Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve

West Africa > Republic of Guinea > Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve

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Summary

• Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) are present in Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve.
• It has been estimated that more than 160 individuals occur in the reserve.
• The chimpanzee population trend is unknown.
• This site has a total size of 125 km².
• Key threats to chimpanzees are iron ore mining and poaching.
• Conservation activities have focused on improving tri-national coordination and capacity building for local communities.
• The Nimba mountains are exceptional in their diversity of fauna and flora with a high rate of endemism. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981 and listed as World Heritage in Danger since 1992. It is also recognized as an Important Bird Area.

Site characteristics

Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve is located in the Nimba mountains at the tri-national border of Guinea, Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire. It was designated a Strict Nature Reserve in 1944 (IUCN Category Ia) and is transboundary with Mount Nimba Integral Reserve (Côte d’Ivoire) and East Nimba Nature Reserve (Liberia, UNEP-WCMC and IUCN 2018).

Unlike other protected areas in Guinea, Nimba was managed by the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle (Paris) and the Institut Français d’Afrique Noire (Dakar) after its creation (Brugière & Kormos 2009, Garnier & Martinez 2011). Consequently, the site as a long history of scientific studies (Garnier & Martinez 2011). The reserve is now managed by the Centre for the Management of the Environment of Mount Nimba-Simandou (‘Centre National de Gestion de l’Environnement des Monts Nimba et Simandou‘, CEGENS) under the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests and Sustainable Development, and fulfills administrative as well as scientific responsibilities (UNESCO 2018a).

The Nimba mountains are a chain of mountains stretching across 40 km with the highest peak being Mount Nimba with 1,752m (Kormos & Boesch 2003). The area is characterized by a high plant and animal diversity and a high rate of endemism. The terrain is steep and the source if several rivers (Granier 2008). The habitat is moist forest up to 1,000 m altitude, but also includes grassland and wooded savanna (UNESCO 2018a). Due to strong seasonality and the abrupt change in altitude a variety of microclimates exist contributing to the high biodiversity (UNESCO 2018a). The most well-known endemic species are the Micropotamogale of Mount Nimba (Micropotamogale lamottei, a shrew), the viviparous toad of Mount Nimba (Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis) (UNESCO 2018a). In total, more than 317 vertebrate species, including 107 mammal species, more than 2,500 invertebrate species, and 2,000 plant species have been described (UNESCO 2018).

Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981 and the only one in Guinea (UNESCO 2018). It covers both Guinea (125.4 km²) and Côte d’Ivoire (50 km²). However, due to the threat of iron mining and the arrival of a large number of refugees from Liberia it has been listed as World Heritage in Danger since 1992 (UNESCO 2018a).

Since 1980 the Guinean part of the Nimba mountains is also part of the Mont Nimba Biosphere Reserve that also includes Déré forest and Bossou hills (UNESCO 2011).

Even though the avifauna is not well studied in the Guinean part of the Nimba mountains, its diversity is assumed to be similar to the Liberian part of the mountain range, and the area is consequently recognized as an Important Bird Area (BirdLife International 2018a).

The long-term chimpanzee research site Bossou is less than 10 km to the west of Nimba Mountains and therefore the reserve area has been studied by chimpanzee researcher since the 1990’s.

Table 1: Basic site information for Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve

Area:	125 km²
Designation:	Strict Nature Reserve
Habitat types:	Subtropical/tropical moist montane forest, subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest, dry savanna, permanent rivers

IUCN habitat categories Site designations

Ape status

Surveys in different parts of the Nimba mountains confirmed the presence of western chimpanzees (Sugiyama 1995, Shimada 2001). From the beginning these surveys were also aimed to study chimpanzee behavior, such as nesting behavior and tool-use behavior (details below). In the Regional Conservation Action Plan for western chimpanzees in 2003 the Nimba mountains were identified as an ‘Exceptionally Important Priority Area’ (Kormos & Boesch 2003). Detailed surveys on chimpanzee density distribution were conducted by Nicolas Granier during multiple surveys after 2006 that focused on the eastern part of the protected area and the southern slope of Mount Nimba (Granier 2011, Granier et al. 2014). A transect survey conducted by the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation estimated the chimpanzee population in the reserve at around 166 individuals (WCF 2012).

Table 2: Great ape population estimates in Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve

Species	Year	Abundance estimate (95% Confidence Intervall)	Density estimate (per km²)	Encounter rate	Area	Method	Source	Comments	A.P.E.S. database ID
Western chimpanzee	1991			present	north of Goera	reconnaissance survey	Sugiyama 1995
Western chimpanzee	1999			present	north east of Seringbara village	reconnaissance survey	Shimada 2000
Western chimpanzee	1999			present	north of Goera	reconnaissance survey	Shimada 2000
Western chimpanzee	2006-2008			1.14 chimpanzee signs/km	eastern part of the reserve	combination of transect, reconnaissance and scouting surveys	Granier 2011	total survey effort: 350 km
Western chimpanzee	2009-2011	8-39 individuals	0.46 chimpanzee/km²		southern slope of Nimba mountains [covered Guinean section (10 km²) and Côte d’Ivoirian section (50 km²)]	combination of transect and reconnaissance surveys, DISTANCE analysis	Granier et al. 2014	total survey effort: 78.21 km; abundance and density estimate only based on transects (i.e., 12.5 km)
Western chimpanzee	2009	166 individuals	1.33 individuals/km²	6.58 nests/km	Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (i.e., Guinean part of Nimba mountains)	transect survey, DISTANCE analysis	WCF 2012	total survey effort: 59.4 km

