Difference between revisions of "Sapo National Park"
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rather than several keywords such as "Industrial mining", "Large-scale mining", and "Mining". | rather than several keywords such as "Industrial mining", "Large-scale mining", and "Mining". | ||
--> | --> | ||
− | > [[West Africa]] > [[Liberia]] > [[Sapo National Park]] | + | > please add information to this site! |
+ | [[West Africa]] > [[Liberia]] > [[Sapo National Park]] | ||
= Summary = <!-- An overview of the site, with a one sentence overview of each of the following sections. can include a site map --> | = Summary = <!-- An overview of the site, with a one sentence overview of each of the following sections. can include a site map --> | ||
− | * Western chimpanzees (''Pan troglodytes verus'') are present in Sapo National Park. | + | * Western chimpanzees ([https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/15935/17989872 ''Pan troglodytes verus'']) are present in Sapo National Park. |
− | * | + | * It has been estimated that 1,055 (CI: 595-1,870) individuals occur in the site. |
* The chimpanzee population trend is stable. | * The chimpanzee population trend is stable. | ||
− | * | + | * This site has a total size of 1,804 km². |
− | * Key threats to chimpanzees are poaching and illegal mining. | + | * Key threats to chimpanzees are poaching and illegal mining. |
− | * Conservation activities have focused on long-term bio-monitoring and law enforcement. | + | * Conservation activities have focused on long-term bio-monitoring and law enforcement. |
− | * Sapo National Park is Liberia's first protected area, established in 1983. | + | * Sapo National Park is Liberia's first protected area, established in 1983. |
= Site characteristics = <!-- A paragraph summary of physical and geographic aspects of the site, and a table of key information --> | = Site characteristics = <!-- A paragraph summary of physical and geographic aspects of the site, and a table of key information --> | ||
− | Located in southeastern Liberia | + | Located in southeastern Liberia, Sapo National Park is Liberia's first protected area and represents one of the most intact forest ecosystems of the country (Tweh et al. 2018). The area of the park was extended from 1,304 km² to 1,804 km² in 2003 (Tweh et al. 2018). The park forms part of the Upper Guinean Forest ecosystem, and contains high levels of biodiversity (N'Goran et al. 2010). In addition to the western chimpanzee, other endangered and vulnerable species inhabit the site, including forest elephants (''Loxodonta africana''), pygmy hippopotamus (''Hexaprotodon liberiensis''), Jentink’s duiker (''Cephalophus jentinki''), red colobus (''Piliocolobus badius''), and Diana monkeys (''Cercopithecus diana diana'') (N'Goran 2010). |
− | The park forms part of the Upper Guinean Forest ecosystem, and contains high levels of biodiversity (N'Goran et al. 2010). In addition to the | ||
− | |||
'''Table 1: Basic site information for Sapo National Park''' | '''Table 1: Basic site information for Sapo National Park''' | ||
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="basic-information" | {| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="basic-information" | ||
− | | Area | + | | Area <!-- Please include units: km2/ha e.g 200ha --> |
− | | | + | |1804 km² |
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | | Coordinates |
− | + | |5.413351 N, -8.488294 W | |
|- | |- | ||
− | |Habitat types | + | | Designation <!-- National Park, Nature Reserve, etc. --> |
− | |Subtropical/ | + | |National Park |
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Habitat types <!-- List IUCN Habitat Classification 3.0 categories present (Without number), see link below --> | ||
+ | |Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland Forest | ||
|} | |} | ||
[http://www.unitar.org/hiroshima/sites/unitar.org.hiroshima/files/Annex%201%20-%20IUCN%20Classification%20Schemes.pdf IUCN habitat categories] [[Site designations]] | [http://www.unitar.org/hiroshima/sites/unitar.org.hiroshima/files/Annex%201%20-%20IUCN%20Classification%20Schemes.pdf IUCN habitat categories] [[Site designations]] | ||
+ | <br> <br> | ||
= Ape status = <!-- a text overview of ape status (population sizes, trends etc), followed by a table of specific surveys and results --> | = Ape status = <!-- a text overview of ape status (population sizes, trends etc), followed by a table of specific surveys and results --> | ||
Line 48: | Line 51: | ||
! Species | ! Species | ||
! Year | ! Year | ||
− | ! Abundance estimate (95% | + | ! Abundance estimate (95% confidence interval) |
! Density estimate (per km²) | ! Density estimate (per km²) | ||
− | ! Encounter rate (nests | + | ! Encounter rate (nests/km) |
