Dzanga-Sangha Protected Area
Central Africa > Central African Republic > Dzanga-Sangha Protected Area
Summary
- Central chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) and western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) are present in the Dzanga-Sangha Protected Area.
- It has been estimated that 2,059 great apes occur in the site.
- The great ape population trend is stable.
- The site has a total size of 6,865 km².
- Key threats to great apes are hunting, logging, and increased risk of disease transmission from humans.
- Conservation activities have focused on anti-poaching patrols, eco-tourism, and supporting community health.
- The site forms part of the Sangha Trinational transboundary conservation complex
Site characteristics
Dzanga-Sangha is located in the southwestern corner of the Central African Republic, bordering Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, also found in the Central African Republic, and Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of the Congo. The site forms part of the Sangha Trinational (TNS) transboundary conservation complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The TNS also encompasses Lobéké National Park in Cameroon, Dzanga-Ndoki National Park in the Central African Republic and Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo. The Dzanga-Sangha Dense Forest Special reserve was established in 1990; in 2007 it was renamed the Dzanga-Sangha Protected Area (DSPA). In 2019, the World Wide Fund for Nature signed a co-management agreement with the government (Dzanga-Sangha). The DSPA is formed by a mosaic of ecosystems, including rivers, marshlands and bais, which support rare and endangered species such as forest elephants, western lowland gorillas, sitatungas and bongos (Dzanga-Sangha).
Table 1. Basic site information for Dzanga-Sangha Protected Area
| Area | 6,865 km² |
| Coordinates | 3.173628 N, 16.296941 E |
| Designation | Complex of Protected Areas |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical swamp forest, subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest, wetlands (inland) – bogs, marshes, swamps, fens, peatlands |
Ape status
From 2012 to 2016 the great ape population in the DSPA has remained stable (N'Goran 2017).
Table 2. Ape population estimates in Dzanga-Sangha Protected Area
| 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 troglodytes & Gorilla gorilla gorilla | 2012 | 2,310 | DSPA | Line transects (Distance) | N'Goran 2017 | ||||
| Pan troglodytes troglodytes & Gorilla gorilla gorilla | 2016 | 2,059 | DSPA | Line transects (Distance) | N'Goran 2017 |
Threats
Table 3. Threats to apes in Dzanga-Sangha Protected Area
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Quantified severity | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Unknown | ||||
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | Unknown | ||||
| 3. Energy production & mining | Unknown | ||||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Unknown | ||||
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Present, but threat severity is unknown | Growing demand for bushmeat from distant urban areas ([https://dzanga-sangha.org/facts-infos/ Dzanga-Sangha). | Ongoing | |
| 5.3 Logging & wood harvesting | Present, but threat severity is unknown | Since 2014, two companies have each been granted a logging and administrative permit. Logging by the two companies will be completed by 2020. At that point, their concession permit can be extended or renewed ([https://dzanga-sangha.org/facts-infos/ Dzanga-Sangha). | Ongoing | ||
| 6. Human intrusion & disturbance | Unknown | ||||
| 7. Natural system modifications | Unknown | ||||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | 8.4 Problematic species/diseases of unknown origin | Present, but threat severity is unknown | Increased risk of disease transmission from humans ([https://dzanga-sangha.org/facts-infos/ Dzanga-Sangha). | Ongoing | |
| 9. Pollution | Unknown | ||||
| 10. Geological Events | Absent | ||||
| 11. Climate change & severe weather | Unknown | ||||
| 12. Other options | Absent |
Conservation activities
Table 4. Conservation activities in Dzanga-Sangha Protected Area
| 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 | 5.6. Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols | Anti-poaching patrols (Dzanga-Sangha). | Ongoing |
| 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 | 12.1. Habituate primates to human presence to reduce stress from tourists/researchers etc. | Visitors have the privilege of tracking gorillas and mangabeys who are used to the presence of humans, thanks to the Primate Habituation Programme (PHP) (Dzanga-Sangha). | Ongoing |
| 13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives | 13.2. Provide non-monetary benefits to local communities for sustainably managing their forest and its wildlife (e.g. better education, infrastructure development) | Support community health through a mobile unit and health care centers; supporting schools with money for teaching materials, teacher salaries, and student fees (Dzanga-Sangha]). | Ongoing |
| 13.4. Run tourist projects and ensure permanent human presence at site | Eco-tourism project (Dzanga-Sangha). | Ongoing |
Challenges
Table 5. Challenges reported for Dzanga-Sangha Protected Area
| Challenge | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
Research activities
Documented behaviours
Table 6. Ape behaviors reported for Dzanga-Sangha Protected Area
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
External links
Relevant datasets
References
N'Goran, K.P. (2017). Summary Report on WWF BIOMONITORING activities from 2014 to 2016 Status of Forest Elephant and Great Apes in Central Africa Priority Sites. Available online: https://www.wwf.de/fileadmin/fm-wwf/Publikationen-PDF/WWF_CA_Biomonitoring_Report.pdf
Page completed by: A.P.E.S. Wiki team Date: 30/12/2020