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Grauer’s Gorillas and
Chimpanzees in Eastern
Democratic Republic of Congo
(Kahuzi-Biega, Maiko, Tayna and Itombwe Landscape)
Conservation Action Plan 2012-2022
About IUCN
IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world nd pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and
development challenges.
IUCN’s work focuses on valuing and conserving nature, ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use, and deploying nature-
based solutions to global challenges in climate, food and development. IUCN supports scientic research, manages eld projects all over
the world, and brings governments, NGOs, the UN and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practice.
IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization, with more than 1,200 government and NGO Members and
almost 11,000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by over 1,000 staff in 45 ofces and hundreds of
partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world.
IUCN Species Survival Commission
The Species Survival Commission (SSC) is the largest of IUCN’s six volunteer commissions with a global membership of 8,000 experts.
SSC advises IUCN and its members on the wide range of technical and scientic aspects of species conservation and is dedicated
to securing a future for biodiversity. SSC has signicant input into the international agreements dealing with biodiversity conservation.
www.iucn.org/themes/ssc
IUCN Species Programme
The IUCN Species Programme supports the activities of the IUCN Species Survival Commission and individual Specialist Groups, as well
as implementing global species conservation initiatives. It is an integral part of the IUCN Secretariat and is managed from IUCN’s international
headquarters in Gland, Switzerland. The Species Programme includes a number of technical units covering Wildlife Trade, the Red List,
Freshwater Biodiversity Assessments (all located in Cambridge, UK), and the Global Biodiversity Assessment Initiative (located in Washington
DC, USA).
IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group
The Primate Specialist Group (PSG) is concerned with the conservation of more than 680 species and subspecies of prosimians,
monkeys, and apes. Its particular tasks include carrying out conservation status assessments, the compilation of action plans, making
recommendations on taxonomic issues, and publishing information on primates to inform IUCN policy as a whole. The PSG facilitates the
exchange of critical information among primatologists and the professional conservation community. The PSG Chairman is Dr. Russell A.
Mittermeier, the Deputy Chair is Dr. Anthony B. Rylands, and the Coordinator for the Section on Great Apes is Dr. Liz Williamson.
Web: www.primate-sg.org/
Grauer’s Gorillas and
Chimpanzees in Eastern
Democratic Republic of Congo
(Kahuzi-Biega, Maiko, Tayna and Itombwe Landscape)
Conservation Action Plan 2012-2022
Compiled and edited by Oscar Maldonado, Conrad Aveling, Debby Cox, Stuart Nixon, Radar Nishuli, Dario Merlo,
Lilian Pintea & Elizabeth A. Williamson
The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion
whatsoever on the part of IUCN or other participating organizations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its
authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reect those
of IUCN or other participating organizations.
Published by:
IUCN, Gland, Switzerland
Copyright: © 2012 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial uses is authorized without prior written permission
from the copyright holder(s) provided the source is fully acknowledged.
Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the
copyright holder(s).
Citation: Maldonado, O., Aveling, C., Cox, D., Nixon, S., Nishuli, R., Merlo, D., Pintea, L. & Williamson, E.A. (2012). Grauer’s Gorillas
and Chimpanzees in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (Kahuzi-Biega, Maiko, Tayna and Itombwe Landscape):
Conservation Action Plan 2012–2022. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group, Ministry of Environment,
Nature Conservation & Tourism, Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature & the Jane Goodall Institute. 66pp.
ISBN:
978-2-8317-1535-3
Cover photos: [front cover] Grauer’s gorilla, Cimanuka, KBNP © Joseph McKenna
[back cover] Tayna Nature Reserve © Stuart Nixon
Layout by: Kim Meek, [e-mail] k.meek@mac.com
Available from: http://www.primate-sg.org/
Funded by: The Arcus Foundation and The World We Want Foundation
iii
Section 1: Table of Contents
Foreword .......................................................................................................................... 1
1. Executive Summary ...................................................................................................... 2
2. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 4
2.1 The Planning Process ...........................................................................................................4
2.2 Vision for the Conservation Action Plan for Great Apes in Eastern DRC
.............................5
2.3 Geographic Context and Scope of the Plan
.........................................................................5
2.4 The Human Context
..............................................................................................................7
2.5 Actors and Stakeholders
......................................................................................................8
3. Conservation Targets .................................................................................................. 10
3.1 Ecological and Cultural Diversity of Eastern Chimpanzees ................................................ 10
3.2 Socio-Ecological Diversity of Grauer’s Gorillas
..................................................................13
3.3 Habitat Diversity and Connectivity......................................................................................19
3.4 Viability Assessment
........................................................................................................... 21
3.5 Research Needs
.................................................................................................................24
4.Threats to the Conservation Targets ............................................................................ 25
4.1 Bushmeat Hunting .............................................................................................................. 25
4.2 Habitat Loss
........................................................................................................................29
4.3 Natural Disasters
................................................................................................................29
4.4 Trade in Live Infant Chimpanzees and Gorillas
...................................................................32
4.5 Disease Transmission
.........................................................................................................32
4.6 Threats Analysis: Status of Threats to Conservation Targets in the Grauer’s Landscape
...... 32
4.7 Conceptual Models
.............................................................................................................33
5. Conservation Strategies .............................................................................................. 37
5.1 Strategy for assessing priority populations of great apes in the landscape (PP) ...............39
5.2 Strategy for raising awareness and involving the population in conservation (LC)
............40
5.3 Strategy for consolidating land management (LM)
.............................................................40
5.4 Strategy for reinforcing protected areas, community forests and sanctuaries (PA)
...........41
5.5 Strategy for enforcing law within the landscape (LE)
..........................................................42
6. Monitoring Plan .......................................................................................................... 44
6.1 Monitoring of the strategy for assessing priority populations of great apes
in the landscape (PP)
................................................................................................................ 44
6.2 Monitoring of the strategy for raising awareness and involving the population
in conservation (LC)
.................................................................................................................. 45
6.3 Monitoring for the strategy for consolidating land management (LM)
................................46
6.4 Monitoring of the strategy for reinforcing protected areas, community
forests and sanctuaries (PA)
.....................................................................................................46
6.5 Monitoring of the strategy for enforcing law within the landscape (LE)
..............................47
6.6 Monitoring of the goals for all strategies combined
...........................................................48
7. Acknowledgements .................................................................................................... 49
8. Acronyms and Abbreviations Used ............................................................................. 50
9. Bibliography
............................................................................................................... 51
Appendix I. List of Workshop Participants ....................................................................... 54
Appendix II. Preliminary Results Chains .......................................................................... 56
Appendix IIa. Results chain of the strategies for conservation of the ecological and
cultural diversity of eastern chimpanzees
................................................................................57
Appendix IIb. Results chain of the strategies for conservation of the socio-ecological
diversity of Grauer’s gorillas......................................................................................................58
Appendix IIc. Results chain of the strategies for conservation of habitat
diversity and connectivity
.........................................................................................................59
Appendix III. Workplan for Year 1 .................................................................................... 60
Appendix IV. Conclusions and Lessons Learned from the Planning Process
................... 66
1
Foreword
In 2005, the Jane Goodall Institute began working in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic
of the Congo (DRC). When we rst initiated our projects there, we focused on the linkages between
population, health and the environment thanks to funding from the American people through the
U.S. Agency for International Development.