! Area | ! Area | ||
! Method | ! Method | ||
Line 57: | Line 60: | ||
! A.P.E.S. database ID | ! A.P.E.S. database ID | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | |''Pan troglodytes verus'' |
|1983 | |1983 | ||
− | | | + | |XXXX (abundance est.) |
|0.24 | |0.24 | ||
|present | |present | ||
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| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | |''Pan troglodytes verus'' |
|2002 | |2002 | ||
− | | | + | |XXXX (abundance est.) |
− | | | + | |XXXX (density est.) |
|present | |present | ||
|Sapo National Park | |Sapo National Park | ||
|transect survey | |transect survey | ||
|Waitkuwait 2003 | |Waitkuwait 2003 | ||
− | | | + | |assessment of Fauna & Flora International's bio-monitoring programme |
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | |''Pan troglodytes verus'' |
|2007-2009 | |2007-2009 | ||
− | | | + | |XXXX (abundance est.) |
− | | | + | |XXXX (density est.) |
|0.27 | |0.27 | ||
|Sapo National Park, excluding south east area | |Sapo National Park, excluding south east area | ||
− | |transect survey | + | |transect survey |
|Vogt 2011 | |Vogt 2011 | ||
|Fauna & Flora International bio-monitoring programme | |Fauna & Flora International bio-monitoring programme | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | |''Pan troglodytes verus'' |
|2009 | |2009 | ||
|1079 (713-1633) | |1079 (713-1633) | ||
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| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | |''Pan troglodytes verus'' |
|2016-2017 | |2016-2017 | ||
− | |1055 (595- | + | |1055 (595-1870) |
|0.83 | |0.83 | ||
− | | | + | |3.41 |
|Sapo National Park, excluding south east area | |Sapo National Park, excluding south east area | ||
|transect survey | |transect survey | ||
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| | | | ||
|} | |} | ||
+ | |||
= Threats = <!-- a text overview of threats, followed by a table of key threats --> | = Threats = <!-- a text overview of threats, followed by a table of key threats --> | ||
− | Sapo National Park has been primarily threatened by illegal hunting and mining (Tweh et al. 2018; Greengrass | + | Sapo National Park has been primarily threatened by illegal hunting and mining (Tweh et al. 2018; Greengrass 2015; N'Goran et al. 2010). An estimated 18,000 illegal miners were inhabiting the park in 2010, the majority of which was evicted by the government on the same year (Vogt 2011). A survey of two commercial hunting camps bordering the park revealed high hunting pressure in the area, and the majority of bushmeat harvested was destined to urban areas (Greengrass 2015). The carcasses documented during this survey included chimpanzees as well as other endangered and vulnerable species, such as the red colobus monkey, Diana monkey, and pygmy hippopotamus. Furthermore, the development of the road network around the park is expected to increase hunting pressure and facilitate the bushmeat trade (Greengrass 2015), as well as other illegal activities in the park. |
− | A survey of two commercial hunting camps bordering the park revealed high hunting pressure in the area, and the majority of bushmeat harvested was destined to urban areas (Greengrass | ||
− | Furthermore, the development of the road network around the park is expected to increase hunting pressure and facilitate the bushmeat trade (Greengrass | ||
'''Table 3: Threats to great apes in Sapo National Park''' | '''Table 3: Threats to great apes in Sapo National Park''' | ||
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!Specific threats <!-- For specific threats, please use list of comma separated keywords from the list linked below --> | !Specific threats <!-- For specific threats, please use list of comma separated keywords from the list linked below --> | ||
!Threat level <!-- For threat level, please use keywords: unknown, low, high --> | !Threat level <!-- For threat level, please use keywords: unknown, low, high --> | ||
+ | !Quantified severity <!-- e.g., encounter rate, number of miners etc. (with reference)--> | ||
!Description <!-- You can add descriptive information here --> | !Description <!-- You can add descriptive information here --> | ||
− | !Year of threat | + | !Year of threat <!-- if ongoing or unknown add year of reference in brackets--> |
|- | |- | ||
|1. Residential & commercial development | |1. Residential & commercial development | ||
− | |1.1 Housing & Urban Areas | + | |1.1 Housing & Urban Areas |
− | |high | + | |high |
− | |illegal settlement of miners | + | |18,000 settlers in 2010 |
− | | | + | |illegal settlement of miners (Vogt 2011) |
+ | |2010 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|2. Agriculture & aquaculture | |2. Agriculture & aquaculture | ||
