Western Area Peninsula National Park
West Africa > Sierra Leone > Western Area Peninsula National Park
Summary
- Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) are present in Western Area Peninsula National Park.
- It has been estimated that 55 (CI: 15-209) individuals occur at the site.
- The chimpanzee population trend is unknown.
- This site has a total size of 183.37 km².
- Key threats to chimpanzees include logging, farming, hunting, and human encroachment.
- Awareness raising and support for alternative livelihoods are the main conservation interventions that have been implemented at the site.
Site characteristics
The Western Area Peninsula National Park (WAPNP) is located in the Freetown peninsula, west of Sierra Leone (BirdLife International 2019). The site covers a narrow chain of hills, reaching up to 900 m, and holds the western-most remnant of Upper Guinea forest ecosystem (Brncic et al. 2010). With 314 bird species, including five species of global conservation concern (e.g., white-necked rockfowl Picathartes gymnocephalus), WAPNP was designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) in 2001 (BirdLife International 2019). The site is also of high importance to the surrounding populations, as it protects the watershed of two dams, which supply water to Freetown and nearby settlements (Brncic et al. 2010; EPA 2017). In addition to the western chimpanzee, other vulnerable species inhabiting the area include Diana monkey (Cercopithecus diana), Jentink’s duiker (Cephalopus jentinki), and the endemic frog Cardioglossa aureole (BirdLife International 2019).
Table 1. Basic site information for Western Area Peninsula National Park
| Area | 183.37 km² |
| Coordinates | 8.32, -13.15 |
| Designation | National Park |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland Forest |
IUCN habitat categories Site designations
Ape status
Based on a line transect survey in 2010, there may be three chimpanzee communities in the area (Brncic et al. 2010). The size of the population was estimated at 55 individuals, which is the most recent population estimate currently available (Brncic et al. 2010).
Table 2. Ape population estimates in Western Area Peninsula 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 | 2010 | 55 (15-209) | 0.36 (0.10-1.32) | 1.08 (0.30-3.90) | Western Area Peninsular Forest Reserve (158 km²) | Line transects (Distance) and index survey | Brncic et al. 2010 | Total survey effort: 26.97 km |
Threats
The park is highly accessible to humans through trails (Brncic et al. 2010). Hunting is a key threat in the area, with several hunting camps and hunting signs present at the site (Brncic et al. 2010). In addition, multiple large-scale marijuana farms have been discovered in the park, as well as signs of logging and charcoal production (Brncic et al. 2010). Due to the urban expansion and close proximity to the capital, Freetown, WAPNP faces a lot of pressure, as the demands for fuelwood, farmland, and bushmeat continue to rise (Brncic et al. 2010, BirdLife International 2017). In 2017, following heavy rainfall, a mudslide in the area resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people; the mudslide has been linked to extensive deforestation and erosion of the soil (BirdLife International 2017).
Table 3. Threats to great apes in Western Area Peninsula National Park
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Quantified severity | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | 1.1 Housing & urban areas | Present | Human encroachment and housing development within the park (BirdLife International 2017) | Ongoing (2017) | |
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops | High | 13 farms within the park (Brncic et al. 2010) | Several marijuana farms were found during a survey in 2010 (Brncic et al. 2010). Local communities also seek land for farming (BirdLife International 2017) | Ongoing (2017) |
| 3. Energy production & mining | 3.2 Mining & quarrying | Present | Stone mining (BirdLife International 2017) | Ongoing (2017) | |
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | 4.1 Roads & railroads | Present | The presence of trails allows for accessibility to humans (Brncic et al. 2010) | Ongoing (2010) | |
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | High | Hunting camps, shotgun shells, and snares were frequently encountered during a survey (Brncic et al. 2010) | Ongoing (2010) | |
| 5.3 Logging & wood harvesting | High | Tree cuts were frequently found within the park during a survey (Brncic et al. 2010) | Ongoing (2010) | ||
| 6. Human intrusions & disturbance | Unknown | ||||
| 7. Natural system modifications | 7.2 Dams & water management/use | Present | Two dams are present in the site (Guma Valley Dam and Congo Dam) (Brncic et al. 2010) | Ongoing (2010) | |
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Unknown | ||||
| 9. Pollution | Absent | ||||
| 10. Geological Events | Absent | ||||
| 11. Climate change & severe weather | Unknown | ||||
| 12. Other options | Absent |
Conservation activities
Sierra Leone’s Forestry Division and the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone are the main organizations responsible for the management of the site and the implementation of conservation activities. The EU funded an intervention to decelerate deforestation at the site, which was implemented by Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and the Environmental Forum for Action (ENFORAC) from 2009-2014 (EPA 2017). This intervention focused on awareness raising, especially among potential encroachers, and proving support to local people with alternative livelihood options (Hempel 2013). In 1995, the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary was established. The sanctuary rescues, rehabilitates and cares for orphaned chimpanzees. Since 2011, Tacugama works with rural communities as part of its Tacugama Community Outreach Programme to promote the sustainable use of natural resources, improve agricultural practices (seed distribution), promote alternative livelihoods (e.g., fruit tree planting, livestock farms, community woodlots), improve health and hygiene in rural communities to decrease the risk of disease transmission, and environmental education activities for rural communities and children to increase awareness of the need to protect chimpanzees (Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary 2020). Tacugama also runs an eco-lodge with the proceeds going to its conservation programmes (Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary 2020).
