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[[West Africa]] > [[Liberia]] > [[Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area]]

[[West Africa]] > [[Liberia]] > [[Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area]]

= 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 ([https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/15935/17989872 ''Pan troglodytes verus'']) are likely to be present in Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area.  

* Western chimpanzees (''Pan troglodytes verus'') are likely to be present in Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area.  

* The population size is unknown.   

* The population size is unknown.   

* The chimpanzee population trend is unknown.  

* The chimpanzee population trend is unknown.  

Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area encompasses the Kpo Mountain range, Bulubala Mountain, an important section of the Ba Creek watershed, and surrounding closed dense forest lowlands which connect these otherwise steep and relatively narrow mountain ranges. It is one of Liberia’s remaining forests with rich biodiversity. Though not close to the Gola Forest National Park and the Foya Proposed Protected Area, it serves as host for wildlife transiting from these areas (FDA 2017). A site of intermediate importance for the vulnerable zebra duiker (''Cephalophus zebra'') and pygmy hippopotamus (''Hexaprotodon liberiensis''), and the endangered Diana monkey (''Cercopithecus diana'', Johnson 2015). Apart from chimpanzees (''Pan troglodytes verus''), survey teams of the nationwide chimpanzee and large mammal survey (Tweh et al. 2014) found numerous signs of Maxwell duiker (''Philantomba maxwellii''), Bay duiker (''Cephalophus dorsalis''), bushbuck (''Tragelaphus scriptus''), sooty mangabey (''Cercocebus atys''), lowland Bongo (''Tragelaphus eurycerus eurycerus''), red river hog (''Potamochoerus porcus''), and the forest buffalo (''Syncerus caffer nanus'') in vicinity of Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area (Junker unpubl. data).

Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area encompasses the Kpo Mountain range, Bulubala Mountain, an important section of the Ba Creek watershed, and surrounding closed dense forest lowlands which connect these otherwise steep and relatively narrow mountain ranges. It is one of Liberia’s remaining forests with rich biodiversity. Though not close to the Gola Forest National Park and the Foya Proposed Protected Area, it serves as host for wildlife transiting from these areas (FDA 2017). A site of intermediate importance for the vulnerable zebra duiker (''Cephalophus zebra'') and pygmy hippopotamus (''Hexaprotodon liberiensis''), and the endangered Diana monkey (''Cercopithecus diana'', Johnson 2015). Apart from chimpanzees (''Pan troglodytes verus''), survey teams of the nationwide chimpanzee and large mammal survey (Tweh et al. 2014) found numerous signs of Maxwell duiker (''Philantomba maxwellii''), Bay duiker (''Cephalophus dorsalis''), bushbuck (''Tragelaphus scriptus''), sooty mangabey (''Cercocebus atys''), lowland Bongo (''Tragelaphus eurycerus eurycerus''), red river hog (''Potamochoerus porcus''), and the forest buffalo (''Syncerus caffer nanus'') in vicinity of Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area (Junker unpubl. data).

 

'''Table 1. Basic site information for Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area'''

'''Table 1: Basic site information for Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area'''

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="basic-information"

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="basic-information"

| Area            <!-- Please include units: km2/ha e.g 200ha    -->

| Area            <!-- Please include units: km2/ha e.g 200ha    -->

|-

|-

|Coordinates

|Coordinates

|7.41 N , 10.06 W

|7.41, -10.06

|-

|-

|Designation      <!-- National Park, Nature Reserve, etc.  -->

|Designation      <!-- National Park, Nature Reserve, etc.  -->

|}

|}

[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]]

= 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 -->

In 2017, the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) published a request for expressions of interest for provision of consultancy services to carry out a biological baseline survey of Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area and carry out a socio-economic study of the local communities (FDA 2017). However, no information about surveys in this area could be found. Although Tweh and colleagues (2014) did not survey Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area directly, they found a few nests and feeding signs of chimpanzees on recces and line transects in the forests north-west and south-west of Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area (Kpelle Forest), as well as to the far east of this area (Lorma National Forest) (Junker unpubl. data). The nationwide chimpanzee abundance model published by Junker et al. (2015) suggests that chimpanzees are likely to occur in this area. Further analysis of the nationwide dataset revealed that Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area was located in the fifth highest ranked conservation priority area in terms of chimpanzee density, and mammal and tree diversity (Junker et al. 2015). Interview surveys showed that several villages to the west of Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area in Kpelle Forest practice taboos against the killing and eating of chimpanzees (Junker unpubl. data).