|2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops | |2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops | ||
− | |present | + | |present |
− | |present as a result of illegal settlements; scale unknown | + | |XXXX (severity) |
− | |ongoing | + | |present as a result of illegal settlements; scale unknown (N’Goran et al. 2010) |
+ | |ongoing (2010) | ||
|- | |- | ||
|3. Energy production & mining | |3. Energy production & mining | ||
− | |3.2 Mining & quarrying | + | |3.2 Mining & quarrying |
|high | |high | ||
− | |illicit gold mining which has decreased since 2010 | + | |XXXX (severity) |
− | |ongoing | + | |illicit gold mining which has decreased since 2010 (Tweh et al. 2018); artisanal mining is still present (Junket per. comm. 2019) |
+ | |ongoing (2018, 2019) | ||
|- | |- | ||
|4. Transportation & service corridors | |4. Transportation & service corridors | ||
|4.1 Roads & railroads | |4.1 Roads & railroads | ||
|present | |present | ||
− | |development of the road network around the park facilitates illegal human activities in the park | + | |XXXX (severity) |
− | |ongoing | + | |development of the road network around the park facilitates illegal human activities in the park (Greengrass 2015) |
+ | |ongoing (2015) | ||
|- | |- | ||
|5. Biological resource use | |5. Biological resource use | ||
|5.1 Hunting & Collecting Terrestrial Animals | |5.1 Hunting & Collecting Terrestrial Animals | ||
− | |high | + | |high |
− | |poaching represents a major threat to chimpanzees and other species in the park | + | |hunting sign encounter rate: 1.7/km (Tweh et al. 2018) |
− | |ongoing | + | |poaching represents a major threat to chimpanzees and other species in the park (Tweh et al. 2018, N’Goran et al. 2010, Greengrass 2015), and most of the bushmeat is destined to urban areas (Greengrass 2015) |
+ | |ongoing (2010, 2015, 2018) | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | |6. Human | + | |6. Human intrusions & disturbance |
|6.2 War, civil unrest & military exercises | |6.2 War, civil unrest & military exercises | ||
− | |high | + | |high |
− | |two civil wars since the establishment of the park disrupted conservation activities, and led to illegal occupation of the park, as well as poaching and extraction of natural resources | + | |XXXX (severity) |
+ | |two civil wars since the establishment of the park disrupted conservation activities, and led to illegal occupation of the park, as well as poaching and extraction of natural resources (Greengrass 2015, Collen et al. 2011) | ||
|1989-1996, 1999-2003 | |1989-1996, 1999-2003 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|7. Natural system modifications | |7. Natural system modifications | ||
− | | | + | |unknown |
− | | | + | |XXXX (threat level) |
− | | | + | |XXXX (severity) |
− | | | + | |XXXX (description) |
+ | |XXXX (year) | ||
|- | |- | ||
|8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | |8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | ||
− | | | + | |unknown |
− | | | + | |XXXX (threat level) |
− | | | + | |XXXX (severity) |
− | | | + | |XXXX (description) |
+ | |XXXX (year) | ||
|- | |- | ||
|9. Pollution | |9. Pollution | ||
− | |||
|unknown | |unknown | ||
− | | | + | |XXXX (threat level) |
− | | | + | |XXXX (severity) |
+ | |XXXX (description) | ||
+ | |XXXX (year) | ||
|- | |- | ||
|10. Geological Events | |10. Geological Events | ||
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|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
− | [ | + | [[IUCN Threats list]] |
+ | |||
= Conservation activities = <!-- a text overview of conservation activities, followed by a table of key activities --> | = Conservation activities = <!-- a text overview of conservation activities, followed by a table of key activities --> | ||
− | The national park forms part of the Tai-Grebo-Sapo Forest Complex, which is a conservation priority in West Africa. Conservation efforts in Sapo National Park have mainly focused on law enforcement, conservation awareness, and bio-monitoring. The WCF has supported Community Watch Teams (CWT), which comprise members from surrounding communities, and | + | The national park forms part of the Tai-Grebo-Sapo Forest Complex, which is a conservation priority in West Africa. Conservation efforts in Sapo National Park have mainly focused on law enforcement, conservation awareness, and bio-monitoring. The WCF has supported Community Watch Teams (CWT), which comprise members from surrounding communities, and regularly patrol and support FDA rangers (WCF 2019). CWTs have played an important role in the eviction of illegal miners from the national park (WCF 2019). In 2012, Fauna & Flora International established a long-term bio-monitoring program to follow the population trends for chimpanzees, pygmy hippopotamuses, elephants, as well as duikers, birds, reptiles, and amphibians (Tweh et al. 2018). Together with Liberia's Forestry Development Authority, permanent transects are surveyed twice a year as part of this long-term bio-monitoring program (Tweh et al. 2018). |
