Ziama Biosphere Reserve
West Africa > Republic of Guinea > Ziama Biosphere Reserve
Summary
- Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) are present in Ziama Biosphere Reserve.
- It has been estimated that less than 20 chimpanzees occur at the site.
- The chimpanzee population trend is stable.
- This site has a total size of 1,162 km².
- Key threats to chimpanzees are hunting, agricultural activities, roads and deforestation.
- The following conservation activities are ongoing: law enforcement, bio-monitoring and reducing illegal agricultural activities.
- Ziama Biosphere Reserve has the last population of forest elephants in Guinea.
Site characteristics
Ziama Biosphere Reserve (also called Massif du Ziama, Ziama Classified Forest) is located in southern Guinea and is contiguous with Wonegizi Nature Reserve in Liberia (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN 2018). It is designated a Classified Forest (IUCN category not reported, UNEP-WCMC and IUCN 2018) and is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1980 (UNESCO MAB 2007). The forest is located in Guinée forestière, one of four Guinean natural regions, and is part of the region N'Zérékoré. Ziama massif is part of the Guinea Highlands and the altitude of the area ranges from 500 to 1,387 m (UNESCO MAB 2007). Due to its diverse topographic features, including mountains, valleys and plateaus, Ziama forest features different habitat types: primary mountain forests, secondary mountain forests, and secondary lowland forest, swamps and savannas (UNESCO MAB 2007). The terrain is very rugged and annual rainfall ranges from 1,700 to 2,000 mm (BirdLife International 2018). In a conservation priority setting workshop in 2001, Ziama forest was identified as one of the most important areas for biodiversity conservation between Guinea and Togo (Bakarr et al. 2001). One of its most notable features is that its forest elephant (Loxodonta africana) population is the last population in Guinea ([forestelephants.org/phase-two-ziama/ AFEF 2017]). With its 287 bird species, Ziama is also an Important Bird Area (BirdLife International 2018). Furthermore, it harbors 31 bat species, 54 reptile species, 30 amphibian species as well as more than 1,300 plant species (WCF 2012). Together with Diéké Classified Forest, Ziama Biosphere Reserve is one of the last remaining large forest blocks in southern Guinea. Ziama forest has a total size of 1,161.70 km² and is divided into three management areas: a core area of 425.4 km², a buffer zone of 272.3 km², and a transition area of 463.9 km² (Brugiere & Kormos 2009). It is about 40 km from the town of Macenta (BirdLife International 2018), and 100 km from the city of N’Zérékoré (UNESCO MAB 2007). According to a survey from 1980, around 29,000 people live within the biosphere reserve (UNESCO MAB 2007). There is also a forestry concession of 300 km² in the transition zone with a forestry station and chipboard production (UNESCO MAB 2007), as well as a palm grove (WCF 2012).
Table 1. Basic site information for Ziama Biosphere Reserve
| Area | 1,162 km² |
| Coordinates | 8.28, -9.34 |
| Designation | Classified Forest (IUCN Management Category not reported) |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical moist montane forest, subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest, dry savanna, swamps, arable land |
IUCN habitat categories Site designations
Ape status
Based on a nation-wide questionnaire survey, the presence of western chimpanzees was confirmed by Sugiyama & Soumah (1988). In a nationwide survey Rebecca Kormos identified Ziama Biosphere Reserve as the second most important priority area for western chimpanzee conservation in Guinea due to high chimpanzee densities encountered during reconnaissance surveys (Ham 1998). However, a recent nationwide survey by the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation found very low densities of chimpanzee signs and was therefore not able to estimate total chimpanzee abundance (WCF 2012). WCF concluded that less than 20 individuals remain and are restricted to high altitude areas that are unsuitable for agriculture (2012).
Table 2. Ape population estimates in Ziama Biosphere 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 verus | 1988 | 50 | Ziama forest | Interview method | Sugiyama & Soumah 1988 | Questionnaire survey | |||
| Pan troglodytes verus | 1997 | Present | Ziama forest | Index survey | Ham 1998 | Reconnaissance survey | |||
| Pan troglodytes verus | 2012 | 20 | 0.04 | Ziama forest | Line transects (Distance) | WCF 2012 | Total survey effort: 157 km, encounter rate was too low to estimate total abundance, the value given is an approximation | ||
| Pan troglodytes verus | 2016 | Ziama forest | Index survey (reconnaissance walk) | FFI |
Threats
Ziama forest was shown to have a high prevalence of anthropogenic pressures (WCF 2012). Already in the 1990s hunting was recognized as a major threat to chimpanzees (Ham 1998) and during their recent survey of the area WCF also found a very high density of hunting signs (WCF 2012). A survey by FFI in 2016 revealed that illegal agricultural activities in wetlands, i.e., bas-fonds farming, led to large-scale forest fragmentation (FFI 2018). Threats are especially prevalent along the northern forest border where several villages and roads can be found (WCF 2012). This is also where a major road connecting the urban centres of Macenta and N’Zérékoré passes through, resulting in high rates of deforestation and hunting in the two northern forest enclaves (WCF 2012). The two southern forest enclaves close to the border with Liberia had been the scene of territorial conflicts during the war in Liberia, which led to the serious degradation of the forest (WCF 2012).