Threats

Since 1992 Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve is listed as a ‘World Heritage in Danger’ because of plans to mine iron ore inside the reserve and an increase in anthropogenic pressure due to the arrival of refugees from Liberia (UNESCO 2018). Insufficient institutional structure was also reported as a threat (UNESCO 2018). As a result the boundary of the reserve were changed by the World Heritage Committee in 1993 and 15.5 km² were degazetted so that mining operations could take place (Brugière & Kormos 2009). Population density is high in the area around the reserve, also as consequence of mining activities in the Nimba Mountains. Consequently, poaching, wood extraction, land conversion to agriculture and cattle grazing using fires, and harvesting of medicinal plants is very prevalent across the area (Shimada 2000, WCF 2012, BirdLife International 2018b, UNESCO 2018a). In a nation-wide survey across 12 sites in Guinea, the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation concluded that Nimba was the most threatened site with 3.94 signs of human activity per km (WCF 2012). The most prevalent threat was poaching (2.74 signs/km), followed by agriculture, and wood extraction (WCF 2012). Agricultural activities have been on-going for decades especially in the northern part close to Seringbara and around Thuo towards the Liberian border (WCF 2012). According to the World Heritage Centre, the Guinean government arranged for all mining operations to halt in the reserve and that mining permits had been withdrawn (UNESCO 2018b). However, the World Heritage Center concluded that provided information was ambiguous, and that Environmental and Social Impact Assessments had not yet been implemented by mining companies or did not confirm to international standards (UNESCO 2018b). In addition, there are plans to tarmac a road from Lola (Guinea) to Danané (Côte d’Ivoire) that would pass by Mount Nimba and likely negatively impact biodiversity due to pollution, increased poaching and illegal logging (UNESCO 2018b).

Table 3: Threats to great apes in Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve

Category	Specific threats	Threat level	Description	Year of threat
1. Residential & commercial development		absent
2. Agriculture & aquaculture	2.1. Annual & Perennial Non-Timber Crops	medium	agricultural activities especially in the northern part around Seringbara and towards the border with Liberia [17]	on-going
	2.3. Livestock Farming & Ranching	present	present [16], level of threat not known	on-going
3. Energy production & mining	3.2. Mining & quarrying	present	exploration for iron ore, activities seem to have ceased, but current threat level not clear [16]	unknown
4. Transportation & service corridors	4.1. Roads & railroads	present	tarmacking of a road passing by the reserve in planning and would reinforce anthropogenic pressures such as poaching and illegal wood extraction [16]	in planning
5. Biological resource use	5.1.Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals	high	most prevalent sign of human activity inside the reserve [17, also confirmed by 2, 11, 16]	on-going
	5.2. Gathering terrestrial plants	medium	collection of medicinal plants [2]	on-going
	5.3. Logging & wood harvesting	medium	wood extraction [17]	on-going
6. Human intrusion & disturbance		absent
7. Natural system modifications	7.1. Fire & Fire suppression	medium	fires used to clear land for agricultural and cattle grazing [16]	on-going
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

Threats list

Conservation activities

The governmental unit responsible for the administration of the reserve is the Centre for the Management of the Environment of Mount Nimba-Simandou (CEGENS) under the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests and Sustainable Development, and fulfills administrative as well as scientific responsibilities (UNESCO 2018a).

The project ‘Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests and Sustainable Development’ by Fauna & Flora International and funded by the Darwin Initiative established a transboundary biodiversity governance platform with the aim to compile data, build capacity and improve stakeholder collaboration (2009 -20012, Darwin Nimba Project). The project also received follow-up funding from USAID, but whether it is still operational as of 2018 is not clear. Activities included stakeholder consultation, capacity building through workshops and data compilation (Darwin Nimba Project).

The nine-month project ‘Strengthening capacity of local communities to sustainably manage Mount Nimba’s natural resources’ headed by BirdLife International and financed by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund’s (CEPF) was implemented by the ‘Initiative de Base pour la Gestion des Ressources Naturelles’ (IBGRN) until February 2018 (BirdLife International 2018b). The project established community groups, youth-led or women-led, and also two networks of traditional healers and hunters, and the groups also received legal status. Implemented activities included workshops and trainings in “micro-projects, internal governance, financial management, marketing, advocacy and communication” (BirdLife International 2018b). In addition, group members were trained in gardening and farming practices, and use of fuel efficient stoves with the aim to reduce reliance on natural resources from the protected area (BirdLife International 2018b).