Over time, our work in DRC evolved to include the development of a Great Ape Conservation
Action Plan (CAP) as DRC is critical to the survival of the great apes. DRC is the only country in
the world to have the presence of so many of them—from chimpanzees and bonobos to gorillas,
both Grauer’s and mountain. In fact, it is home to an estimated 200,000 chimpanzees, the largest
population in Africa.
The CAP process was led by the Jane Goodall Institute thanks to support from the Arcus and
World We Want foundations. The process brought together 75 representatives from government
institutions, including environment, mining, agriculture, security services, and the Institut Congo-
lais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) – the national parks service. In addition, the process
included more than 15 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working on conservation and de-
velopment in the landscape. This collaboration was the rst of its kind in the region and I commend
all the organizations that took part.
The CAP covered a very large area totalling more than 260,000 square kilometres of forest habitat
stretched over ve provinces and 20 territorial governments. When the researchers came together
and shared their data, they noted that there had been an alarming drop in known numbers of
Grauer’s gorillas.
The threats to chimpanzees and Grauer’s gorillas are numerous, including the illegal commercial
bushmeat trade and habitat degradation. Through the CAP process, we know where their popula-
tions are, where we need more information, and what we can start doing immediately to ensure
that our closest living relatives are still thriving many years from now.
Despite the threats and challenges identied by the stakeholders and the remaining instability in
parts of eastern DRC, there is now hope for the survival of great apes. Their fate lies in the hands
of the various organizations that have committed to implementing the CAP and meeting its collec-
tive goals. This is a great responsibility and those involved in chartering a course for conservation
of the great apes in this region should be proud.
The time for action to save the Grauer’s gorillas and chimpanzees in eastern DRC is now. I encour-
age you to join this ambitious effort.
Jane Goodall, Ph.D., DBE
Founder – the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace
www.janegoodall.org
Goma workshop participants
2
1. Executive Summary
In January 2011, the Jane Goodall Institute convened conservation partners to develop a con-
servation action plan for great apes in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, in collaboration
with the Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation & Tourism and the Institut Congolais pour
Conservation de la Nature. The main goal of this initiative was to identify critical threats to goril-
las, chimpanzees and their habitats in the landscape, and to develop conservation strategies to
address these threats. The Nature Conservancy’s Conservation Action Planning methodology was
followed. This approach is widely used and recognized as a rigorous, robust, and logical method-
ology due to the emphasis on science and use of the best available information. Given the vast
area of the landscape and availability of the experts, partners and key actors, the conservation
plan was conceived during a series of workshops with precise objectives, themselves preceded
by preparatory meetings.
To guide the planning and implementation of this plan, the following vision was conceived and
ratied by the participants in the workshops: Viable populations of Grauer’s gorillas, an endemic
species, and chimpanzees in eastern DRC, their ecological diversity, together with the integrity and
viability of their habitat, are ensured by the commitment of communities and authorities at all levels,
forming a source of national pride. The geographic scope of the plan was dened as a vast region
of 268,814 km
2
, bounded by the Lindi and Ituri rivers in the north, the Congo River in the west (a
natural barrier to the distribution of chimpanzees) and the border with Rwanda in the east. In the
south, the landscape includes the territory of Kalemie between Luama-Kivu and Lake Tanganyika,
and extends into the provinces of Maniema and Katanga. The actors in this region represent a wide
range of stakeholders, including local communities (both rural, living in the forest, and urban), local
authorities (police, administrative and traditional authorities) and national authorities (the Institut
Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature and ministries, in particular the Ministry of Environ-
ment, Nature Conservation & Tourism). International conservation NGOs, local environmental and
development NGOs, universities and research institutes also play an important part. In relation to
threats, actors such as rebels, poachers and illegal miners were identied.
The conservation targets (species, ecological systems or ecological communities selected as the
primary objectives of the conservation actions) were chosen in view of their importance for the
conservation goals in the framework of the plan. The three conservation targets chosen were:
Young Grauer’s gorilla in a
group habituated for tourism
in KBNP © John Martin
3
(1) The ecological and cultural diversity of eastern chimpanzees; (2) The socio-ecological diversity
of Grauer’s gorillas; and (3) Habitat diversity and connectivity.
Given that the strategies were developed around the three conservation goals, some components
were repeated in the strategies for more than one goal. The strategies were later regrouped and
composed by theme in order to avoid duplication and facilitate understanding of the strategies and
the development of the workplan. The nal result was the following:
• Strategy for assessing priority populations of great apes in the landscape
• Strategy for raising awareness and involving the population in conservation
• Strategy for consolidating land management
• Strategy for reinforcing protected areas, community forests and sanctuaries
• Strategy for enforcing law within the landscape
Adult male (silverback) Grauer’s
gorilla, KBNP © John Martin
4
2. Introduction
In 2011, the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) convened conservation partners to develop a conservation
action plan for great apes in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with nancial support
from the Arcus and World We Want foundations. The main goal of this initiative was to identify
critical threats to gorillas, chimpanzees and their habitats in the landscape, and to develop con-
servation strategies to address these threats. Emphasis was placed on activities at a systemic and
strategic level that could add value to the large-scale planning effort vis-à-vis site-level efforts. JGI,
in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation & Tourism (MECNT) and the
Institut Congolais pour Conservation de la Nature (ICCN), worked closely with many provincial and
local Congolese stakeholders and international conservation organizations. Workshop participants
are listed in Appendix I.
2.1 The Planning Process
2.1.1 Methodology
This conservation plan was developed using the Nature Conservancy’s Conservation Action Plan-
ning (CAP) methodology. The TNC CAP is used throughout the world, recognized as rigorous, ro-
bust and logical, particularly because of its emphasis on science and on using the best information
available. More than just a conservation planning methodology, the TNC CAP is a systematic ap-
proach to the management of conservation projects. It is based on the identication of conserva-
tion priorities (‘Conservation Targets’) in a precise geographic area (‘Scope of the Project’), viability
assessments of the targets, threats to the targets, as well as the context and important actors.
