La Belgique
Central Africa > Cameroon > La Belgique
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Summary
- Central chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) & western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) are present in La Belgique.
- The population size is unknown.
- The population trend is unknown.
- The total area of the site is 32.4 km².
- The major reported threats include bushmeat hunting and the gathering of non-timber forest products.
- The main conservation activities include education and awareness-raising, providing monetary benefits to the local community, and conducting research and tourism projects.
Site characteristics
Table 1. Basic site information for La Belgique
| Species | Pan troglodytes troglodytes, Gorilla gorilla gorilla |
| Area | 32.4 km² |
| Coordinates | Lat: 3.560550 , Lon: 13.298692 |
| Type of site | Non-protected area |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical dry forest, Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest, Wetlands (lakes, rivers, streams, bogs, marshes) |
| Type of governance | Shared governance |
Types of sites Governance types Habitat types
Ape status
Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for La Belgique
| 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 troglodytes | 2009-2010 | 0.13 (0.07-0.24) | Forest management unit 10047 | Line transects | Distance sampling with survey specific decay time | Tagg & Willlie, 2013 | Estimate from old transects; however, estimate from new transects higher: 0.32 [0.25-0.41] | ||||
| Gorilla gorilla gorilla | 2009-2010 | 0.09 (0.04-0.21) | Forest management unit 10047 | Line transects | Distance sampling with survey specific decay time | Tagg & Willlie, 2013 | Estimate from old transects; however, estimate from new transects higher: 0.15 [0.04-0.59] |
Sampling methods Analytical frameworks
Threats
Table 3. Threats to apes reported for La Belgique
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.1.1 Subsistence bushmeat hunting | Low (up to 30% of population affected) | Signs of human presence (e.g. signs of hunting) reduced density of apes (Tagg & Willie, 2013). | 2009-2010 |
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.2 Gathering terrestrial plants | Low (up to 30% of population affected) | Evidence for non-timber forest products collection (Tagg & Willies, 2013) | 2009-2010 |
Conservation activities
Table 4. Conservation activities reported for La Belgique
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Implementing organization(s) | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Education & awareness | 4.1 Educate local communities about apes and sustainable use | A secondary conservation activity of 'Projet Grands Singes'. | Projet Grands Singes/Antwerp Zoo's Center for Research and Conservation | 2001-Ongoing (2024) |
| 7 Economic & other incentives | 7.1 Provide monetary benefits to local communities for sustainably managing their forest and its wildlife (e.g., REDD, alternative income, employment) | A secondary conservation activity of 'Projet Grands Singes'. ‘Reciprocal Environmental Agreements’ between PGS and individual local people to reduce poaching intensity for alternative sources of income, including technical support in the development of cocoa production and fishing (Zoo Science). | Projet Grands Singes/Antwerp Zoo's Center for Research and Conservation | 2001-Ongoing (2024) |
| 8 Permanent presence | 8.1 Run research project and ensure permanent human presence at site | The conservation and development project 'Projet Grands Singes' (PGS), an initiative of Antwerp Zoo’s Centre for Research and Conservation, started research activities in 2001 to protect endangered species and help local communities in sustainable natural resource management. | Projet Grands Singes/Antwerp Zoo's Center for Research and Conservation | 2001-Ongoing (2024) |
| 8 Permanent presence | 8.2 Run tourist projects and ensure permanent human presence at site | A secondary conservation activity of 'Projet Grands Singes'. | Projet Grands Singes/Antwerp Zoo's Center for Research and Conservation | 2001-Ongoing (2024) |
Challenges
Table 5. Challenges reported for La Belgique
| Challenges | Specific challenges | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Engaged community | 3.2 Lack of youth engagement | Zoo Science 2024 | 2001-Ongoing (2024) |
| 3 Engaged community | 3.5 Anticipated disadvantages/costs created by conservation activities (e.g., restricted access/resource use) | Zoo Science 2024 | 2001-Ongoing (2024) |
Enablers
Table 6. Enablers reported for La Belgique
| Enablers | Specific enablers | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Engaged community | 3.5 Positive past experience/associations with conservation (e.g. postivie image of conservation) | Tagg et al. 2015, Zoo Science 2024 | 2001-Ongoing (2024) |
| 3 Engaged community | 3.6 Local community engagement and support | Tagg et al. 2015, Zoo Science 2024 | 2001-Ongoing (2024) |
Research activities
'Projet Grands Singes' (PGS) has been managing the research site 'La Belgique' is since 2001 supported by Antwerp Zoo’s Centre for Research and Conservation (Tagg et al., 2015). Focus of the research program is great ape socio-ecology and surveys.
Documented behaviours
Table 7. Behaviours documented for La Belgique
| Category | Behavior | Observation type | Prevalence | Observation dates | Source | Habituation | Species | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not reported |
Exposure to climate change impacts
External links
References
Page created by: Winnie Eckardt Date: 2024-11-30 09:34:00