudha community was determined to be 42 weaned chimpanzees and 10 infants. A total of 283 chimpanzee nests were recorded (123 along transects and 160 on the pilot walks). The mean number of nests per kilometer was 4.3 (min=0 and max=14.3) and 18.4 (min=0 and max=43.6) on pilot walks and transect surveys respectively (Laudisoit et al. 2021). Using the truncated dataset of 117 nests recorded along the six transects we surveyed between 1,100 and 1,700 m altitude, we estimated a density of 4.62 weaned chimpanzee individuals per km² (Uniform simple polynomial). This chimpanzee community was named “Mbudha”, which in Bbaledha (Badha or Lendu) language means “the water of the chimpanzees”.

Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for RAFALE (Refuge Altitude Forests of the Albert Lake Escarpment)

Species	Year	Encounter or vistation rate (nests/km; ind/day)	Survey area	Sampling method	Source	Comments
Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii	2015		FG1	Interviews, Reconnaissance walk	Laudisoit et al. 2021	No survey, first acoustic detection of chimpanzees
Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii	2016-2017	4.3	FG1, FG2 and FG3	Reconnaissance walk	Laudisoit et al. 2021	Preliminary surveys in FG1, FG2 and FG3. Survey effort: 37.6 km
Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii	2016-2017	18.4	FG1, FG2 and FG3	Line transects	Laudisoit et al. 2021	Survey effort: 6.7 km.
Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii	2017		FG3	Opportunistic observation	Laudisoit et al. 2021	Recorded 2 hr of live observation. First live observation of 18 members of the Mbudha community.

General location of the study site labeled RAFALE in eastern DR Congo, Mount Hoyo, the Ituri highlands, Mount Aboro of the Blue mountain with inset map of the contours of the three explored fragments between 2015 and 2017 (Laudisoit et a. 2021

Threats

The Mbudha chimpanzee community is not the only one surviving along the Lake Albert escarpment as reported by locals, but recurrent militia’s incursions in the Djugu and Mahagi territories have impeded the exploration of western forest fragments. As local people do not eat nor hunt chimpanzees, which they consider “as close to human beings that they could live in the village“, the major threats are population growth (natural and internally displaced), habitat degradation and destruction, mainly due to poverty and ignorance of the forestry code causing illegal logging and slash-and-burn agriculture. Huyghe (2017) estimated that about 1.2% of the natural habitat and forest cover is lost each year over the three explored fragments. While chimpanzees are not targeted by snares, snare mutilations have been observed on 12 individuals caught on camera trap footage, and in 2020, a young chimpanzee was found dead with a snare around its neck.

Table 3. Threats to apes reported for RAFALE (Refuge Altitude Forests of the Albert Lake Escarpment)

Category	Specific threats	Threat level	Description	Year of threat
9 Pollution		Absent
12 Other threat		Absent
2 Agriculture & aquaculture	2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops	High (more than 70% of population affected)	Habitat loss due to expansion of slash-and-burn agriculture (Laudisoit et al. 2021).	Ongoing (2021)
3 Energy production & mining		High (more than 70% of population affected)	Charcoal production (Laudisoit et al. 2021).	Ongoing (2021)
4 Transportation & service corridors		Low (up to 30% of population affected)
10 Geological events	10.3 Avalanches/landslides	Low (up to 30% of population affected)	Destruction of suitable chimpanzee nesting sites following a landslide (News24 2017).	2017
5 Biological resource use	5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals	Medium (30-70% of population affected)	Chimpanzees are injured or killed by traps that are intended for other animals (Laudisoit et al. 2021).	Ongoing (2021)
6 Human intrusions & disturbance		Present (unknown severity)
7 Natural system modifications		Present (unknown severity)
1 Residential & commercial development		Unknown
8 Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases		Unknown
11 Climate change & severe weather		Unknown

IUCN Threats list

Conservation activities

The Mbudha team is sensitizing the population around the fragments about the potential by-catch of chimpanzees by their hunting techniques and are encouraging smaller and alternative traps use in the forested area.