Table 3. Threats to great apes in Ziama Biosphere Reserve
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Quantified severity | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | 1.1 Housing & urban areas | Medium | Recent expansion of village settlements (WCF 2012) | After 2005 | |
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops | High | 0.35 signs of agriculture/km (55 signs of agriculture, survey effort: 156.561 km, WCF 2012). 1011 ha of wetlands occupied in the buffer zone for agricultural purposes (rice mainly) in 2016 (Estela, N. pers. Comm. 2022). | Illegal agriculture across large areas of the forest (WCF 2012), especially bas-fonds farming in wetlands (FFI 2018). | Ongoing (2022) |
| 3. Energy production & mining | Absent | ||||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | 4.1 Roads & railroads | Medium | 1.51 roads/km (237 roads, survey effort: 156.561 km, WCF 2012) | Recent extension of roads around villages in the North (WCF 2012). National road crosses the PA, as well as roads that connect enclaves to the national road (Estela, N. pers. Comm. 2022). | Ongoing (2022) |
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | High | 1.90 signs of hunting/km (298 signs of hunting, survey effort: 156.561 km, WCF 2012); 0.28 traps/km and 0.13 12-gauge cases/km in 2021 ranger-based monitoring (Estela, N. pers. Comm. 2022). | Hunting consistently mentioned as a major threat (Ham 1998, WCF 2012) | Ongoing (2022) |
| 5.3 Logging & wood harvesting | Medium | 0.14 signs of wood extraction/km (22 signs of wood extraction, survey effort: 156.561 km, WCF 2012) | Deforestation especially prevent in the North [10], territorial conflict during the Liberian war resulted in forest degradation in the South (WCF 2012) | Ongoing (2012) | |
| 5.4 Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Low | 0.02 signs of fishing/km (3 signs of hunting, survey effort: 156.561 km, WCF 2012) | Signs of fishing (WCF 2012) | Ongoing (2012) | |
| 6. Human intrusions & disturbance | Absent | ||||
| 7. Natural system modifications | Absent | ||||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Unknown | ||||
| 9. Pollution | 9.3 Agricultural & forestry effluents | Present, but threat severity unknown | Use of herbicides and pesticides in the wetlands under agriculture in the buffer zone (Estela, N. pers. Comm. 2022). | Ongoing (2022) | |
| 10. Geological Events | Absent | ||||
| 11. Climate change & severe weather | Unknown | ||||
| 12. Other options | Absent |
Conservation activities
The Centre Forestier de N'Zérékore, attached to the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, is the management authority of Ziama MAB. Partners like UNOPS and Fauna & Flora International have been supporting CFZ to develop baseline for the protected area, the management plan and the implementation of management activities since 2016 (Estela, N. pers. Comm. 2022). In the 1990’s the forest was divided into three land-use zones, the outer two allowing for different degrees of human activities, while the core of the forest was designated an ‘integrally protected area’ (METT 2009). From 1994 until 2008 the work of the park authorities was financially supported by the World Bank and the KfW as part of the PROGERFOR project (METT 20019). Since 2009 Fauna & Flora International (FFI) supports the work of park authorities as part of the FFI transboundary project with Wonegizi proposed protected area in Liberia. Specifically FFI supports law enforcement and biomonitoring, and works with farmers to encourage a transition from bas-fonds agriculture in wetlands to using land close to the villages and outside of the forest. FFI also started developing a management plan (FFI 2018). The African Forest Elephant Foundation (AFEF) is fundraising for better equipment for rangers from forest authorities that are protecting forest elephants (AFEF 2017).