These elements form the foundation for developing conservation strategies with precise, concrete
and measurable objectives, as well as plans of action and monitoring with measures of success.
The advantage of the TNC CAP vis-à-vis other conservation planning methodologies is that it pro-
vides a solid platform for the later execution of activities and monitoring (measures of success) and
encourages continuous revision, based on the plan’s performance, as well as adaptive manage-
ment. The following graphic shows the different phases of a TNC CAP in project management. In
this diagram, the yellow circles at the top and on the right show the steps related to planning.
Figure 1. Conservation
Action Planning © TNC
Developing
Strategies & Measures
• Target viability
• Critical threats
• Situation analysis
• Objectives & actions
• Measures
Defining
Your Project
• Project people
• Project scope & focal
targets
Implementing
Strategies & Measures
• Develop workplans
• Implement actions
• Implement measures
Using Results to
Adapt & Improve
• Analyze actions & data
• Learn from results
• Adapt project
• Share findings
Conservation
Action
Planning
5
2.1.2 The Process
Given the large size of the landscape and availability of the experts, partners and key actors, the
conservation action plan was conceived during a series of consecutive workshops with precise
objectives, themselves preceded by preparatory meetings.
Preliminary Meetings
Meetings with the principal stakeholders were held in November 2010 and January 2011, to explain the
CAP process and prepare participants to bring the maximum amount of information to the workshops.
First Workshop in Goma (7–8 February 2011)
The aim of the rst meeting was to conceptualize the conservation plan for great apes in eastern
DRC. More precisely, the scope of the plan, the conservation targets and a vision for the plan were
addressed. The participants also developed analyses of the main threats negatively affecting the
viability of the conservation targets. This meeting included multiple experts with advanced knowl-
edge on the status of great apes in this region.
Second Workshop in Goma (9–11 February 2011)
This workshop brought together actors from Maiko, Tayna, Kisimba, Ikobo and the UGADEC Re-
serves and was designed to develop conservation strategies for the northern region of the con-
servation zone. That said, the participants found that their proposals were also applicable for the
southern region, which is why their initiatives were presented at the third workshop.
Third Workshop in Bukavu (14–16 February 2011)
Having already developed a draft version of conservation strategies in Goma, the third workshop
set out to complete and validate that work, and to prepare an initial version of the monitoring plan
and measures of success.
2.2 Vision for the Conservation Action Plan for Great Apes in Eastern DRC
According to CAP methodology, a vision is a general summary of the desired state or ultimate con-
dition of the project area or scope that a project is working to achieve. A good vision statement
meets the criteria of being relatively general, visionary and brief. For most biodiversity conservation
projects, the vision will describe the desired state of the biodiversity of the project area. Taking this
denition into account, the workshop participants composed and agreed upon the following vision:
Viable populations of Grauer’s gorillas, an endemic species, and chimpanzees in eastern DRC, their
ecological diversity, together with the integrity and viability of their habitat, are ensured by the com-
mitment of communities and authorities at all levels, forming a source of national pride.
2.3 Geographic Context and Scope of the Plan
Eastern DRC comprises a spectacular range of habitats and constitutes one of the highest biodi-
versity areas in Africa. The region is dominated by lowland rainforest (~600–1,000 m elevation) and
transitional forests (~1,000–1,700 m elevation). In the east, the Albertine Rift is dominated by mid-
altitude forests and montane forests (1,700–3,475 m elevation, Mount Kahuzi being the highest
peak). It is Africa’s richest region for vertebrates and contains numerous endemic and threatened
species (402 mammal species of which 34 are endemic; 5,793 plant species with 567 endemics).
Heading west, the land descends progressively towards the dense, humid forests of the plains
(400 m elevation along the Lualaba River).
This region is particularly important because of the intact forest covering much of its surface area.
Recent studies of the Congo Basin forests indicate that the rates of deforestation in the DRC
(which uctuate between 0.2% and 0.3% per year) are among the lowest for tropical forest regions
(MECNT 2009). However, if no strict forest protection measures are taken, this could change in
the near future when conict comes to an end and the country’s economy starts to recover. In this
respect, the development of industrial extractive industries (forestry and mining) will undoubtedly
have negative impacts on the integrity of the target habitats.
The geographic scope of this plan encompasses an area of 268,814 km
2
bounded by the Lindi and
Ituri rivers in the north, the Congo River in the west (a natural barrier to the distribution of chimpanzees)
6
Figure 2. Geographic scope of the conservation plan for great apes in eastern DRC
7
and the border with Rwanda in the east. In the south, the landscape includes the territory of Kalemie
between Luama-Kivu and Lake Tanganyika, and extends into the provinces of Maniema and Katanga.
Initially, this plan was to focus on USAID’s Central African Regional Programme for the Environ-
ment (CARPE) Maiko-Tayna-Kahuzi-Biega (including Itombwe) Landscape, Landscape 10, which
encompasses the range of Grauer’s gorillas but did not take into account the chimpanzees’
range. For example, certain priority sites identied in the IUCN action plan for eastern chimpan-
zees (Plumptre et al. 2010) were not initially to be included in this plan. However, during the rst
workshop in Goma, ICCN and other stakeholders recommended including Luama-Kivu, south of
Itombwe, a habitat judged important for chimpanzees that are highly threatened by poaching.
During the same meeting, great apes experts proposed including the northern sector of Virunga
National Park and the area north of CARPE Landscape 10 between Maiko National Park to the Ituri
River. Tongo and Watalinga in Virunga National Park were added for their chimpanzee populations
and Mount Tshiaberimu for a small population of Grauer’s gorillas. These great ape populations are
unique for their ecological diversity (occupying volcanic habitat and high altitude forests) and for
their tourism potential.
2.4 The Human Context
Few demographic data are available for eastern DRC, especially since there have been large dis-
placements of people due to armed conicts in the region. In general, the human population is
unevenly distributed, with density decreasing from east to west: the west is scarcely populated and
about 80% is covered by lowland forest with no permanent settlements, while in the east human
density in the highlands of the Albertine Rift reaches more than 300 inhabitants/km
2
(OFAC 2012).
Around one third of this population is under 20 years of age.
The most widespread activities are farming, hunting, charcoal production and artisanal mining. In
the west, farming is slash-and-burn and the main crops are manioc, rice and beans. In the east,
people practice more permanent and intensive farming techniques. Near to villages one can nd oil
palm, banana, coffee and cocoa plantations. Palm oil, extracted manually, is an important product
in the local markets. Most of the old commercial plantations are no longer operational. Large scale
cattle breeding for meat and dairy products is limited to the more temperate eastern highlands.
