Kambui Hills Forest Reserve
Summary
- Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) are present in Kambui Hills Forest Reserve.
- The chimpanzee population size is unknown.
- The chimpanzee population trend is unknown.
- This site has a total size of 212 km².
- Key threats to chimpanzees are logging and poaching.
- Conservation work at the reserve consists of achieving long-term community-based forest management.
Site characteristics
Located in southeastern Sierra Leone, the site forms part of the Upper Guinea forest ecosystem (Brncic et al. 2010). The site consist of two blocks, Kambui North (20,348 ha), and Kambui South (880 ha, BirdLife International 2019). The two sections are divided by a main road leading to the town of Kenema. The site is a catchment area for reservoirs that supply water to Kenema and nearby communities (Brncic et al. 2010). The Kambui Hills Forest Reserve is an Important Bird Area (IBA; BirdLife International 2019), and in addition to the high diversity of bird species, other species found at the site include Diana monkey (Cercopithecus diana), western black-and-white colobus monkey, forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), and Jentink’s duiker (Cephalophus jentinki, BirdLife International 2019). The vegetation mostly consists of mature secondary moist forest, with semi-deciduous forest on the slopes (BirdLife International 2019).
Table 1: Basic site information for Kambui Hills Forest Reserve
| Area | 212 km² |
| Coordinates | 7.78 N, -11.34 W |
| Designation | Forest Reserve |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland Forest, Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane Forest, Arable Land |
Ape status
The chimpanzee population size is unknown. Based on the most recent survey of the area (Brncic et al. 2010), there might not be a substantial population within the reserve, which may only be used seasonally by chimpanzees. Chimpanzee nests and signs were found between Kambui North and Kambui South during a survey of the area (Brncic et al. 2010). It is likely that high logging and hunting pressure in the areas have greatly reduced the population (Brncic et al 2010).
Table 2: Great ape population estimates in Kambui Hills Forest Reserve
| 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 | 2010 | 0.20 | Kambui Hills (152 km²) | Line transects (Distance) | Brncic et al. 2010 | Total survey effort: 20 km. Encounter signs were not nests; only feeding remains and calls recorded |
Threats
Signs of human activity are very high in the reserve, particularly in Kambui North. In fact, the encounter rate of human signs (logging, snares, gun shells, footpaths) during a survey of the area was 7.35 signs per km, with logging having the greatest impact at the site (Brncic et al. 2010).
Table 3: Threats to great apes in Kambui Hills Forest Reserve
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Quantified severity | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | 1.1 Housing & urban areas | Present | Human settlements are present in the reserve (Brncic et al. 2010) | Ongoing (2010) | |
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops | High | Signs of farming and former farming activities are present in the site, as well as farm encroachment at its boundaries (Brncic et al. 2010) | Ongoing (2010) | |
| 3. Energy production & mining | 3.2 Mining & quarrying | Present | Signs of gold mining found in Kambui North (Brncic et al. 2010) | Ongoing (2010) | |
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | 4.1 Roads & railroads | High | Logging roads, footpaths, and motor roads are present (Brncic et al. 2010) | Ongoing (2010) | |
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Present | 7.35 hunting signs per km (Brncic et al. 2010) | Snares and gun shells present, especially in Kambui North (Brncic et al. 2010). High hunting intensity in the area was already observed in the 1980s (Oates 1999) | Ongoing (2010) |
| 5.3 Logging & wood harvesting | High | Signs of illegal logging have been found throughout the reserve (Brncic et al. 2010) | Ongoing (2010) | ||
| 6. Human intrusions & disturbance | Unknown | ||||
| 7. Natural system modifications | 7.1 Fire & fire suppression | Present | Fire damage in some parts of the reserve (Brncic et al. 2010) | Ongoing (2010) | |
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Unknown | ||||
| 9. Pollution | Absent | ||||
| 10. Geological Events | Absent | ||||
| 11. Climate change & severe weather | Unknown | ||||
| 12. Other options | Absent |
Conservation activities
The management of conservation efforts at the site is largely unknown. The site is in great need for increased protection efforts and rehabilitation (Brncic et al. 2010). Currently, there is one project aiming to develop community-based forest management at the reserve, which is funded by the Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation (BirdLife International 2018).
Table 4: Conservation activities in Kambui Hills 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 intrusions & 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 | 11.2. Legally protect primate habitat | The site was established as a forest reserve in 1919 (BirdLife International 2018) | Since 1919 |
| 12. Species Management | Not reported | ||
| 13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives | Not reported |
Impediments
Table 5: Impediments reported for Kambui Hills Forest Reserve
| Impediment | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
Research activities
No information on research activities has been documented.
Documented behaviours
Table 6: Great ape behaviors reported for Kambui Hills Forest Reserve
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
Relevant datasets
References
BirdLife International. 2018. Kambui Hills Forest: the reserve run by a whole community. Online: http://www.birdlife.org/worldwide/news/kambui-hills-forest-reserve-run-whole-community
BirdLife International. 2019. Important Bird Areas factsheet: Kambui Hills Forest Reserve. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/07/2019.
Brncic, T.M., Amarasekaran,B. & McKenna,A. 2010. Final Report of the Sierra Leone National Chimpanzee Census Project. Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Oates, J. F. 1999. Myth and Reality in the Rain Forest: How Conservation Strategies Are Failing in West Africa. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. pp. 59-90.
Page completed by: A.P.E.S. Wiki Team Date: 02/09/2019