Oluwa Forest Reserve
West Africa > Nigeria > Oluwa Forest Reserve
Summary
- Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes ellioti) are present in Oluwa Forest Reserve.
- It has been estimated that XXXXX (CI: XXXX-XXXX) individuals occur in the site.
- The chimpanzee population trend is stable/unknown/increasing/decreasing.
- The site has a total size of XXXX km².
- Key threats to SPECIES NAME are XXXXX.
- Conservation activities have focused on XXXXXX.
- OPTIONAL: SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS
Site characteristics
Table 1. Basic site information for Oluwa Forest Reserve
| Area | 678 km² |
| Coordinates | XXX N, XXX W |
| Designation | Forest Reserve |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical low moist forest, plantations |
IUCN habitat categories Site designations
Ape status
In 2006, chimpanzees and signs of chimpanzees (nests and vocalizations) were observed by the Owena river in the core area of the reserve (Greengrass 2006). Similarly, in 2012 the distribution of chimpanzees was confined to the core area of the reserve (segment OA2), encompassing approximately 39.22 km², or 5.78% of the total forest reserve (Ogunjemite & Olaniyi 2012). The population trend is unknown.
Table 2. Ape population estimates in Oluwa Forest 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 ellioti | 2006 | Present | Oluwa Forest Reserve | Index survey (reconnaissance walk) | Greengrass 2006 | Reconnaissance walk. Nests and individuals were seen in the core area of the reserve.Vocalizations and nests also observed. | |||
| Pan troglodytes ellioti | 2011-2012 | Present | Oluwa Forest Reserve | Index survey (reconnaissance walk) | Ogunjemite & Olaniyi 2012 | Reconnaissance walk. The study recorded 9.50 ± 1.55 individuals and 13 nests. Vocalizations and footprints were also documented. |
Threats
Table 3. Threats to apes in Oluwa Forest Reserve
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Quantified severity | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Unknown | ||||
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops | High | Cultivation began from the outer edges of the reserve; only the core area has some natural forest left (Greengrass 2006, Ogunjemite & Olayimi 2012). | Ongoing (2012) | |
| 3. Energy production & mining | Unknown | ||||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Unknown | ||||
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | High | Hunting is a major threat in the area; several gunshots were heard during a survey in 2006 (Greengrass 2006, Ogunjemite & Olayimi 2012). | Ongoing (2012) | |
| 5.3 Logging & wood harvesting | High | Logging activity on the eastern side of the Owena River, where chimpanzees were observed (Greengrass 2006). | Ongoing (2012) | ||
| 6. Human intrusion & disturbance | Unknown | ||||
| 7. Natural system modifications | Unknown | ||||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Unknown | ||||
| 9. Pollution | Unknown | ||||
| 10. Geological Events | Absent | ||||
| 11. Climate change & severe weather | Unknown | ||||
| 12. Other options | Unknown |
Conservation activities
Together with Omo and Shasha forest reserves, Oluwa is part of the Omo-Shasha-Oluwa project, implemented by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, which aims to connect the three areas (PNI 2011). Although Omo and Shasha reserves are connected, Oluwa forest is isolated. The plan is to manage the Omo-Shasha-Oluwa areas as a wildlife sanctuary and permit human use where it is compatible with forest conservation. Other conservation activities included in the plan are the re-gazettement of forest reserve areas, community development, environmental education, research, eco-tourism, and long-term financing through REDD carbon credits (PNI 2011). Further information on the advancement of these activities has not been reported.
Table 4. Conservation activities in Oluwa Forest Reserve
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Not reported | ||
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | Not reported | ||
| 3. Energy production & mining | Not reported | ||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Not reported | ||
| 5. Biological resource use | Not reported | ||
| 6. Human intrusion & disturbance | Not reported | ||
| 7. Natural system modifications | Not reported | ||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Not reported | ||
| 9. Pollution | Not reported | ||
| 10. Education & Awareness | Not reported | ||
| 11. Habitat Protection | Not reported | ||
| 12. Species Management | Not reported | ||
| 13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives | Not reported |
Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)
Challenges
Table 5. Challenges reported for Oluwa Forest Reserve
| Challenge | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
Research activities
A new nesting behavior was observed in the Oluwa Forest Reserve chimpanzee population during a survey in 2011-2012 (Ogunjemite & Olaniyi 2012). The majority of nests were built on rock platforms, perhaps due to the absence of tree species that are usually used for nesting (Ogunjemite & Olaniyi 2012).
Documented behaviours
Table 6. Ape behaviors reported for Oluwa Forest Reserve
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Making ground nests | Ogunjemite & Olaniyi 2012 |
External links
Relevant datasets
References
Greengrass, E.J. (2006). A survey of chimpanzees in south-west Nigeria. Report to the NCF-WCS Biodiversity Research Programme.
Ogunjemite, B.G. and Olaniyi, O.E. (2012), “The chimpanzees of Oluwa Forest
Reserve, southwest Nigeria”, International Journal of Development and Sustainability, Vol. 1 No. 3, pp.
823-833.
Pro-Natura International. (2011), Project Progress Report for the International Elephant Foundation January 2010 – May 2011.
Page completed by: A.P.E.S. Wiki Date: 19/11/2020