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     rather than several keywords such as "Industrial mining", "Large-scale mining", and "Mining". [[File: Map_LBR_Gola_NP.png | 400px | thumb| right | Gola Forest National Park (Liberia) © A.P.E.S. Wiki Team]]

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[[West Africa]] > [[Liberia]] > [[Gola Forest National Park]]

[[West Africa]] > [[Liberia]] > [[Gola Forest National Park]]

= 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 present in Gola Forest National Park.  

* Western chimpanzees (''Pan troglodytes verus'') are present in Gola Forest National Park.  

* It has been estimated that 94 (CI: 225-539) individuals occur in the site.  

* It has been estimated that 94 (CI: 225-539) individuals occur in the site.  

* The chimpanzee population trend is unknown.  

* The chimpanzee population trend is unknown.  

= Site characteristics = <!-- A paragraph summary of physical and geographic aspects of the site, and a table of key information -->

= Site characteristics = <!-- A paragraph summary of physical and geographic aspects of the site, and a table of key information -->

Situated in northwest Liberia, the site was first classified as a National Forest in 1960 (Hoke et al. 2007), and designated as National Park in 2016 (Rainforest Trust 2018). The park is located in the Upper Guinea Forest of West Africa, a biodiversity hotspot with very high rates of endemism (Hoke et al. 2007). In addition to chimpanzees, other endangered mammal species occur, including Jentink’s duiker (''Cephalophus jentinki''), forest elephant (''Loxodonta africana''), pygmy hippopotamus (''Hexaprotodon liberiensis''), leopard (''Panthera pardus''), and bongo (''Tragelaphus eurycerus'') (Barrie et al. 2007). The site has also been declared an Important Bird Area (BirdLife International 2019). Gola Forest National Park is strategically connected to Sierra Leone’s Gola Rainforest National Park to establish a bi-national peace park (Rainforest Trust 2018).

Situated in northwest Liberia, the site was first classified as a National Forest in 1960 (Hoke et al. 2007), and designated as National Park in 2016 (Rainforest Trust 2018). The park is located in the Upper Guinea Forest of West Africa, a biodiversity hotspot with very high rates of endemism (Hoke et al. 2007). In addition to chimpanzees, other endangered mammal species occur, including Jentink’s duiker (''Cephalophus jentinki''), forest elephant (''Loxodonta africana''), pygmy hippopotamus (''Hexaprotodon liberiensis''), leopard (''Panthera pardus''), and bongo (''Tragelaphus eurycerus'') (Barrie et al. 2007). The site has also been declared an Important Bird Area (BirdLife International 2019). Gola Forest National Park is strategically connected to Sierra Leone’s [[Gola Rainforest National Park]] to establish a bi-national peace park (Rainforest Trust 2018).

 

'''Table 1. Basic site information for Gola Forest National Park'''

'''Table 1: Basic site information for Gola Forest National Park'''

{| 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    -->

|880 km²

|880 km²

|-

|-

| Coordinates

|Coordinates

|7.48 N, 10.81 W

|7.48, -10.81

|-

|-

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

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

Through the GolaMA project, line transect surveys with nest counts were conducted across a small portion of the northern sector and the adjacent community forest. Lines were surveyed in 2016-2017 and repeated in 2018-2019 The data have not yet been analyzed to obtain a density estimate.

Through the GolaMA project, line transect surveys with nest counts were conducted across a small portion of the northern sector and the adjacent community forest. Lines were surveyed in 2016-2017 and repeated in 2018-2019 The data have not yet been analyzed to obtain a density estimate.

 

'''Table 2. Great ape population estimates in Gola Forest National Park'''

'''Table 2: Great ape population estimates in Gola Forest National Park'''

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

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

! 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

Several years of civil conflict in Liberia (1989-2003) led to the encroachment of Gola National Forest by displaced people and increased illegal mining and farming activities, as well as bushmeat hunting (Hoke et al. 2007). Illegal mining and logging activities were particularly aggravated by the civil wars (Hoke et al. 2007). Other major threats include bushmeat hunting and illegal farming activities (Hoke et al. 2007). Furthermore, since the end of the second civil war, the interest from international logging and mining companies to extract timber and mineral resources in the country was renewed (Tweh et al. 2014). In 2005, two mining companies were large-scale prospecting at Gola National Forest (Barrie et al. 2007).

Several years of civil conflict in Liberia (1989-2003) led to the encroachment of Gola National Forest by displaced people and increased illegal mining and farming activities, as well as bushmeat hunting (Hoke et al. 2007). Illegal mining and logging activities were particularly aggravated by the civil wars (Hoke et al. 2007). Other major threats include bushmeat hunting and illegal farming activities (Hoke et al. 2007). Furthermore, since the end of the second civil war, the interest from international logging and mining companies to extract timber and mineral resources in the country was renewed (Tweh et al. 2014). In 2005, two mining companies were large-scale prospecting at Gola National Forest (Barrie et al. 2007).

 

'''Table 3. Threats to great apes in Gola Forest National Park'''

'''Table 3: Threats to great apes in Gola Forest National Park'''

{| 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 -->

'''Table 4: Conservation activities in Gola Forest National Park'''

'''Table 4. Conservation activities in Gola Forest National Park'''

{| 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: Impediments reported for Gola Forest National Park'''

'''Table 5. Challenges  reported for Gola Forest National Park'''

{| 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 in Gola Forest National Park focus on the monitoring of western chimpanzee (details in section on ape status), the bushmeat trade and appropriate conservation interventions (Jones et al. 2019 a,b; details section on conservation activities).

Research activities in Gola Forest National Park focus on the monitoring of western chimpanzee (details in section on ape status), the bushmeat trade and appropriate conservation interventions (Jones et al. 2019 a,b; details section on conservation 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 Gola Forest National Park'''

'''Table 6. Great ape behaviors reported for Gola Forest National Park'''

{| 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 =

Tweh, C., Lormie, M., Kouakou, C.Y., Hillers, A., Kühl, H.S., Junker, J., et al. 2014. Conservation status of chimpanzees Pan troglodytes verus and other large mammals in Liberia: a nationwide survey. Oryx, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0030605313001191 <br>

Tweh, C., Lormie, M., Kouakou, C.Y., Hillers, A., Kühl, H.S., Junker, J., et al. 2014. Conservation status of chimpanzees Pan troglodytes verus and other large mammals in Liberia: a nationwide survey. Oryx, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0030605313001191 <br>

 

'''Page completed by:''' A.P.E.S. Wiki Team, Martina Vogt & Sorrel Jones '''Date:''' 12/12/2019  <!-- If you don't want to add your name, you can add "A.P.E.S. Wiki team" -->

'''Page completed by:''' A.P.E.S. Wiki Team, Martina Vogt & Sorrel Jones '''Date:''' 12/12/2019  <!-- If you don't want to add your name, you can add "A.P.E.S. Wiki team" -->

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