Subsistence hunting is an omnipresent activity and mainly small ungulates, rodents and primates are
targeted. The demand for bushmeat is particularly high around mining sites and villages close to for-
est. River shing is practiced throughout the area, but a shing culture exists in only a few localities.
Artisanal mining of gold, tin, tungsten, diamonds and, above all, coltan, seems to be intense in
the entire region. The asphalt road between Walikale and Lubutu is often used as a landing strip
Artisanal mining in Lubutu
© Stuart Nixon/FFI
8
by planes transporting minerals and sometimes passengers or those coming from urban centres.
There are also multiple industrial gold mining concessions, notably near Bukavu (de Wasseige et
al. 2009). However, in-depth studies should be undertaken.
There are few commercial logging concessions in the region, but small artisanal operations are
everywhere. Charcoal production to supply urban centres is a major business in the east. Around
Goma and Bukavu, charcoal production is particularly intense, even inside the national parks. The
monthly consumption of fuel is estimated at 15 kg per inhabitant.
2.5 Actors and Stakeholders
There are many actors in the Grauer’s landscape. The following is a brief description of a few that
could have an impact on the conservation targets:
Rural people living in the forests. These people essentially live off subsistence slash-and-burn
farming, which leads to progressive degradation of forest cover. As demographic pressure in-
creases, fallow periods diminish and more forest is degraded. These populations are also depen-
dent on natural forest resources such as bushmeat, sh and medicinal plants, and timber products
(construction wood, rewood, charcoal). When subsistence activities become commercialized, as
in the bushmeat trade, this contributes to impoverishment of forest resources.
Urban populations. Between 30% and 40% of people in DRC live in urban centres in difcult eco-
nomic circumstances (World Bank 2012). They suffer a quasi-generalized lack of basic services—
poor or nonexistent access to potable water, rare and unstable electricity, combined with a rela-
tively slow development of basic infrastructure and facilities such as schools and health centres—
and more than ever the urban population is dependent on forest resources. This dependence
creates a demand in rural areas, which often leads to overexploitation. This is the case for the large
and medium-sized mammals that become more and more scarce once commercial exploitation
is established to meet urban demands. The demand for rewood and charcoal has devastating
impacts on the forest surrounding urban centres.
Public Security Services (police, gendarmes, military, border security) are deployed through-
out the landscape and are essential to the success of this conservation plan. These services can
be involved in law enforcement measures in cooperation with ICCN and its conservation partners.
During the insecurity of the last 15 years, certain factions of the security services and armed
groups have facilitated or participated in illegal trafcking. The progressive return of peace should
increase control over the agents, improve the intervention capacities of these services and avoid
situations in which certain elements are complicit in some form in illegal trafcking.
Firewood being taken out of
the forests of Maniema © Liz
Williamson
9
The local administrative authorities are a major political partner and will help to ensure the ef-
fective implementation of this plan. Weakness of the provincial administrative institutions, linked
to the unstable circumstances of the past, have limited the enforcement of regulations (forest,
conservation, mining, among others). This situation is improving and the participation of territorial
administrators in the development of this plan leaves hope for its wholehearted appropriation.
Traditional authorities. In DRC, traditional authorities are important and traditional leaders still
have a mediating and counselling role for their people. When traditional authorities participate in
conservation activities and rational use of natural resources, the results can be encouraging. ICCN
and its conservation NGO partners should try to systematically involve traditional authorities in
their activities.
Rebels and other armed groups. The various rebel groups and armed bands in eastern DRC con-
stitute a clear threat within the landscape even though recent deployments of the Congolese Armed
Forces are striving to reduce their presence. In addition to the atmosphere of insecurity attributed
to these factions, they are accused of illegal exploitation of natural resources, particularly minerals.
ICCN has a mandate to manage the protected areas and to intervene within a 50-km buffer around
protected areas. It also has a mandate to ensure legally protected species are protected through-
out DRC. However, ICCN lacks resources, which is why NGOs and partner agencies provide nan-
cial and logistic support, and assist with the implementation of conservation projects. Because of
its mandate, ICCN will be the key actor in the implementation of this plan.
Research institutes and universities are actively involved in ecological monitoring of great apes
and their habitat. Researchers from Lwiro Centre for Research in Natural Sciences, park staff,
teachers and students from two universities in Bukavu participate in studies of the ora and fauna
in protected areas (KBNP, Itombwe Nature Reserve and Tayna Nature Reserve) assisted by inter-
national researchers. The universities provide students to investigate research topics related to
protected area management and propose possible solutions to these management problems.
International conservation NGOs and donor agencies. Given the exceptional biological impor-
tance of the landscape, multiple donors and international NGOs are working to support conservation
and natural resources management in eastern DRC. For example, the EC and GIZ (formerly GTZ, which
has supported KBNP since 1983). USAID, through its CARPE programme, operates in the Maiko-Tay-
na-Kahuzi-Biega (including Itombwe) Landscape, which makes up more than half of the area covered
by this CAP.
Local NGOs. Numerous local development and environmental NGOs operate in the Grauer’s land-
scape. These include POPOF and UGADEC.
A member of ICCN staff talking
to government soldiers about
the need to protect forests and
wildlife © ICCN/KBNP
10
3. Conservation Targets
The conservation targets are species, communities and ecological systems that are chosen to
represent and encompass the full array of biodiversity found in a project area. They are the basis
for setting goals, carrying out conservation actions, and measuring conservation effectiveness.
The three conservation targets chosen for eastern DRC were:
• Ecological and cultural diversity of eastern chimpanzees
• Socio-ecological diversity of Grauer’s gorillas
• Habitat diversity and connectivity
3.1 Ecological and Cultural Diversity of Eastern Chimpanzees
The chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) is one of the three species of great ape found in DRC, the others
being the eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) and the bonobo (Pan paniscus). Chimpanzees are cur-
rently divided into four subspecies, one being the eastern chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schwein-
furthii), which is found in eastern and northern DRC. This subspecies is the most numerous of the
four. It occupies an area estimated at about 874,000 km
2
, the largest population is found in eastern
DRC (Plumptre et al. 2010). About a quarter of eastern chimpanzees occur within the geographic
scope of this plan.
Groves (2005) described morphological differences in the skull size and limb length of chimpan-
zees in northern DRC and Central African Republic compared with those in southeastern DRC.
Consequently, he proposed separating Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii into two groups, naming
those of the southeast Pan troglodytes marungensis. However, this classication has not been
accepted by the scientic community, mainly because of a lack of a clear limit between the two
proposed taxa (Plumptre et al. 2010). Nonetheless, for the purposes of this plan, it is important to
note that there is still little published information about the morphology and culture of chimpanzees
in eastern DRC. Thus the loss of any subpopulation could lead to the extinction of a culturally dis-
tinct group, emphasizing the vital importance of conserving as many subpopulations as possible.