− | |||
− | '''Table | + | '''Table 4: Conservation activities in Sapo National Park''' |
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="conservation-actions-table" | {| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="conservation-actions-table" | ||
!align="left"|Category <!-- Do not change threat categories --> | !align="left"|Category <!-- Do not change threat categories --> | ||
!Specific activity <!-- For specific threats, please use list of comma separated keywords from the list linked below --> | !Specific activity <!-- For specific threats, please use list of comma separated keywords from the list linked below --> | ||
!Description <!-- You can add descriptive information here --> | !Description <!-- You can add descriptive information here --> | ||
− | !Year of activity <!-- | + | !Year of activity <!-- if ongoing or unknown add year of reference in brackets --> |
|- | |- | ||
|1. Residential & commercial development | |1. Residential & commercial development | ||
− | | | + | |not reported |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (description) |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (year) |
|- | |- | ||
|2. Agriculture & aquaculture | |2. Agriculture & aquaculture | ||
− | | | + | |not reported |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (description) |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (year) |
|- | |- | ||
|3. Energy production & mining | |3. Energy production & mining | ||
− | | | + | |not reported |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (description) |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (year) |
|- | |- | ||
|4. Transportation & service corridors | |4. Transportation & service corridors | ||
− | | | + | |not reported |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (description) |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (year) |
|- | |- | ||
|5. Biological resource use | |5. Biological resource use | ||
− | |5.6. Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols | + | |5.6. Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols |
− | |Community Watch Teams supported by the WCF | + | |Community Watch Teams supported by the WCF regularly patrol the site (WCF 2019) |
− | |ongoing | + | |ongoing (2019) |
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |5.11. Provide training to anti-poaching ranger patrols | + | |5.11. Provide training to anti-poaching ranger patrols |
− | |Members of the Community Watch Teams are trained in the use of equipment (GPS, compass, camera) and patrolling | + | |Members of the Community Watch Teams are trained in the use of equipment (GPS, compass, camera) and patrolling (WCF 2019) |
− | |ongoing | + | |ongoing (2019) |
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |5. | + | |5.15. Implement monitoring surveillance strategies |
− | | | + | |long-term bio-monitoring of chimpanzee population (Tweh et al. 2018) |
− | + | |ongoing (2019) | |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |6. Human intrusions & disturbance | |
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |6. Human | ||
|6.7. Resettle illegal human communities (i.e. in a protected area) to another location | |6.7. Resettle illegal human communities (i.e. in a protected area) to another location | ||
− | |eviction of | + | |eviction of 18,000 illegal settlers in the park by the Liberia's government (Vogt 2011) |
|2010 | |2010 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|7. Natural system modifications | |7. Natural system modifications | ||
− | | | + | |not reported |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (description) |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (year) |
|- | |- | ||
|8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | |8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | ||
− | | | + | |not reported |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (description) |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (year) |
|- | |- | ||
|9. Pollution | |9. Pollution | ||
− | | | + | |not reported |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (description) |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (year) |
|- | |- | ||
|10. Education & Awareness | |10. Education & Awareness | ||
|10.2. Involve local community in primate research and conservation management | |10.2. Involve local community in primate research and conservation management | ||
