Zemongo Faunal Reserve
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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
| Species | 'Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii |
| Area | 10,100 km² |
| Coordinates | Lat: 6.752278 , Lon: 25.207170 |
| Type of site | Protected area (Faunal Reserve) |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical swamp forest, Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest, Savanna |
| Type of governance |
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 reported for Zemongo Faunal Reserve
| 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 schweinfurthii | Unknown |
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 reported for Zemongo Faunal Reserve
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Geological events | Absent | |||
| 12 Other threat | Absent | |||
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | High (more than 70% of population affected) | Intense hunting in the buffer zone of the reserve (Varty 2005). | Ongoing (2005) |
| 1 Residential & commercial development | Unknown | |||
| 2 Agriculture & aquaculture | Unknown | |||
| 3 Energy production & mining | Unknown | |||
| 4 Transportation & service corridors | Unknown | |||
| 6 Human intrusions & disturbance | Unknown | |||
| 7 Natural system modifications | Unknown | |||
| 8 Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Unknown | |||
| 9 Pollution | Unknown | |||
| 11 Climate change & severe weather | Unknown |
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).
Challenges
Table 5. Challenges reported for Zemongo Faunal Reserve
| Challenges | Specific challenges | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not reported |
Enablers
Table 6. Enablers reported for Zemongo Faunal 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
Documented behaviours
Table 7. Behaviours documented for Zemongo Faunal Reserve
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
Exposure to climate change impacts
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.
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