Zemongo Faunal Reserve
Central Africa > Central African Republic > Zemongo Faunal Reserve
Summary
- Eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) are present in Zemongo Faunal Reserve.
- The population size is unknown.
- The chimpanzee population trend is unknown.
- The site has a total size of 10,100 km².
- Poaching is a key threat to chimpanzees and other wildlife in the reserve
- Conservation activities are not documented.
Site characteristics
Zemongo Faunal Reserve was established in 1925. The reserve is located in southeastern Central African Republic, bordering South Sudan to the northeast, and contiguous with Chinko Nature Reserve to the southwest (Hughes & Hughes 1992). Originally the site was delineated as a 4,800 km² reserve to provide protection to the now extinct white and black rhinoceros (Plumptre et al. 2010). The site was extended and redesignated in 1975. The reserve has expanded to include a very diverse habitat in the region, marking the transition between Congolian rainforest and Sahelian grasslands (Plumptre et al. 2010). Zemongo comprises 10,100 sq. km, of which 1,720 sq. km consist of inundated forest. The site is situated in the Vovado river watershed (Hughes & Hughes 1992). The site is the only protected area in the region within the current known chimpanzee range (Plumptre et al. 2010).
Table 1. Basic site information for Zemongo Faunal Reserve
| Area | 10,100 km² |
| Coordinates | 6.752278 N, 25.207170 E |
| Designation | Faunal Reserve |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical swamp forest, subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest, savanna |
IUCN habitat categories Site designations
Ape status
The presence of chimpanzees was reported during a survey prior to 2010; two nests and a footprint were found (Plumptre et al. 2010). There is a clear need for surveys to determine the current status of chimpanzees at the site (Plumptre et al. 2010).
Table 2. Ape population estimates in Zemongo Faunal 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 schweinfurthii |
Threats
The human population is small along the border with Sudan, where chimpanzees inhabit forests. However, Zemongo is the only protected area in the region, and illegal poachers and armed militia coming from Sudan are increasingly common, as well as shepherds and refugees from South Sudan (GRASP).
Table 3. Threats to apes in Zemongo Faunal Reserve
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Quantified severity | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Unknown | ||||
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | Unknown | ||||
| 3. Energy production & mining | Unknown | ||||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Unknown | ||||
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | High | Intense hunting in the buffer zone of the reserve (Varty 2005). | Ongoing (2005) | |
| 6. Human intrusion & disturbance | Unknown | ||||
| 7. Natural system modifications | Unknown | ||||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Unknown | ||||
| 9. Pollution | Unknown | ||||
| 10. Geological Events | Absent | ||||
| 11. Climate change & severe weather | Unknown | ||||
| 12. Other options | Absent |
Conservation activities
Despite the absence of conservation activities in the region, CAR’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan proposes rehabilitation of the reserve. This objective is reiterated in CAR’s National Operation Plan for COMIFAC (Plumptre et al. 2010).
Table 4. Conservation activities in Zemongo Faunal Reserve
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Not reported | ||
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | Not reported | ||
| 3. Energy production & mining | Not reported | ||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Not reported | ||
| 5. Biological resource use | Not reported | ||
| 6. Human intrusion & disturbance | Not reported | ||
| 7. Natural system modifications | Not reported | ||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Not reported | ||
| 9. Pollution | Not reported | ||
| 10. Education & Awareness | Not reported | ||
| 11. Habitat Protection | Not reported | ||
| 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 Zemongo Faunal Reserve
| Challenge | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
Research activities
Documented behaviours
Table 6. Ape behaviors reported for Zemongo Faunal Reserve
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
External links
Relevant datasets
References
Hughes. R. H.. Hughes. J. S.. A directory of African wetlands. 23 April 2011. 1992. IUCN. 978-2-88032-949-5. 485.
Plumptre, A.J., Rose, R., Nangendo, G., Williamson, E.A., Didier, K., Hart, J., Mulindahabi, F., Hicks, C., Griffin, B., Ogawa, H., Nixon, S., Pintea, L., Vosper, A., McClennan, M., Amsini, F., McNeilage, A., Makana, J.R., Kanamori, M., Hernandez, A., Piel, A., Stewart, F., Moore, J., Zamma, K., Nakamura, M., Kamenya, S., Idani, G., Sakamaki, T., Yoshikawa, M., Greer, D., Tranquilli, S., Beyers, R., Furuichi, T., Hashimoto, C. and Bennett, E. (2010). Eastern Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii): Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan 2010–2020. IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerland. 52pp.
Varty, N. (2005). Central African Republic. World Atlas of Great Apes and Their Conservation. UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Center, 314.
Page completed by: A.P.E.S. Wiki team Date: 15/01/2022