− | |as part of a long-term bio-monitoring | + | |as part of a long-term bio-monitoring program, staff of Liberia’s Forestry Development Authority and members of the local community are involved in the surveys (Tweh et al. 2018) |
− | |ongoing | + | |ongoing (2018) |
|- | |- | ||
|11. Habitat Protection | |11. Habitat Protection | ||
|11.2. Legally protect primate habitat | |11.2. Legally protect primate habitat | ||
− | |the area is designated as National Park | + | |the area is designated as National Park (N’Goran et al. 2010) |
− | | | + | |ongoing (2010) |
|- | |- | ||
|12. Species Management | |12. Species Management | ||
− | | | + | |not reported |
| | | | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
|13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives | |13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives | ||
− | | | + | |not reported |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (description) |
− | | | + | |XXXXX (year) |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
− | [[Conservation activities list]] | + | [[Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)]] |
+ | |||
= Impediments = <!-- Overview of impediments to ape conservation --> | = Impediments = <!-- Overview of impediments to ape conservation --> | ||
− | + | '''Table 5: Impediments reported for Sapo National Park''' | |
− | + | {| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="impediments-table" | |
− | + | !align="left"|Impediment <!-- Do not change categories --> | |
− | + | !Source <!-- source for impediment mentioned --> | |
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Lack of law enforcement | ||
+ | |Greengrass 2015, N'Goran et al. 2010 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Lack of technical means | ||
+ | |Tweh et al. 2018 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Lack of logistical means | ||
+ | |Waitkuwait 2003 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |} | ||
− | = Research activities = <!-- Overview of research activities | + | = Research activities = <!-- Overview of research activities --> |
− | Several surveys have been done in the park to monitor the chimpanzee population (e.g., N'Goran et al. 2010, Tweh et al. 2018), assess the impacts of conservation interventions (Tweh et al. 2018), investigate the behavior and ecology of chimpanzees in the park (Anderson et al. 1983), and investigate the impact of hunting pressure in the area (Greengrass | + | Several surveys have been done in the park to monitor the chimpanzee population (e.g., N'Goran et al. 2010, Tweh et al. 2018), assess the impacts of conservation interventions (Tweh et al. 2018), investigate the behavior and ecology of chimpanzees in the park (Anderson et al. 1983), and investigate the impact of hunting pressure in the area (Greengrass 2015). |
− | ===Documented behaviours=== <!-- | + | ===Documented behaviours=== <!-- List of any behaviours observed at the site, including citations --> |
− | + | '''Table 6: Great ape behaviors reported for Sapo National Park''' | |
+ | {| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="behaviors-table" | ||
+ | !align="left"|Behavior <!-- Do not change categories --> | ||
+ | !Source <!-- source for behavior --> | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Nut cracking | ||
+ | |Anderson et al. 1983 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |} | ||
===Relevant datasets=== | ===Relevant datasets=== | ||
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= References = | = References = | ||
− | + | Tweh, C., Kouakou, C.Y., Chira, R., Freeman, B., Githaiga, J.M., Kerwillain, S., Molokwu-Odozi, M., Varney M. and Junker, J. 2018. Nest counts reveal a stable chimpanzee population in Sapo National Park, Liberia. Primate Conservation 2018 (32): 12 pp. | |
− | + | N’Goran, K. P., Kouakou, C.Y. and Herbinger I. 2010. Report on the Population Survey and Monitoring of Chimpanzee in Sapo National Park, Liberia (June–December 2009). Report. Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Abidjan, Côted’Ivoire. | |
− | + | Anderson, R., Williamson, E.A., and Carter, J. 1983. Chimpanzees of Sapo Forest, Liberia: density, nests, tools and meat-eating. PRIMAaXS, 24(4): 594-601. | |
− | + | Waitkuwait, W.E. 2003. Report on the First Year of Operation of a Community-based Bio-monitoring Programme in and around Sapo National Park, Sinoe County, Liberia. Report. Fauna and Flora International. | |
− | + | Vogt, M. 2011. Results of Sapo National Park Bio-Monitoring Programme 2007-2009. Report. Fauna & Flora International, Monrovia, Liberia. | |
− | + | Greengrass, E. 2015. Commercial hunting to supply urban markets threatens mammalian biodiversity in Sapo National Park. Oryx 50(3), 397–404. | |