Chimpanzees are more versatile than gorillas in terms of the habitats they are able to occupy. They
adapt to a wide range of habitat types, including forest-savanna mosaic, woodlands and humid
tropical forests, and range from sea level to 2,790 m elevation (Kortlandt 1983; Butynski 2003;
Gross Camp et al. 2009). Chimpanzees are fundamentally frugivorous, so they depend on forests
having a high fruit production, from which we see the importance of access to both primary and
Adult male eastern
chimpanzee feeding on gs
© Alain Houle
11
Figure 3. Distribution of chimpanzees in eastern DRC © Lilian Pintea
12
secondary forests. The loss of large areas of forest and the degradation of their habitat could cause
reductions in chimpanzee numbers, leading to their local extinction in the medium to long term.
If forest degradation and fragmentation by mining and forestry operations, as well as by human
demographic pressures on natural habitats, continue to increase (Potapov et al. 2012), this risk is
not far from becoming reality in some areas.
Chimpanzees live in communities of 20–150 individuals (Watts 2004). They have a complex multi-
male and territorial social system. Their ssion-fusion society allows communities to disperse in
parties of differing size and composition during the day. Communities can thus regroup or separate
while maintaining social relations and defending the home range (Goodall 1986; Emery Thompson
& Wrangham 2013; Williamson et al. 2013).
Chimpanzees are both terrestrial and arboreal and they locomote by brachiation, bipedalism, qua-
drumanous climbing and quadrupedal knuckle-walking (ibid.). They eat and rest on the ground and
in the trees, but when moving if travelling long distances, they always travel on the ground, which
makes them vulnerable to direct and even indirect hunting, as they can be caught by traps and
snares intended for other animals (Muller & Wrangham 2000).
Chimpanzees build nests to sleep in every night, occasionally reusing a nest (e.g., Brownlow et al.
2001). They construct night nests in circular fashion in trees using solid branches as a foundation
or in the form of a fork and bending, breaking and interlacing the branches (e.g., Humle 2003). They
also construct day nests on the ground (e.g., Goodall 1986). Nests can be used to estimate the size
of great ape populations and are particularly useful when populations are not habituated to human
presence and cannot be observed directly (Kühl et al. 2008).
All chimpanzee taxa are classied as Endangered on the Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN
2012). Under the Convention on the International Trade of Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),
chimpanzees are classied in Appendix I, which comprises all species threatened with extinction
of their specimens or parts is authorized only in exceptional conditions (Rosser et al. 2001). Chim-
panzees received protected status in 1969 under Congolese law (Law No. 69, 22 August 1969).
Chimpanzee at Tongo in
Virunga National Park © The
Forgotten Parks
13
The ancestral lines of humans and chimpanzees are thought to have separated about ve million
years ago. Chimpanzees and humans share about 98% of their DNA and, in biological terms,
chimpanzees are more closely related to humans than they are to gorillas (Williamson et al. 2013).
Because of this close proximity between humans and chimpanzees, the conservation and survival
of the latter has as much a moral as a practical implication.
3.2 Socio-Ecological Diversity of Grauer’s Gorillas
Grauer’s gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri) is endemic to the mixed tropical and montane forests of
the western Albertine Rift escarpment and eastern lowlands of DRC. It is classied as Endangered
on the IUCN Red List (IUCN 2012), listed on Appendix I of CITES, and has full legal protection
under DRC and international laws.
Grauer’s gorilla is one of two subspecies of eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei), the other being the
mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei), found in the Virunga Volcanoes of DRC, Rwanda, and
Uganda, and the Bwindi and Sarambwe forests of Uganda and DRC. Grauer’s gorilla is often called
the eastern lowland gorilla, though this nomenclature is misleading as the subspecies occurs over
the widest altitudinal range of any gorilla, from approximately 600 m to 2,900 m, overlapping con-
siderably with the altitudinal range of the mountain gorilla (1,400–3,800 m; Williamson et al. 2013).
Grauer’s gorilla populations are geographically isolated from mountain gorilla populations, and a dis-
tance of approximately 900 km separates eastern from western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla). The largest on
average of all gorilla taxa (Goodall & Groves 1977), signicantly less is known about Grauer’s gorilla
ecology and behaviour than about either mountain or western gorillas, although several studies have
revealed a diet rich in herbaceous vegetation, lianas and vines, leaves, bark, rotting wood, season-
ally available fruits, bamboo at higher altitudes, and occasionally ants and other small invertebrates
(Goodall 1977; Schaller 1963; Yamagiwa et al. 2005). As Grauer’s gorillas have a preference for plant
species associated with regenerating forests, they are often found near active or abandoned agri-
cultural clearings, mines, villages and other sites of human disturbance (Schaller 1963; Omari et al.
1999; Nixon et al. 2006; Nixon et al. 2007). Grauer’s gorillas also opportunistically raid elds to feed
on crops such as bananas and sugar cane. Like the other gorilla
taxa, Grauer’s gorillas typically live in relatively stable “harem-
like” family groups consisting of 2–36 multi-aged individuals led
by a single dominant “silverback” male.
The historic range of Grauer’s gorilla was estimated to cover
52,000 km
2
(Mehlman 2008), from the Albertine Rift escarpment
in the east towards Punia in the west, and from the Lindi River in
the north to the Itombwe massif in the south. Today four broad
population centres are recognized:
1. Maiko region (encompassing Maiko National Park and
adjacent forests)
2. Tayna-Walikale region (Tayna Nature Reserve, Kisimba-
Ikobo Nature Reserve and the Usala forest)
3. Kahuzi-Kasese region (the Kahuzi-Biega National Park
(KBNP) lowlands and adjacent Kasese forest)
4. Itombwe massif (including Itombwe Natural Reserve)
Additional isolated populations are found in Masisi, the KBNP high-
lands and on Mount Tshiaberimu in Virunga National Park. Histori-
cally, gorillas also ranged south of Itombwe in the bamboo forests
of the western rift escarpment, although these populations have
now been extirpated (J. Hart pers. comm.). All of these protected
areas were created specically or at least in part to protect Grauer’s
gorillas, with KBNP and Maiko National Park believed to support
the most important populations. Maiko National Park is the only
protected area that harbours Grauer’s gorilla alongside important
populations of okapi, Congo peafowl and forest elephant.
