Northern block (Maringa-Lopori-Wamba)
Central Africa > Democratic Republic of the Congo > Northern block (Maringa-Lopori-Wamba)
Summary
- Bonobos (Pan paniscus) are present in the Northern block (Maringa-Lopori-Wamba).
- It has been estimated that a minimum of 5,000 individuals occur in the site.
- The population trend is unknown.
- The site has a total size of 74,000 km².
- Key threats to bonobos are poaching, habitat destruction and degradation, risk of disease transmission.
- Conservation activities have focused on land-use planning.
Site characteristics
The site consists of a block of forest corresponding approximately to the Maringa-Lopori-Wamba landscape delineated by the Congo Basin Forest Partnership and the Commission des Forêts d’Afrique Centrale (IUCN & ICCN 2012). The landscape is situated in the Maringa and Lopori river basins in the Equateur Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Approximately 67% of the site is covered by forest, with swamps covering an additional 26%. The remaining area is a young secondary forest and rural complex (IUCN & ICCN 2012). The block contains four areas offering various levels of protection: Lomako-Yokokala Faunal Reserve, Luo Scientific Reserve, Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve, and Iyondji Community Bonobo Reserve (IUCN & ICCN 2012).
Table 1. Basic site information for Northern block (Maringa-Lopori-Wamba)
| Area | 74,000 km² |
| Coordinates | 0.661443, 21.892545 |
| Designation | Unclassified |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical/tropical swamp forest |
IUCN habitat categories Site designations
Ape status
Through analysis of all available data from surveys conducted between 2003–2010, it has been estimated that there is a minimum population of 5,000 individuals in the Maringa-Lopori-Wamba block, making it an important stronghold for bonobos (IUCN & ICCN 2012).
Table 2. Ape population estimates in Northern block (Maringa-Lopori-Wamba)
| 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 paniscus | 2003-2010 | 5000 | Northern block (Maringa-Lopori-Wamba) | Model estimate | IUCN & ICCN 2012 | minimum estimate |
Threats
The main threats to bonobos in the forest block are poaching, habitat loss, and the risk of disease transmission. The area is far from urban centres and experiences high levels of poverty and reliance on natural resources obtained through slash-and-burn agriculture, fishing, and hunting (IUCN & ICCN 2012).
Table 3. Threats to apes in Northern block (Maringa-Lopori-Wamba)
| 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 | Slash-and-burn agriculture, leading to habitat destruction and fragmentation (IUCN & ICCN 2012). | Ongoing (2012) | |
| 3. Energy production & mining | Unknown | ||||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Unknown | ||||
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | High | Poaching is the most serious threat to bonobos across their range (IUCN & ICCN 2012). | 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 | Absent |
Conservation activities
Since 2006, a major participative land-use planning exercise has been conducted, covering about 70% of the landscape (IUCN & ICCN 2012). This work has designated a mosaic of protected areas, community-based natural resource management areas, sylvo-agro-pastoral zones and logging concessions, with the objective of maintaining forest cover and forest connectivity (IUCN & ICCN 2012).
Table 4. Conservation activities in Northern block (Maringa-Lopori-Wamba)
| 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 | Other | Land-use planning to maintain forest connectivity (IUCN & ICCN 2012). | Ongoing (2012) |
| 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 Northern block (Maringa-Lopori-Wamba)
| Challenge | Source |
|---|---|
| Lack of law enforcement | IUCN & ICCN 2012 |
Research activities
Documented behaviours
Table 6. Ape behaviors reported for Northern block (Maringa-Lopori-Wamba)
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
External links
References
IUCN & ICCN (2012). Bonobo (Pan paniscus): Conservation Strategy 2012–2022. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group & Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature. 65 pp. Online: https://www.iucngreatapes.org/bonobo
Page completed by: A.P.E.S. Wiki team Date: 30/05/2022