− | + | Collen, B., Howard, B., Konie, J., Daniel, O., and Rist, J. 2011. Field surveys for the endangered pygmy hippopotamus Choerpsis liberiensis in Sapo National Park, Liberia. Oryx, 45(1), 35–37. | |
− | + | Wild Chimpanzee Foundation. 2019. Activities of the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation for improved conservation of chimpanzees and their habitat in West Africa. Annual Report 2018. | |
− | + | ||
− | |||
<br> | <br> | ||
− | '''Page completed by:''' A.P.E.S. Wiki Team '''Date:''' | + | '''Page completed by:''' A.P.E.S. Wiki Team '''Date:''' 30/08/2019 <!-- If you don't want to add your name, you can add "A.P.E.S. Wiki team" --> |
<br><br> | <br><br> |
Revision as of 03:41, 6 September 2019
> please add information to this site! West Africa > Liberia > Sapo National Park
Summary
- Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) are present in Sapo National Park.
- It has been estimated that 1,055 (CI: 595-1,870) individuals occur in the site.
- The chimpanzee population trend is stable.
- This site has a total size of 1,804 km².
- Key threats to chimpanzees are poaching and illegal mining.
- Conservation activities have focused on long-term bio-monitoring and law enforcement.
- Sapo National Park is Liberia's first protected area, established in 1983.
Site characteristics
Located in southeastern Liberia, Sapo National Park is Liberia's first protected area and represents one of the most intact forest ecosystems of the country (Tweh et al. 2018). The area of the park was extended from 1,304 km² to 1,804 km² in 2003 (Tweh et al. 2018). The park forms part of the Upper Guinean Forest ecosystem, and contains high levels of biodiversity (N'Goran et al. 2010). In addition to the western chimpanzee, other endangered and vulnerable species inhabit the site, including forest elephants (Loxodonta africana), pygmy hippopotamus (Hexaprotodon liberiensis), Jentink’s duiker (Cephalophus jentinki), red colobus (Piliocolobus badius), and Diana monkeys (Cercopithecus diana diana) (N'Goran 2010).
Table 1: Basic site information for Sapo National Park
Area | 1804 km² |
Coordinates | 5.413351 N, -8.488294 W |
Designation | National Park |
Habitat types | Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland Forest |
IUCN habitat categories Site designations
Ape status
A survey in 1982 (one year before the establishment of the park), confirmed the presence of chimpanzees in the Sapo forest (Anderson et al. 1983). Based on the estimates from two surveys, one in 2009 (N'Goran et al. 2010) and a second one in 2017 (Tweh et al. 2018), the chimpanzee population in the park has remained relatively stable, with an estimated abundance of approximately 1,055 individuals.
Table 2: Great ape population estimates in Sapo National Park
Species | Year | Abundance estimate (95% confidence interval) | Density estimate (per km²) | Encounter rate (nests/km) | Area | Method | Source | Comments | A.P.E.S. database ID |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pan troglodytes verus | 1983 | XXXX (abundance est.) | 0.24 | present | southeastern sector of the park (50 km²) | transect survey | Anderson et al. 1983 | total survey effort: 42.7 km | |
Pan troglodytes verus | 2002 | XXXX (abundance est.) | XXXX (density est.) | present | Sapo National Park | transect survey | Waitkuwait 2003 | assessment of Fauna & Flora International's bio-monitoring programme | |
Pan troglodytes verus | 2007-2009 | XXXX (abundance est.) | XXXX (density est.) | 0.27 | Sapo National Park, excluding south east area | transect survey | Vogt 2011 | Fauna & Flora International bio-monitoring programme | |
Pan troglodytes verus | 2009 | 1079 (713-1633) | 0.86 | 4.05 | Sapo National Park, excluding mining areas | transect survey | N'Goran et al. 2010 | ||
Pan troglodytes verus | 2016-2017 | 1055 (595-1870) | 0.83 | 3.41 | Sapo National Park, excluding south east area | transect survey | Tweh et al. 2018 | total survey effort: 38.38 km |
Threats
Sapo National Park has been primarily threatened by illegal hunting and mining (Tweh et al. 2018; Greengrass 2015; N'Goran et al. 2010). An estimated 18,000 illegal miners were inhabiting the park in 2010, the majority of which was evicted by the government on the same year (Vogt 2011). A survey of two commercial hunting camps bordering the park revealed high hunting pressure in the area, and the majority of bushmeat harvested was destined to urban areas (Greengrass 2015). The carcasses documented during this survey included chimpanzees as well as other endangered and vulnerable species, such as the red colobus monkey, Diana monkey, and pygmy hippopotamus. Furthermore, the development of the road network around the park is expected to increase hunting pressure and facilitate the bushmeat trade (Greengrass 2015), as well as other illegal activities in the park.
