apc presentation- nyawira gitaka
TRANSCRIPT
Translocation of Mount Kenya guereza (Colobus guereza kikuyuensis):
Human-nonhuman primates conflict mitigation
Peter Fundi, Stan Kivai, Tom Kariuki &Esther Nyawira
Institute of Primate Research – Kenya
Introduction
Human-nonhuman primates conflict mediated by
Complex social organizations
Rapid learning ability
Dietary plasticity
Anthropogenic activities and
Climate change
Worse outside Protected areas
and human modified habitats
Several mitigation measures available
Translocation used as last result
Combined with other conservation solutions
Problem
In Nyandarua county, Central Kenya
Human population increasing rapidly
Large parcels of land subdivision
Clearing of riverine forests
Palatable crops
Human-wildlife interactions
Arboreal primates vulnerable
Primates persecution on the increase
Translocation the only solution
Human-colobus Conflict Mitigation measures
Guarding and Chasing
Use of dogs
Trapping
Scare crows
Mixed crop farming
Clearing their habitats
Why translocate Mount Kenya guereza
The only arboreal primate
Difficulty to migrate in fragmented farmland
Narrow dietary plasticity
Pricey skins and ready market
Sink Habitat
Karura forest
A tropical urban rain forest
Secondary indigenous forest
Surrounded by non-farmers
Fenced and protected
Tourism hub in Nairobi
Project Objectives
Translocate a population of Mount guereza in conflict with humans
Boost aesthetic value and biodiversity of Karura forest
Develop a working model for colobus capture, translocation and
monitoring
Methods
Groups surveys outside protected areas
Human-colobus interactions assessments
Sink and source habitat characterization
Translocation approvals
Groups habituation and diet surveys
Capture and translocation
Release and post release monitoring
Both capture and release sites
Results
Thirty six groups outside protected areas in the county
In five riverine locations
mean group size of six individuals
Eighty five plant species in Karura
Two colobus habitats characterized at source site
Habitat characterization and species sharing
263ha of indigenous forest at Karura to hold 100 colobus
Approved by National Primate Task Force
KWS translocation committee
Location No. species No. shared species
No. shared food species
Gilgil 61 14 8Wanjohi 89 19 11
Human colobus interactions used in prioritizing the groupsAll five locations sampled 20 households per site
Location Interacted (%)
Crop raiding (%)
Translocation support (%)
Wanjohi 60 65 60
Gilgil 40 40 85
Gathiriga 78 88 92
Miharati 55 69 83
Tulasha 84 74 96
Translocation approval: Kenya Wildlife Service National Primates Task Force
100 animals to be translocated in two phasesPhase 1=40 individualsPhase2=60 individuals
Capture targeted whole groups
Phase 1 had 87.5 % of the target and
Phase 2 had 75% of the target
six groups moved in phase 1 and 10 groups in phase 2
Success in transport and release
All individuals transported safely
All individuals released after four days
Site occupancy after translocation
Source
Colobus – nil
Sykes – 5 individuals
Sink
Riverine habitat – 14 groups
Edge habitat – 5 groups
Outside forest – nil
Local impacts of translocation
Single crop farming
Increased in time farming
Consistency in attending school
Minimal citation of dogs in farms
Reduction in complaints at local KWS office
Conclusion
Translocation requires careful planning
Capture methods need to be flexible
Transport in single cages
Community involvement emphasized
Translocation used when all methods fail
Post translocation key in understanding success
Acknowledgements
Institute of Primate Research (IPR)
Friends of Karura Forest (FKF)
Kenya Forest Service(KFS)
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)
African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) - funding
County government of Nyandarua - Support
Thank you