Table 4. Conservation activities in Ziama Biosphere Reserve
| 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 | FFI works with local farmers to encourage them to use land around villages and outside of the forest for farming instead wetlands (FFI 2018) | Ongoing (2018) |
| 3. Energy production & mining | Not reported | ||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Not reported | ||
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.6. Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols | The Centre Forestière de N’Zérékoré conducts anti-poaching patrols and is supported by FFI (FFI 2018) | Ongoing (2018) |
| 5.9. Regularly de-activate/remove ground snares | Biomonitoring and anti-poaching patrols by rangers of the Centre Forestier de N'Zérékoré's, the management authority (Estela, N. pers. Comm. 2022). | Ongoing (2022) | |
| 5.10. Provide better equipment (e.g. guns) to anti-poaching ranger patrols | AFEF is fundraising to provide rangers with boots (AFEF 2017) | Ongoing (2017) | |
| 5.11. Provide training to anti-poaching ranger patrols | Training on SMART, GPS use, prosecution processes, social safeguards (Estela, N. pers. Comm. 2022). | Ongoing (2022) | |
| 5.15. Implement monitoring surveillance strategies (e.g. SMART) or use monitoring data to improve effectiveness of wildlife law enforcement patrols | CFZ in Ziama has a SMART database and produces monthly reports to improve the effectiveness of the law enforcement since 2019 (Estela, N. pers. Comm. 2022). | Ongoing (2022) | |
| 5.16. Implement community control of patrolling, banning hunting and removing snares | Community auxiliaries take part of the reconnaissance patrols with CFZ rangers and report back to the community about the findings (Estela, N. pers. Comm. 2022). | Ongoing (2022) | |
| 5.17. Provide sustainable alternative livelihoods; establish fish- or domestic meat farms | Developing an environmental feasibility study on fish farming (Estela, N. pers. Comm. 2022). | Ongoing (2022) | |
| 6. Human intrusions & disturbance | 6.3. Restrict number of people that are allowed access to site | Core zones are restricted, only CFZ rangers or researchers can access. The buffer zone allows some activities that will be regulated by co-management as stated in the Management Plan (Estela, N. pers. Comm. 2022). | Ongoing (2022) |
| 7. Natural system modifications | Not reported | ||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Not reported | ||
| 9. Pollution | Not reported | ||
| 10. Education & Awareness | 10.3. Install billboards to raise primate conservation awareness | Billboards of protected species in the main villages of Ziama (Estela, N. pers. Comm. 2022). | Ongoing (2022) |
| 11. Habitat Protection | 11.1. Create buffer zones around protected primate habitat | Forest was divided into three land-use zones, with the core of the forest being designated as an ‘integrally protected area’ (METT 2009) | Unknown (2009) |
| 11.2. Legally protect primate habitat | Designated as Classified Forest (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN 2018) | Unknown (2018) | |
| 11.6. Demarcate and enforce boundaries of protected areas | CFZ rangers and communities are currently defining the limits of the PA, given they were not clear on the ground, and it created conflicts between rangers and people from communities (Estela, N. pers. Comm. 2022). | Ongoing (2022) | |
| 11.8. Plant indigenous trees to re-establish natural tree communities in clear-cut areas | Replanting activities by park authorities (METT 2009) | Until 2008 | |
| 12. Species Management | Not reported | ||
| 13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives | 13.5. Permanent presence of staff/manager | About 50 CFZ rangers based in Ziama and 10 FFI staff focused on supporting the effective management of the PA (Estela, N. pers. Comm. 2022). | Ongoing (2022) |
Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)
Challenges
Table 5. Challenges reported for Ziama Biosphere Reserve
| Challenge | Source |
|---|---|
| Lack of capacity/training | METT 2009 |
| Lack of financial means | METT 2009 |
| Lack of technical means | METT 2009 |
| Lack of government support | |
| Corruption |
Research activities
From 1996 to 1997 Rebecca Kormos (née Ham) did a nationwide survey on chimpanzees across Guinea (Ham 1998), and identified Ziama Biosphere Reserve as a priority site. To inform the extension of the protected area network Brugière and Kormos (2009) identified 16 Key Biodiversity Areas across Guinea based on the occurrence of globally threatened large and medium-sized mammals, among which Ziama Classified Forest ranked first. The Wild Chimpanzee Foundation did a nationwide inventory of chimpanzee populations in Guinea between 2009 and 2011. The WCF monitoring team covered a total of 10 sites, including Ziama Biosphere Reserve, using transect surveys (WCF 2012). In 2016 FFI conducted a biomonitoring and threat monitoring study in Ziama (FFI 2018).
Documented behaviours
Table 6. Great ape behaviors reported for Ziama Biosphere Reserve
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
References
AFEF. 2017. African Forest Elephant Foundation. Phase Two – Ziama (Guinea). Online: [forestelephants.org/phase-two-ziama/ forestelephants.org]
Bakarr M et al. 2001. in IUCN 2008. From forest to the sea: biodiversity connections from Guinea to Togo. Conservation priority setting workshop. Washington D.C., USA: Conservation International
BirdLife International. 2018. Important Bird Areas factsheet: Massif du Ziama. Online: www.birdlife.org
Brugière D, Kormos R. 2009. Review of the protected area network in Guinea, West Africa, and recommendations for new sites for biodiversity conservation, Biodiversity and Conservation, 18:847
FFI. 2018. Fauna & Flora International . Supporting effective management of Ziama Man and Biosphere Reserve. Online: [www.fauna-flora.org/projects/supporting-effective-management-ziama-man-biosphere-reserve www.fauna-flora.org]
Ham R. 1998. Nationwide chimpanzee census and large mammal survey Republic of Guinea
METT. 2009. Management Effectiveness Evaluations – Forêt Classée de Ziama. Online: papaco.org
Sugiyama Y, Soumah AG. 1988. Preliminary Survey of the Distribution and Population of Chimpanzees in the Republic of Guinea. Primates, 29(4):569-574
UNEP-WCMC, IUCN. 2018. Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), Cambridge, UK: UNEP-WCMC and IUCN Online: www.protectedplanet.net
UNESCO MAB. 2007. UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve Directory. Massif du Ziama. Online: [www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?mode=all&code=GUI+02 www.unesco.org]
WCF. 2012. Etat de la faune et des menaces dans les aires protégées terrestres et principales zones de forte biodiversité de Rep. de Guinée. Report. Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Sangaredi, Republic of Guinea. Online: www.wildchimps.org
Page completed by: Neus Estela & A.P.E.S. Wiki Team Date: 23/01/23