Diversity and diel activity patterns of terrestrial mammals in the Nkuba Conservation Area, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Yntze Van Der Hoek,Tara S Stoinski,Urbain Ngobobo,Escobar Binyinyi,Damien Caillaud

doi:10.1017/s003060532100106x

Yntze Van Der Hoek, Tara S Stoinski + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1017/s003060532100106x

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Abstract

AbstractThe Congo basin forests have vast conservation potential but because of their inaccessibility and periodic insecurity there is little formal protection or ecological research occurring there. Community-based conservation efforts in the unprotected forest corridor separating Kahuzi-Biega and Maiko National Parks in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo aim to protect a unique forest ecosystem and facilitate the development of ecological research. To support this process, we obtained baseline data on the occurrence of terrestrial mammals in the Nkuba Conservation Area by conducting camera-trap (2014–2018) and transect (2013–2018) surveys. From camera-trap images we also extracted diel activity patterns and estimated overlap in these patterns between selected pairs of species. We identified 29 mammal species weighing > 1 kg using camera traps and 22 species in transect surveys, with a total of 33 mammal species, of which seven are categorized as threatened on the IUCN Red List. Among this mammalian community, we recorded nocturnal and diurnal species with short core activity periods, and several cathemeral species with long activity periods, with various degrees of temporal separation of diel activity between species. The presence of threatened species, including the Critically Endangered Grauer's gorilla Gorilla beringei graueri, suggests that the Nkuba Conservation Area harbours a forest community that requires continuous monitoring, further research and investment in protection from the ongoing deforestation and resource exploitation occurring in the surrounding region.

Highlights

The primary forests of the Congo basin, a vast area that encompasses large parts of six Central African countries, are of special interest for carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation (Justice et al, ; Xu et al, ), as well as for biodiversity conservation (e.g. Gibson et al, )
We focused on predominantly terrestrial mammals . kg
Not all species recorded by camera traps were recorded along the transects

Summary

Introduction

The primary forests of the Congo basin, a vast area that encompasses large parts of six Central African countries, are of special interest for carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation (Justice et al, ; Xu et al, ), as well as for biodiversity conservation (e.g. Gibson et al, ). The lack of ecological research in the eastern part of the Congo basin, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), arises from logistical challenges and periods of armed conflicts and political instability (Draulans & Van Krunkelsven, ; Anthony et al, ; Butsic et al, ). These challenges extend to the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems in formally recognized protected areas, historically a key tool for conservation. Threats include encroachment by artisanal mining, increases in illegal bushmeat hunting, ivory extraction, a lack of political and financial support for protected area management, armed conflicts and attacks on protected area staff (Draulans & Van Krunkelsven, ; de Merode & Cowlishaw, ; Beyers et al, ; Butsic et al, ; Verweijen & Marijnen, )

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