Contemplative silverback Grauer’s gorilla © Holly Carroll
14
The rst surveys of this taxon (then grouped with the Virunga and Bwindi populations as mountain
gorillas) by Emlen and Schaller in 1959 documented that gorillas west of the Albertine Rift occurred
at low overall density with a highly fragmented and patchy distribution. High densities were found in
small, localized subpopulations, while large areas of contiguous and seemingly suitable habitat were
unoccupied (Emlen & Schaller 1960). They concluded that gorillas were rare and likely undergoing
a rapid population decline due to habitat conversion and widespread hunting in retaliation for crop
raiding and, opportunistically, for meat. Based on limited data, they broadly estimated the existence
of 5,000–15,000 individuals (Emlen & Schaller 1960; Schaller 1963).
As predicted, during the 1960s and 1970s a signicant percentage of Afromontane habitat in
the Kivu provinces was converted to pasture and agricultural land. A concurrent proliferation of
12-gauge shotguns promoted by the then-Zairian government facilitated the hunting of large mam-
mals such as gorillas, resulting in their local extinction in many areas (P. Anderson, pers. comm.).
Subsequent surveys did not take place until the 1990s and then focused on KBNP and the adja-
cent Kasese forests (Hall et al. 1998a), Itombwe (Omari et al. 1999) and Maiko National Park (Hart
& Sikubwabo 1994). These surveys found that gorillas remained highly threatened, primarily by
hunting and expanding human settlements. The loss of several subpopulations in Itombwe was
documented, as was a range reduction in the Kahuzi-Kasese region. From these surveys, Hall et
al. (1998b) estimated a total population size of 8,660–25,500 individuals with a central tendency
of 16,900.
This broad abundance estimate overlaps and considerably increases that previously estimated by
Emlen and Schaller despite substantial habitat loss and several localized extinctions being recorded
since 1959. The wide estimates calculated from both studies show clearly the difculties associated
with calculating accurate abundance estimates from one-off surveys. Thus, caution should be exer-
cised when referring to these estimates in the context of perceived population declines.
Existing threats to gorillas were massively exacerbated throughout the 1990s and early 2000s with
the onset of erce conict in the Great Lakes region. In 1994, hundreds of thousands of refugees
ed into DRC following the Rwandan civil war and genocide, settling in forest areas throughout
the east including in KBNP. This destabilized the already fragile
Zairian government, plunging the country into civil war and hu-
manitarian crisis. Refugees, internally displaced people and nu-
merous armed groups placed enormous pressure on DRC’s for-
ests through uncontrolled hunting, harvesting of wood for fuel,
habitat conversion for farmland, timber extraction and mining.
Although the historic distribution of Grauer’s gorilla is reasonably
well documented, knowledge of its current conservation status is
limited. High levels of insecurity and poor access to remote regions
during recent decades have prevented a coordinated, range-wide
effort to assess their status, although preliminary work has been
possible in some areas. For example, several previously uncon-
rmed subpopulations have been documented in Tayna (Mehlman
2008), Maiko south (Nixon et al. 2006), Usala (Nixon et al. 2007),
Walikale (J.C. Kyungu pers. comm.) and Itombwe (WCS unpub-
lished data). However, the subspecies is believed to be in severe
decline across most of its range. In 2008, it was estimated that
approximately 25% of gorilla habitat rst identied by Schaller has
been lost in the Albertine Rift highlands, reducing Grauer’s gorilla
range of occupation to 21,600 km² (Mehlman 2008). In KBNP, the
highland population decreased by almost 40% between 1996 and
2000, though recent surveys show a small increase in the popula-
tion (WCS 2010). In the lowland sector, gorillas appear have un-
dergone a catastrophic decline since 1995 and the forest corridor
connecting the two populations has been severed by extensive
illegal human settlement (Amsini et al. 2008). In a recent analysis
of great ape habitat in Africa, Junker et al. (2012) have shown that
Road conditions in rural DRC, south of Kisangani © Stuart Nixon/
DFGFI
15
the extent of suitable environmental conditions for Grauer’s gorillas has declined by 52% since the
1990s.
Hunting of gorillas within the southern sector of Maiko National Park has been recorded, and at least
one subpopulation on the north bank of the Lowa River, near Maiko National Park, has been exter-
minated since its was rst documented in 2005 (Nixon 2010). The status of the Maiko populations is
precarious – the southern populations exist in a region occupied by Simba rebels and the status of
the northern population remains completely unknown since 1994 due to a lack of park infrastructure
and the presence of militia linked to illegal mining. In North Kivu, the extermination of at least one
remnant Masisi population has been reported (C. Aveling pers. obs.). Reports exist of military, rebels
and civilians in Walikale Territory hunting gorillas, and several gorillas were killed in the Tayna Nature
Reserve between 2004 and 2007 (Nixon unpublished data). The remnant population at Mount Tshia-
berimu in Virunga National Park exists in a perilous situation. Numbering fewer than 10 individuals
and isolated from other gorilla populations in a 60-km
2
island of montane forest, it remains highly
threatened by deforestation and low genetic viability (J.C. Kyungu pers. comm.).
Since 2003, ICCN and its partners have conscated 16 Grauer’s gorilla infants from military and
civilian society. Casualties of illegal hunting, these individuals are housed at the Gorilla Rehabilita-
tion and Conservation Education (GRACE) Centre. Possible future reintroduction of these cons-
cated individuals to sites such as Mount Tshiaberimu may offer some hope for small yet isolated
subpopulations in well-protected areas.
Given the gaps in our knowledge, it is extremely difcult to estimate the current abundance of
Grauer’s gorilla. However, based on data collated over the past decade, an overall decline of
50–75% across its entire range is suspected and it is likely that Grauer’s gorilla now numbers
somewhere between 2,000 and 10,000 individuals (Nixon et al. 2012). A Population and Habitat
Viability Assessment (PHVA) for the mountain gorilla (Werikhe et al. 1998) suggested that the risk
of extinction increases with small population size, exposure to human diseases, habitat destruc-
tion and fragmentation. When war in the region surrounding mountain gorilla range was added to
Itombwe landscape: Asukulu M’mema, a newly recruited guard, was tortured and killed by unidentied armed men while investigating a gorilla
slaughter in August 2009. He was posthumously awarded the Abraham Prize for Nature Conservation © Faustin Batechi/ICCN
16
the model, severe reductions in female breeding success and survivorship (among both infants
and adults of both sexes) were observed. In all scenarios where war was included, encompass-
ing differing levels of habitat loss as well as direct and indirect loss of gorillas, mountain gorilla
populations declined steadily over the 100-year time frame of the simulations. Scenarios in which
the direct effects of war were more intense resulted in the greatest decline in population size and
extent of genetic variability and the greatest overall risk of population extinction.
