Rubondo Island National Park
East Africa > Tanzania > Rubondo Island National Park
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Summary
- Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are present in Rubondo Island.
- It has been estimated that a minimum 35 chimpanzees inhabited the site in 2014.
- The population trend is increasing.
- Between 1966 and 1969, 16 chimpanzees were introduced to the island from European zoos and circuses as part of a conservation project led by Professor Bernhard Grzimek of the Frankfurt Zoological Society.
Site characteristics
Rubondo Island, located in Lake Victoria, Tanzania, is home to a unique population of chimpanzees. Between 1966 and 1969, 16 chimpanzees were introduced to the island from European zoos and circuses as part of a conservation project led by Professor Bernhard Grzimek of the Frankfurt Zoological Society. Rubondo Island spans approximately 237 square kilometers and is rich in fruit-bearing plants that produce food year-round, including figs. With fruit making up about 90% of a chimpanzee's diet, the island, though not their original habitat, provides a highly suitable environment for them to flourish (Rabel 2022).
Table 1. Basic site information for Rubondo Island National Park
| Species | 'Pan troglodytes" |
| Area | 456.8 km² |
| Coordinates | Lat: -2.349904 , Lon: 31.858763 |
| Type of site | Protected area (National Park) |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest, Grassland |
| Type of governance | Governance by government |
IUCN habitat categories Site designations
Ape status
Between 1966 and 1969, 17 chimpanzees were transported to Rubondo Island in four cohorts. One female died in transit, resulting in a total of 16 individuals released (Msindai et al. 2021). Successive population estimates recorded the following figures: a minimum of 20 individuals in 1983 (Borner 1988); between 24 and 32 individuals in 1994 (Müller & Anzenberger 1995); between 27 and 35 individuals in 2004 (Moscovice 2006); and a minimum of 35 invidividuals in 2014 (Msindai et al. 2021).
Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Rubondo Island National Park
| Species | Year | Occurrence | Encounter or vistation rate (nests/km; ind/day) | Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI) | Abundance estimate (95% CI) | Survey area | Sampling method | Analytical framework | Source | Comments | A.P.E.S. database ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 'Pan troglodytes | 1966-1969 | 16.0 | Rubondo Island (237 km²) | Full count | Msindai et al. 2021 | ||||||
| 'Pan troglodytes | 1983.0 | 20.0 | Rubondo Island (237 km²) | Borner 1988 | Estimate based on nest counts | ||||||
| 'Pan troglodytes | 1994.0 | 24-32 | Rubondo Island (237 km²) | Müller & Anzenberger 1995 | |||||||
| 'Pan troglodytes | 2004.0 | 27-35 | Rubondo Island (237 km²) | Moscovice 2006 | |||||||
| 'Pan troglodytes | 2014.0 | 35.0 | Rubondo Island (237 km²) | Msindai et al. 2021 | Estimate based on nest counts |
Threats
NA
Conservation activities
NA
Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Rubondo Island National Park
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Implementing organization(s) | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Species health | 3.13 Implement a health programme for local communities | The national park was provided funding by TANAPA to build a health center in Ikuza village (Mwishawa & Haule 2019). | TANAPA (RINP) | 2016.0 |
| 4 Education & awareness | 4.2 Involve local community in ape research and conservation management | The Rubondo Island National Park provides conservation education to raise awareness in communities around the park but also provides employment opportunities to the community members (Mwishawa & Haule 2019). | TANAPA and Jane Goodall Roots & Shoots | Ongoing (2015) |
| 6 Species management | 6.1 Habituate primates to human presence to reduce stress from tourists/researchers etc. | In 1997, the FZS, with the support of the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), launched a project aimed at habituating the chimpanzees on Rubondo Island (Moscovice et al. 2007). By 2003, the chimpanzees had become semi-habituated (Moscovice et al. 2010). | TANAPA and FZS | 1997-Ongoing (2003) |
| 7 Economic & other incentives | 7.1 Provide monetary benefits to local communities for sustainably managing their forest and its wildlife (e.g., REDD, alternative income, employment) | Rubondo Island National Park supports community initiated projects and one of the ways it does so is by providing education to income-generating groups but also providing soft loans to these groups (Mwishawa & Haule 2019). | TANAPA (RINP) | Ongoing (2019) |
Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)
Challenges
NA
Enablers
NA
Research activities
NA
Documented behaviours
NA
Exposure to climate change impacts
NA
External links
NA
Relevant datasets
NA
References
Rabel, K. (2022). An island where chimpanzees rule. Retrieved March 10, 2025, from https://fzs.org/en/news/an-island-where-chimpanzees-rule/
Borner, M. (1988) Translocation of 7 mammal species to Rubondo Island National Park in Tanzania. In: Nielsen L, Brown RD (eds) Translocation of wild animals. Wisconsin Humane Society, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Milwaukee, pp 117–122
Müller, G. & Anzenberger, G. (1995) Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) of Rubondo Island, Tanzania. Anthropologisches Institut der Universität Zürich. (Pilot study, German with English summary). DOI: https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.31713.12648
Moscovice, L.R. (2006) Behavioral ecology of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) on Rubondo Island Tanzania: habitat diet grouping and ranging at a release site. PhD Dissertation. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin.
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Page created by: Priscilla Stanley Shao Date: 45635.0