Table 3: Threats to great apes in Sapo National Park
Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Quantified severity | Description | Year of threat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Residential & commercial development | 1.1 Housing & Urban Areas | high | 18,000 settlers in 2010 | illegal settlement of miners (Vogt 2011) | 2010 |
2. Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops | present | XXXX (severity) | present as a result of illegal settlements; scale unknown (N’Goran et al. 2010) | ongoing (2010) |
3. Energy production & mining | 3.2 Mining & quarrying | high | XXXX (severity) | illicit gold mining which has decreased since 2010 (Tweh et al. 2018); artisanal mining is still present (Junket per. comm. 2019) | ongoing (2018, 2019) |
4. Transportation & service corridors | 4.1 Roads & railroads | present | XXXX (severity) | development of the road network around the park facilitates illegal human activities in the park (Greengrass 2015) | ongoing (2015) |
5. Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & Collecting Terrestrial Animals | high | hunting sign encounter rate: 1.7/km (Tweh et al. 2018) | poaching represents a major threat to chimpanzees and other species in the park (Tweh et al. 2018, N’Goran et al. 2010, Greengrass 2015), and most of the bushmeat is destined to urban areas (Greengrass 2015) | ongoing (2010, 2015, 2018) |
6. Human intrusions & disturbance | 6.2 War, civil unrest & military exercises | high | XXXX (severity) | two civil wars since the establishment of the park disrupted conservation activities, and led to illegal occupation of the park, as well as poaching and extraction of natural resources (Greengrass 2015, Collen et al. 2011) | 1989-1996, 1999-2003 |
7. Natural system modifications | unknown | XXXX (threat level) | XXXX (severity) | XXXX (description) | XXXX (year) |
8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | unknown | XXXX (threat level) | XXXX (severity) | XXXX (description) | XXXX (year) |
9. Pollution | unknown | XXXX (threat level) | XXXX (severity) | XXXX (description) | XXXX (year) |
10. Geological Events | absent | ||||
11. Climate change & severe weather | unknown | ||||
12. Other options | unknown |
Conservation activities
The national park forms part of the Tai-Grebo-Sapo Forest Complex, which is a conservation priority in West Africa. Conservation efforts in Sapo National Park have mainly focused on law enforcement, conservation awareness, and bio-monitoring. The WCF has supported Community Watch Teams (CWT), which comprise members from surrounding communities, and regularly patrol and support FDA rangers (WCF 2019). CWTs have played an important role in the eviction of illegal miners from the national park (WCF 2019). In 2012, Fauna & Flora International established a long-term bio-monitoring program to follow the population trends for chimpanzees, pygmy hippopotamuses, elephants, as well as duikers, birds, reptiles, and amphibians (Tweh et al. 2018). Together with Liberia's Forestry Development Authority, permanent transects are surveyed twice a year as part of this long-term bio-monitoring program (Tweh et al. 2018).
