Ugalla
East Africa > Tanzania > Ugalla
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Summary
- Eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) are present in Ugalla.
- It has been estimated that 322 (CI: 227–373) individuals occur in the site.
- The chimpanzees population trend is unknown.
- The site has a total size of 3,352 km².
- Key threats to chimpanzees are poaching and habitat encroachment.
- Conservation activities are not documented.
Site characteristics
The Ugalla region is located approximately 65 km east of Lake Tanganyika, in western Tanzania (Moore & Vigilant 2014). A large part of the region is found within the East Tongwe Forest Reserve and is not part of the national park system of Tanzania (Moore & Vigilant 2014). The site covers approximately 3,350 sq.km and is one of the most seasonal, dry, and open chimpanzee habitats (Moore & Vigilant 2014). The region is classified as savanna-woodland; the grassy groundcover is extensive, the drought season takes place between May and October, and there is minimal rainfall. Small strips of forest occur around the ephemeral rivers of Ugalla (Moore & Vigilant 2014).
Table 1. Basic site information for Ugalla
| Species | 'Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii |
| Area | 3,352 km² |
| Coordinates | Lat: -5.811084 , Lon: 31.901811 |
| Type of site | Non-protected area |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical dry forest, Grassland, Savanna, Grassland |
| Type of governance |
IUCN habitat categories Site designations
Ape status
Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Ugalla
| Species | Year | Occurrence | Encounter or vistation rate (nests/km; ind/day) | Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI) | Abundance estimate (95% CI) | Survey area | Sampling method | Analytical framework | Source | Comments | A.P.E.S. database ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii | 1995-2005 | 0.07-0.09 | 200-300 | Ugalla region 3,352 sq. km | Line transects & recces | Ogawa et al. 2007 | |||||
| Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii | 2009-2010 | 0.25 (0.16-0.38) | 322 (227-373) | Ugalla region, 624 sq.km | Reconnaissance walk | Moore & Vigilant 2014 | Standard and spatially explicit genetic capture-recapture methods |
Threats
The area has been under increasing pressure from human disturbance. The greatest threats include agricultural expansion, cattle herding, fire, logging, and poaching (Masanja 2014). Hunting with snares is very common, but large game such as buffalo (Syncerus caffer), rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) or elephant (Loxodonta africana) are hunted with firearms. Elephant, rhinoceros and lion numbers have declined sharply in Ugalla, along with increased illegal ivory trade (Masanja 2014).
Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Ugalla
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Geological events | Absent | |||
| 12 Other threat | Absent | |||
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | High (more than 70% of population affected) | Poaching is a serious problem in Ugalla because of poverty and a massive increase in demand for animal protein (Masanja 2014). | Ongoing (2014) |
| 7 Natural system modifications | 7.1 Fire & fire suppression | Present (unknown severity) | People burn grassland during the dry season. Although the fires have direct and indirect influences on vegetation and wild animals, trees don't die from the fires; the woodland in the area is considered fire-adapted (Ogawa 2007). | Ongoing (2007) |
| 1 Residential & commercial development | Unknown | |||
| 2 Agriculture & aquaculture | Unknown | |||
| 3 Energy production & mining | Unknown | |||
| 4 Transportation & service corridors | Unknown | |||
| 6 Human intrusions & disturbance | Unknown | |||
| 8 Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Unknown | |||
| 9 Pollution | Unknown | |||
| 11 Climate change & severe weather | Unknown |
Conservation activities
Challenges
Table 5. Challenges reported for Ugalla
| Challenges | Specific challenges | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not reported |
Enablers
Table 6. Enablers reported for Ugalla
| Enablers | Specific enablers | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Site management | |||
| 2 Resources and capacity | |||
| 3 Engaged community | |||
| 4 Institutional support | |||
| 5 Ecological context | |||
| 6 Safety and stability |
Research activities
A behavioral study of chimpanzees at the site documented the use of tools to dig for plant underground storage organs (USOs), suggesting that exploitation of such resources was within the cognitive and technological reach of the earliest hominins (Hernandez-Aguilar, Moore & Pickering 2007).
Documented behaviours
Table 7. Behaviours documented for Ugalla
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Using tools to dig for plant underground storage organs | Hernandez-Aguilar, Moore & Pickering 2007 |
Exposure to climate change impacts
External links
Relevant datasets
References
Moore, D. L., & Vigilant, L. (2014). A population estimate of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the Ugalla region using standard and spatially explicit genetic capture–recapture methods. American Journal of Primatology, 76(4), 335-346.
Ogawa, H., Moore, J., Pintea, L., & Hernandez-Aguilar, A. (2007). Sleeping parties and nest distribution of chimpanzees in the savanna woodland, Ugalla, Tanzania. International Journal of Primatology, 28(6), 1397-1412.
Hernandez-Aguilar, R. A., Moore, J., & Pickering, T. R. (2007). Savanna chimpanzees use tools to harvest the underground storage organs of plants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(49), 19210-19213.
Masanja, G. F. (2014). Human population growth and wildlife extinction in Ugalla ecosystem, western Tanzania. Journal of Sustainable Development Studies, 5(2).
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