Long-term conict and insecurity in DRC have resulted in rebel and civilian occupation of the
forests, including protected areas, and have severely restricted the ability of conservation organi-
zations to monitor and protect gorillas, enforce hunting and protected area regulations, and keep
pace with intensifying threats. In the presence of such threats, subpopulations will gradually be
reduced by hunting, and exterminated rapidly when new settlements or mining operations are es-
tablished, and/or become increasingly isolated from each other by habitat loss and degradation.
These impacts disrupt metapopulation dynamics within and between subpopulations, resulting in
the loss of genetic diversity and, ultimately, leading to localized extinction. Current evidence sug-
gests that without concerted efforts to conserve Grauer’s gorilla, the next decade will be marked
by further declines and widespread local extinctions of this little known subspecies.
In the current social and political context of eastern DRC, the threats to Grauer’s gorilla are intense,
yet Grauer’s is the only gorilla subspecies not classied as Critically Endangered on the Red List
(IUCN 2012), due simply to a lack of data demonstrating its overall rate of decline. Establishing
accurate baselines on the distribution and abundance of Grauer’s gorillas and conducting research
with a view to understanding their ecological requirements, dispersal patterns and the genetic
relationships between subpopulations will all be essential to developing realistic and successful
conservation strategies.
On the positive side, the highly localized distribution of Grauer’s gorillas in discrete subpopulations
could facilitate the efcient prioritization of valuable resources. A recently documented increase
in the KBNP highland population (WCS 2010) is evidence that highly targeted conservation efforts
can be successful even in the face of acute pressures.
The entrance to Kahuzi-Biega
National Park © Liz Williamson
17
Figure 4. Distribution of Grauer’s gorilla
18
Figure 5. Priority populations of Grauer’s gorilla
19
3.3 Habitat Diversity and Connectivity
Maintenance of large areas of intact habitat is critical to the survival of chimpanzees and gorillas. For-
est integrity (low rates of clearing and fragmentation) also allows gene ow between populations to
continue. Given the fragmented nature of the Grauer’s gorilla distribution (the reasons for which are
not fully understood), it is particularly important to maintain forest integrity, because gorillas will be
vulnerable to the effects of forest fragmentation. Preserving the integrity of large swathes of forest will
also enable us to save one of the most biologically diverse regions on the African continent.
The choice of habitat as a conservation target is also based on its importance as a carbon sink
in the ght against global warming, its role in the regulation of local climate patterns, as well as
the numerous environmental services that these ecosystems provide (e.g., animal and vegetable
proteins, medicinal plants, hydrological services, pollination).
The choice of such a vast conservation target allows us to take into consideration sites for which
data are lacking or are insufcient. Current knowledge of the distribution and abundance of great
apes in eastern DRC is limited to a relatively small area that eld staff have been able to access
during almost 20 years of political turmoil. A large area of the south and west of the landscape has
not been inventoried. Even if this area of the conservation target does not harbour large popula-
tions of gorillas, it is important for chimpanzees.
In the target habitats, the causes of forest loss are mainly farming (slash-and-burn agriculture) and,
to a lesser extent, livestock farming to supply markets in Goma, Butembo and Beni, and illegal
artisanal mining operations (see threat analysis). The area with the greatest forest loss is along the
Albertine Rift to the west of Lakes Tanganyika, Kivu and Edward, where the human population ex-
ceeds 300 inhabitants per km
2
. Forest loss is also occurring along the trans-African highway linking
Bukavu to Kisangani via Walikale and Lubutu. Forest clearance is intensifying there with renovation
of the road. A third area of deforestation can be found northeast of Shabunda and southeast of
Mwenga. This is linked to deforestation of the mountainous area around Bukavu. However, since
2000, forest loss and degradation in the landscape covered by this plan total little more than 2%
of the total surface area, according to the latest data from JGI. The existence of multiple protected
areas conserving the target habitat is of crucial importance in light of the fragmentation that is likely
in the future.
The lowland forest (~500 m elevation) in the west of the land-
scape along the Lualaba River is dominated by tree species
belonging to the Caesalpiniaceae family. There are also large
swathes of seasonally-inundated and gallery forests. Futher
east, mixed forest with Strombosia and Parinari, as well as
monodominant Gilbertiodendron dewevrei forest occurs up to
1,000 m elevation. Submontane or transitional forest is found at
1,000–1,650 m elevation and is characterized by the presence
of the genera Pentadesma, Lebrunia, Cynometra, Julbernar-
dia, Pouteri and Staudtia. Above 1,650 m, Afromontane forest
is characterized by the genera Diospyros, Entandrophragma,
Ficalhoa, Olea, Parinari, Podocarpus, Prunus and Syzygium.
From 2,300 m, in the subalpine zone, bamboo (Synarundinaria
alpina) is mixed with high montane forest species (Hagenia,
Olea, Podocarpus). At this same elevation Ericacae cover and
montane prairies are found. At the highest altitudes (e.g., sum-
mits of Mounts Kahuzi and Biega), small areas of groundsel
(Senecio spp.) and giant lobelia (Lobelia spp.) are found.
The target habitats also include the transitional zone between
the tropical forests of the Congo Basin and the dry miombo
woodlands in the south. This zone, which includes the Luama
Kivu hunting reserve, is characterized by a mosaic of forest and
savanna. These dry forests harbour chimpanzees, but are out-
side the gorillas’ geographic range.
Mid-altitude gorilla forest in Tayna Nature Reserve © Stuart Nixon/
DFGFI
20
Figure 6. Habitat types within the Grauer's gorilla landscape
21
3.4 Viability Assessment
The viability assessment is an important component of the TNC CAP because it helps us to assess
the status or “health” of the conservation targets, to understand what their long-term conserva-
tion depends on, and to what point a conservation plan can guarantee their future survival. In this
assessment, viability is understood as “the ability of a conservation target to withstand or recover
from most natural or anthropogenic disturbances and thus to persist for many generations or over
long time periods”. Technically, the term “integrity” should be used for ecological communities and
ecological systems with “viability” being reserved for populations and species. In the interest of
simplicity, however, we use viability as the generic term for all targets.
3.4.1 Stages of the Viability Assessment
The viability assessment comprises the following four steps:
i. Identication of Key Ecological Attributes (KEAs)
Viability assessment begins by identifying Key Ecological Attributes (KEAs) for each of the focal
conservation targets. KEAs are aspects of a target’s biology or ecology that, if present, dene a
healthy target and, if missing or altered, would lead to the loss of that target over time. As such,
KEAs dene the target’s viability or integrity.
Key ecological attributes can often be grouped into three classes:
Size is a measure of the area or abundance of the conservation target’s occurrence.
Condition is a measure of the biological composition, structure and biotic interactions that char-
acterize the occurrence.