Table 4. Conservation activities in Western Area Peninsula 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 | Tacugama Community Outreach Programme promotes improved agricultural practices and distributes seeds (Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary 2020) | since 2011 |
| 3. Energy production & mining | Not reported | ||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Not reported | ||
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.17. Provide sustainable alternative livelihoods; establish fish- or domestic meat farms | Tacugama Community Outreach Programme promotes alternative livelihoods, e.g., fruit tree planting, livestock farms, community woodlots (Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary 2020) | since 2011 |
| 6. Human intrusions & disturbance | Not reported | ||
| 7. Natural system modifications | Not reported | ||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | 8.23. Implement a health programme for local communities | Tacugama Community Outreach Programme constructs latrines in rural communities to improve hygiene and minimize bush defecation (Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary 2020) | since 2011 |
| 9. Pollution | Not reported | ||
| 10. Education & Awareness | 10.1. Educate local communities about primates and sustainable use | Awareness raising to create an understanding of the importance of conservation, forest ecosystem and function, and chimpanzees (Hempel 2013, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary 2020) | since 2009 |
| 11. Habitat Protection | 11.2. Legally protect primate habitat | The site was designated a National Park in 2012 (EPA 2017) | Since 2012 |
| 12. Species Management | 12.24. Rehabilitate injured/orphaned primates | Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary takes care of and rehabilitates orphaned chimpanzees (Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary 2020) | since 1995 |
| 13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives | 13.2. Provide non-monetary benefits to local communities for sustainably managing their forest and its wildlife (e.g. better education, infrastructure development) | Tacugama Community Outreach Programme provides infrastructure as part of its alternative livelihoods programme and supports communities in establishing sustainable sources of income (Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary 2020) | since 2011 |
| 13.4. Run tourist projects and ensure permanent human presence at site | Small-scale community-based tourism was promoted between 2009-2014 (Hempel 2013), Tacugama runs an eco-lodge (Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary 2020) | since 2009 | |
| 13.5. Permanent presence of staff/manager | Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary has a permanent presence of staff (Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary 2020) | since 1995 |
Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)
Challenges
Table 5. Challenges reported for Western Area Peninsula National Park
| Challenge | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
Research activities
Since 2012, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary is conducting chimpanzee monitoring programmes across Sierra Leone. The sanctuary is also implementing annual biodiversity surveys using camera traps in the Western Area Peninsula National Park (Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary 2020).
Documented behaviours
Table 6. Great ape behaviors reported for Western Area Peninsula National Park
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
References
BirdLife International. 2017. www.birdlife.org
BirdLife International. 2019. Important Bird Areas factsheet: Western Area Peninsula Non-hunting Forest Reserve. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 17/09/2019.
Brncic, T.M., Amarasekaran,B. & McKenna,A. (2010) Final Report of the Sierra Leone National Chimpanzee Census Project. Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Environment Protection Agency (EPA). 2017. Sierra Leone’s Second National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2017-2026.
Hempel, H. 2013. Final evaluation report of the Western Area Peninsula Forest Reserve protection project. Welthungerhilfe, Bonn.
Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary. 2020. Online: Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary
Page completed by: A.P.E.S. Wiki Team Date: 18/09/2019