Table 4. Conservation activities reported for RAFALE (Refuge Altitude Forests of the Albert Lake Escarpment)

Category	Specific activity	Description	Year of activity
1 Development impact mitigation	1.4 Farm more intensively and effectively in selected areas and spare more natural land	Encourage and develop a no-cost local organic manure, introduce agro forestry and soil stabilization with rapid growth trees (e.g. Acacia mearnsii).	Expected to start (2021)
4 Education & awareness	4.1 Educate local communities about apes and sustainable use	Includes citizen science project (cybertracker), create a pedagogic space within the local institution, develop educational activities about zoochory with local institutions and schools, supervision of local MSc students.	Ongoing (2021)
4 Education & awareness	4.2 Involve local community in ape research and conservation management	Local community members trained in ecological monitoring, placing camera traps and gathering data.Establish a permanent base and office in the local higher institution. The Mbudha garden is based on zoochory by animals – local tree nursery based on seeds collected in vertebrate feces.	Ongoing (2021)
5 Protection & restoration	5.4 Create natural habitat patches (including corridors)	Writing of a conservation plan for a community managed reserve.	Ongoing (2021)
7 Economic & other incentives	7.2 Provide non-monetary benefits to local communities for sustainably managing their forest and its wildlife (e.g., better education, infrastructure development)	30 beehives have been installed, which provide sustainable funding for the Mbudha team, the health centers of the villages located around the forest, and the conservation project including compensation for forest protection to local chiefs.	Ongoing (2021)
8 Permanent presence	8.1 Run research project and ensure permanent human presence at site	Chimpanzee research	Ongoing (2021)

Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)

Challenges

Frequent incursions of unidentified militias in the region preventing access to the study site (road blocks) or discouraging funders and researchers to invest in a long term project.

Table 5. Challenges reported for RAFALE (Refuge Altitude Forests of the Albert Lake Escarpment)

Challenges	Specific challenges	Source
4 Institutional support	4.1 Lack of law enforcement	Laudisoit pers. comm.
4 Institutional support	4.1 Lack of law enforcement	Laudisoit pers. comm.
3 Engaged community	3.5 Anticipated disadvantages/costs created by conservation activities (e.g., restricted access/resource use)	Laudisoit pers. comm.
2 Resources and capacity	2.5 Lack of equipment/transportation	Laudisoit pers. comm.

Enablers

Table 6. Enablers reported for RAFALE (Refuge Altitude Forests of the Albert Lake Escarpment)

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

Laudisoit and local colleagues (the Mbudha team) are seeking support to establish a permanent research site in the area and, with the support of the local communities, are developing income generating activities to support forest protection. They hope to attract other research projects on the Congolese Albertine Rift and in the Ituri highlands where other scientifically undocumented population of apes and primates are known and reported by locals. Research is ongoing and Anne Laudisoit is currently supported by a National Geographic Explorer’s grant (NGS-61178C-19).

Mbudha honey © Anne Laudisoit

Documented behaviours

Table 7. Behaviours documented for RAFALE (Refuge Altitude Forests of the Albert Lake Escarpment)

Behavior	Source
Making ground nests	Laudisoit et al. 2021
Rock licking	Laudisoit pers. comm.
Meat eating	Hicks et al. 2019

Exposure to climate change impacts

External links

Mbudha, in the chimpanzees’ footsteps

Facebook Mbudha Chimps

Chimpanzees surviving in a fragmented high-altitude forest landscape of the Congolese Albertine Rift

New Population of Eastern Chimpanzees Discovered in Remote Congolese Mountain Forests

Relevant datasets

References

Hart, J., Maisels, F., Oates, J.F., Laudisoit, A., Hicks, T.C., & Struhsaker, T.T. (2019). Piliocolobus oustaleti The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019.

Hicks, T.C., Menken, S.B.J., Laudisoit, A.,& Hart, J. (2019). Chapter 1. Handling and Consumption of Vertebrate Prey by Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the Northern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Chimpanzee Behaviour: Recent Understandings from Captivity and the Forest Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA USA. Friends of Washoe, Ellensburg, WA, USA. : Mary Lee Abshire Jensvold, PhD (Editor). ; 2019. p. 218.

Khwaja, H., Buchan, C., Wearn, O.R., Bahaa-el-din, L., Bantlin, D., Bernard, H., et al. (2019). Pangolins in global camera trap data: Implications for ecological monitoring. Global Ecology and Conservation, 20:e00769.

Laudisoit, A., Huyghe., P., Willie., J., et al. (2021). Chimpanzees surviving in a fragmented high-altitude forest landscape of the Congolese Albertine Rift. Conservation Science and Practice, 3:e403. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.403

Meessen, J.M.T. (1951). Monographie de l'Ituri (Nord-est du Congo belge) : histoire, géographie, économie. In: Direction de l'agriculture df, de l'élevage et de la colonisation, 1951., editor. Congo (Democratic Republic): Belgium. Ministère des affaires africaines. p. 305.

News24. (2017, August 25). Up to 250 feared dead in DRC mudslide. https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/up-to-250-feared-dead-in-drc-mudslide-20170825

Page created by: Dr. Anne Laudisoit Date: NA

RAFALE (Refuge Altitude Forests of the Albert Lake Escarpment)

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