Table 4: Conservation activities in Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve

Category	Specific activity	Description	Year of activity
1. Residential & commercial development	absent
2. Agriculture & aquaculture	2.11. Farm more intensively and effectively in selected areas and spare more natural land	communities received training on improved farming practices [2]	2017 - 2018
3. Energy production & mining	absent
4. Transportation & service corridors	absent
5. Biological resource use	5.17. Provide sustainable alternative livelihoods; establish fish- or domestic meat farms	communities received training in financial, marketing and advocacy matters and in farming practices to decrease their reliance of natural resources from the protected area [2]	2017 - 2018
6. Human intrusion & disturbance	absent
7. Natural system modifications	absent
8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases	absent
9. Pollution	absent
10. Education & Awareness	absent
11. Habitat Protection	11.2. Legally protect primate habitat	designated a Strict Nature Reserve in 1944 [13]	since 1944
12. Species Management	absent
13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives	absent

Conservation activities list

Impediments

Lack of transboundary cooperation as well as lack of technical, financial and human resources were mentioned as impediments to effective protection of the reserve (Granier and Martinez 2011, UNESCO 2018a, UNESCO 2018b).

Impediments list

Research activities

As reviewed in Granier & Martinez (2011) the Nimba mountains have been the focus of research for several decades. In the 1940’s a research station was established in Ziéla to the North of the Nimba mountains and researchers including Maxime Lamotte, Roger Roy, and other scientists from the Institut Français d’Afrique Noire in Dakar, conducted studies on the fauna and flora, but also on climate and geology (Granier & Martinez 2011). In the context of the recognition of Nimba as a World Heritage Site several missions have been conducted by UNESCO (UNESCO 2018b). Many other organization conducted research here, for example on the Nimba toad (Hillers et al. 2008, Sandberger-Loua et al. 2016). Studies targeted at chimpanzees in the Mount Nimba Strict Nature reserve, also investigated chimpanzee behavior, such as tool-use (Sugiyama 1995, Shimada 2000), but also habitat use and nesting behavior (Granier et al. 2014).

Documented behaviours

• traces of ant-catching with a wooden ‘wand’ (i.e., stem) found (Sugiyama 1995)
• ant-dipping sites in eastern part of the reserve (Granier 2011)

Relevant datasets

A.P.E.S Portal

References

[1] BirdLife International (2018a) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Monts Nimba (part of Mount Nimba transboundary AZE). Online: www.birdlife.org
[2] BirdLife International (2018b) Fighting rural poverty: community empowered to conserve Guinean mountain reserve. Online: www.birdlife.org/news
[3] Brugiere, 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
[4] Granier, N. (2008) Ecological study and conservation of chimpanzees Pan troglodytes verus in the Nimba Mountain Biosphere Reserve, Republic of Guinea. Report to the Section on Great Apes of the IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group and Conservation International
[5] Granier, N. (2011) Chimpanzees in the Eastern Part of the Nimba Mountains Biosphere Reserve: Gouéla II and Déré Forest, In: Matsuzawa, T. et al. (eds.) The Chimpanzees of Bossou and Nimba. Springer, Tokyo, Japan.
[6] Granier, N., Hambuckers, A., Matsuzawa, T. and Huynen, M.-C. (2014) Density Estimates and Nesting‐Site Selection in Chimpanzees of the Nimba Mountains, Côte d’Ivoire, and Guinea. American Journal of Primatology 76: 999–1010
[7] Granier, N. and Martinez, L. (2011) Conservation Issues in the Nimba Mountains, In: Matsuzawa, T. et al. (eds.) The Chimpanzees of Bossou and Nimba. Springer, Tokyo, Japan.
[8] Hillers, A., Loua, N.-S., Rödel, M.-O. (2008) Assessment of the distribution and conservation status of the viviparous toad Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis on Monts Nimba, Guinea. Endangered Species Research, 5: 13–19.
[9] Kormos, R. & Boesch, C. (2003) Regional Action Plan for the Conservation of Chimpanzees in West Africa. IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group and Conservation International, Washington DC.
[10] Sandberger-Loua, L., Doumbia, J., and Rödel, M.-O. (2016) Conserving the unique to save the diverse — Identifying key environmental determinants for the persistence of the viviparous Nimba toad in a West African World Heritage Site, Biological Conservation 198: 15-21
[11] Shimada, M. (2000) A survey of the Nimba Mountains, West Africa from three routes: confirmed new habitat and ant catching wand use of chimpanzees. Pan Africa News, 7, 7–10.
[12] Sugiyama, Y. (1995) Tool-use for catching ants by chimpanzees at Bossou and Monts Nimba, West Africa. Primates 36: 193-205.
[13] UNEP-WCMC and IUCN (2018) Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), Cambridge, UK: UNEP-WCMC and IUCN Online: www.protectedplanet.net
[14] UNESCO MAB (2011) UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve Directory. Haut Niger. Online: / www.unesco.org
[15] UNESCO (2018a) Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve. Online: whc.unesco.org
[16] UNESCO (2018b) State of Conservation - Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve. Online: whc.unesco.org/soc
[17] 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: A.P.E.S. Wiki Team Date: 20/12/2018