In 2017, the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) published a request for expressions of interest for provision of consultancy services to carry out a biological baseline survey of Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area and carry out a socio-economic study of the local communities (FDA 2017). However, no information about surveys in this area could be found. Although Tweh and colleagues (2014) did not survey Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area directly, they found a few nests and feeding signs of chimpanzees on recces and line transects in the forests north-west and south-west of Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area (Kpelle Forest), as well as to the far east of this area (Lorma National Forest) (Junker unpubl. data). The nationwide chimpanzee abundance model published by Junker et al. (2015) suggests that chimpanzees are likely to occur in this area. Further analysis of the nationwide dataset revealed that Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area was located in the fifth highest ranked conservation priority area in terms of chimpanzee density, and mammal and tree diversity (Junker et al. 2015). Interview surveys showed that several villages to the west of Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area in Kpelle Forest practice taboos against the killing and eating of chimpanzees (Junker unpubl. data).

'''Table 2: Great ape population estimates in Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area'''

'''Table 2: Great ape population estimates in Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area'''

! Species

! Species

! Year

! Year

! Abundance estimate (95% confidence interval)

! Abundance estimate (95% CI)

! Density estimate (per km²)

! Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI)

! Encounter rate (nests/km)

! Encounter rate (nests/km)

! Area

! Area

During the nationwide chimpanzee and large mammal survey, teams encountered moderate amounts of hunting signs in the forests around Kpo Proposed Protected Area (Junker unpubl. data). However, no line transects or recces were surveyed directly inside Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area. A considerable part of the proposed protected area is covered by Mineral Exploration Licenses (MEL) for gold and other base metals and iron ore owned by BCM International Liberia Ltd., SALMEC Resources Ltd., and Mining and Exploration Services Liberia Ltd. (Johnson 2015). MEL’s entail that after a proposed exploration program has been handed to the Minister of Land, Mines, and Energy, the company commences exploration (Wilson et al. 2017). Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area overlapped with illegally issued Private-Use Permit (PUP) for commercial logging. Private Use Permits were a type of logging licence designed to allow private land owners to cut trees on their property, but which were reportedly subject to misuse by commercial logging companies. After investigations by Global Witness (Global Witness 2013) much public outcry and extensive media coverage, PUPs have now largely been rescinded (Johnson 2015).

During the nationwide chimpanzee and large mammal survey, teams encountered moderate amounts of hunting signs in the forests around Kpo Proposed Protected Area (Junker unpubl. data). However, no line transects or recces were surveyed directly inside Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area. A considerable part of the proposed protected area is covered by Mineral Exploration Licenses (MEL) for gold and other base metals and iron ore owned by BCM International Liberia Ltd., SALMEC Resources Ltd., and Mining and Exploration Services Liberia Ltd. (Johnson 2015). MEL’s entail that after a proposed exploration program has been handed to the Minister of Land, Mines, and Energy, the company commences exploration (Wilson et al. 2017). Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area overlapped with illegally issued Private-Use Permit (PUP) for commercial logging. Private Use Permits were a type of logging licence designed to allow private land owners to cut trees on their property, but which were reportedly subject to misuse by commercial logging companies. After investigations by Global Witness (Global Witness 2013) much public outcry and extensive media coverage, PUPs have now largely been rescinded (Johnson 2015).

 

'''Table 3. Threats to great apes in Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area'''

'''Table 3: Threats to great apes in Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area'''

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="threats-table"

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="threats-table"

!align="left"|Category  <!-- Do not change threat categories -->

!align="left"|Category  <!-- Do not change threat categories -->

No conservation activities have been reported for the site.

No conservation activities have been reported for the site.

 

'''Table 4. Conservation activities in Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area'''

'''Table 4: Conservation activities in Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area'''

{| 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 -->

[[Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)]]

[[Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)]]

= Impediments = <!-- Overview of impediments to ape conservation -->

= Challenges = <!-- Overview of impediments to ape conservation -->

 

'''Table 5. Challenges reported for Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area'''

'''Table 5: Impediments reported for Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area'''

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="impediments-table"

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="impediments-table"

!align="left"|Impediment  <!-- Do not change categories -->

!align="left"|Impediment  <!-- Do not change categories -->

= Research activities = <!-- Overview of research activities -->

= Research activities = <!-- Overview of research activities -->

===Documented behaviours===  <!-- List of any behaviours observed at the site, including citations -->

===Documented behaviours===  <!-- List of any behaviours observed at the site, including citations -->

'''Table 6: Great ape behaviors reported for Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area'''

'''Table 6. Great ape behaviors reported for Kpo Mountains Proposed Protected Area'''

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="behaviors-table"

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="behaviors-table"

!align="left"|Behavior  <!-- Do not change categories -->

!align="left"|Behavior  <!-- Do not change categories -->

|}

|}

= References =

= References =