Table 4: Conservation activities in Sapo National Park
Category | Specific activity | Description | Year of activity |
---|---|---|---|
1. Residential & commercial development | not reported | XXXXX (description) | XXXXX (year) |
2. Agriculture & aquaculture | not reported | XXXXX (description) | XXXXX (year) |
3. Energy production & mining | not reported | XXXXX (description) | XXXXX (year) |
4. Transportation & service corridors | not reported | XXXXX (description) | XXXXX (year) |
5. Biological resource use | 5.6. Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols | Community Watch Teams supported by the WCF regularly patrol the site (WCF 2019) | ongoing (2019) |
5.11. Provide training to anti-poaching ranger patrols | Members of the Community Watch Teams are trained in the use of equipment (GPS, compass, camera) and patrolling (WCF 2019) | ongoing (2019) | |
5.15. Implement monitoring surveillance strategies | long-term bio-monitoring of chimpanzee population (Tweh et al. 2018) | ongoing (2019) | |
6. Human intrusions & disturbance | 6.7. Resettle illegal human communities (i.e. in a protected area) to another location | eviction of 18,000 illegal settlers in the park by the Liberia's government (Vogt 2011) | 2010 |
7. Natural system modifications | not reported | XXXXX (description) | XXXXX (year) |
8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | not reported | XXXXX (description) | XXXXX (year) |
9. Pollution | not reported | XXXXX (description) | XXXXX (year) |
10. Education & Awareness | 10.2. Involve local community in primate research and conservation management | as part of a long-term bio-monitoring program, staff of Liberia’s Forestry Development Authority and members of the local community are involved in the surveys (Tweh et al. 2018) | ongoing (2018) |
11. Habitat Protection | 11.2. Legally protect primate habitat | the area is designated as National Park (N’Goran et al. 2010) | ongoing (2010) |
12. Species Management | not reported | ||
13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives | not reported | XXXXX (description) | XXXXX (year) |
Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)
Impediments
Table 5: Impediments reported for Sapo National Park
Impediment | Source |
---|---|
Lack of law enforcement | Greengrass 2015, N'Goran et al. 2010 |
Lack of technical means | Tweh et al. 2018 |
Lack of logistical means | Waitkuwait 2003 |
Research activities
Several surveys have been done in the park to monitor the chimpanzee population (e.g., N'Goran et al. 2010, Tweh et al. 2018), assess the impacts of conservation interventions (Tweh et al. 2018), investigate the behavior and ecology of chimpanzees in the park (Anderson et al. 1983), and investigate the impact of hunting pressure in the area (Greengrass 2015).
Documented behaviours
Table 6: Great ape behaviors reported for Sapo National Park
Behavior | Source |
---|---|
Nut cracking | Anderson et al. 1983 |
Relevant datasets
References
Tweh, C., Kouakou, C.Y., Chira, R., Freeman, B., Githaiga, J.M., Kerwillain, S., Molokwu-Odozi, M., Varney M. and Junker, J. 2018. Nest counts reveal a stable chimpanzee population in Sapo National Park, Liberia. Primate Conservation 2018 (32): 12 pp. N’Goran, K. P., Kouakou, C.Y. and Herbinger I. 2010. Report on the Population Survey and Monitoring of Chimpanzee in Sapo National Park, Liberia (June–December 2009). Report. Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Abidjan, Côted’Ivoire. Anderson, R., Williamson, E.A., and Carter, J. 1983. Chimpanzees of Sapo Forest, Liberia: density, nests, tools and meat-eating. PRIMAaXS, 24(4): 594-601. Waitkuwait, W.E. 2003. Report on the First Year of Operation of a Community-based Bio-monitoring Programme in and around Sapo National Park, Sinoe County, Liberia. Report. Fauna and Flora International. Vogt, M. 2011. Results of Sapo National Park Bio-Monitoring Programme 2007-2009. Report. Fauna & Flora International, Monrovia, Liberia. Greengrass, E. 2015. Commercial hunting to supply urban markets threatens mammalian biodiversity in Sapo National Park. Oryx 50(3), 397–404. Collen, B., Howard, B., Konie, J., Daniel, O., and Rist, J. 2011. Field surveys for the endangered pygmy hippopotamus Choerpsis liberiensis in Sapo National Park, Liberia. Oryx, 45(1), 35–37. Wild Chimpanzee Foundation. 2019. Activities of the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation for improved conservation of chimpanzees and their habitat in West Africa. Annual Report 2018.
Page completed by: A.P.E.S. Wiki Team Date: 30/08/2019