Landscape context is an assessment of the target’s environment including ecological processes
and regimes that maintain the target's occurrence such as ooding, re regimes and many other
kinds of natural disturbance, and connectivity such as species targets having access to habitats
and resources or the ability to respond to environmental change through dispersal or migration.
ii. Identication of indicators for the KEAs
The indicators are measurable entities related to a specic in-
formation need (for example, the status of a key ecological at-
tribute, change in a threat, or progress towards an objective). A
good indicator meets the criteria of being measurable, precise,
consistent and sensitive.
iii. Determine ratings for variation in the indicators
Using the best available knowledge (expert advice, documen-
tation), determine benchmarks for the ratings: Poor, Average,
Good and Very Good.
iv. Denition of current status and desired future status
The nal step of the viability assessment consists of dening
the current status and the desired future status of each KEA of
the conservation targets, and an approximate date to attain the
desired status.
3.4.2 Limitations of the Viability Assessments
Viability assessments have limitations. Among them, lack of
information is a major problem. Nonetheless, this should not
be considered a reason to not undertake an assessment of the
status of the targets. The CAP methodology recommends seek-
ing the best available information and the advice of experts to
address, at least temporarily, any shortcomings.
Another limitation of viability assessments is the potential for er-
ror. In this regard, we are not proposing a denitive assessment,
Afromontane forest at Mt. Tshiaberimu © Stuart Nixon
22
but rather a rst attempt at understanding how the viability of the chosen targets can be examined
and measured over time. In other words, the current assessment is just the beginning of a “work in
progress”, which must be constantly revised and improved upon as the plan is implemented and
new information and data are obtained and disseminated.
Finally, the large scope of this plan, which covers more than 260,000 km
2
, signicantly complicates
the assessment, notably with regard to the species (“ne lter” targets). Two factors contribute to
these complications: rst, their distribution throughout the landscape is uneven (particularly when
we consider protected and non-protected areas) and second, the target species, Grauer’s gorillas
in particular, also have an irregular and scattered distribution.
3.4.3 Viability Assessment for Eastern Chimpanzees
Table 1: Results of Viability Assessment – Chimpanzee
KEA Type Indicator Very good Good Average Poor
Range Size Number and
extent of polygons
(home ranges) of
subpopulations
+ 50% in
relation to
baseline
+ 30% in
relation to
baseline
No growth
in relation to
baseline
30%
reduction in
relation to
baseline
Density Size Proportion of
50×50-km grid
squares with
chimpanzee
presence
> 5000
chimpanzees
(2 indiv/km
2
)
2500
chimpanzees
(1 indiv/km
2
)
1250
chimpanzees
(0.5 indiv/
km
2
)
< 600
chimpanzees
(0.25 indiv/
km
2
)
ICCN guards with snares and other items conscated from poachers in KBNP. Poaching is one of the biggest threats to wildlife in DRC. Although
snares are not intended to catch gorillas and chimpanzees, many have been maimed by these traps © ICCN/KBNP
23
3.4.4 Viability Assessment for Grauer’s Gorillas
The situation in 1959 described by Schaller (1963), minus populations known to have disappeared,
plus recently discovered populations (Nixon et al. in prep.), was taken as the baseline for this as-
sessment.
Size of the population
• Number of subpopulations
• Area occupied by the subpopulations (to determine the polygons delineating the subpopula-
tions: for key subpopulations, superimpose observations on a map of the Schaller subpopula-
tions; for isolated “outlier” observations, create a 25-km
2
polygon around the observations)
• Area of total range of the subpopulations (minimum convex polygons surrounding all
subpopulations)
• Number of 25-km
2
grid squares where gorilla presence was recorded (a square is considered
to have been surveyed if at least one 5-km transect has been carried out there). Baseline is
the situation in 2011.
• Number of individuals in certain key populations (KBNP highlands, Tayna, Tshiaberimu)
Condition
Various criteria were combined to assess the condition of a population: distribution (see above),
abundance (see above), rate of habitat destruction and hunting indicators (the latter are covered in
Section 6, the monitoring plan).
Table 2: Results of Viability Assessment – Gorillas
KEA Type Indicator Very good Good Average Poor
Number of gorilla
subpopulations
Size Subpopulation +50% +30% No growth
in relation to
baseline
30% reduction
Area of gorillas’
range
Size Area of occupation +10% Baseline –15% –30%
Relative
abundance of
gorillas
Size Relative abundance in
25-km² grid squares
1
+30% +15% No growth
in relation to
baseline
–20% of grid squares
show reduction of relative
abundance
Habitat continuity Landscape context See Habitat Viability Assessment
Habitat loss Condition See Habitat Viability Assessment
1
Categories of relative density to be determined (Very High, High, Average, Low)
The forest of Usala © Stuart Nixon/DFGFI
24
3.4.5 Viability Assessment for the Habitat
Table 3: Results of Viability Assessment – Habitat
KEA Type Indicator Very good Good Average Poor
Habitat
diversity
Size and
condition
% forest cover for
each habitat type
at baseline (State of
the Forest 2010)
low altitude dense humid forest +20% no change –20% –40%
mid-altitude forest +20% no change –10% –25%
Afromontane forests +15% +10% +5% baseline
subalpine vegetation +15% +10% +5% baseline
Habitat
connectivity
Condition Extent of forest blocks delineated by roads or access
routes
+10 no change –10 –20
Habitat
connectivity
Condition Number of forest blocks delineated by roads or access
routes in human-impacted strips
–20% no change +20% +40%
Habitat
integrity
Condition Proportion of 25-km² grid squares impacted by humans
2
+20% no change -20% -40%
No. of km of road/access routes where the human-
impacted strip is >1 km wide
+20% no change -20% -40%
Proportion of 25-km
2
grid squares with rural complexes +20% no change -20% -40%
2
Calculated for low and mid-altitude dense humid forest only
3.5 Research Needs
The viability assessments serve not only to determine the health status of the conservation targets
and establish ratings for the indicators according to the best information available, but also to
identify research needs. The viability assessments are developed with the understanding that they
need to be improved upon as new data and information become available.
The following research needs were identied to better establish the health status of the conserva-
tion targets:
• Establish a more precise baseline for the number of subpopulations of gorillas and
chimpanzees
• Establish a baseline for the number of 25-km
2
grid squares containing gorillas and/or
chimpanzees
• Establish a baseline for the number of gorilla observations by km of recce survey in each
altitudinal band
• Establish baselines for the habitat KEAs (proportion of human-impacted grid squares,
number of kilometres of road with human-impacted strips >1 km)
• Establish a baseline for the proportion of human-impacted grid squares
• Establish a baseline for the percentage of forest cover in each altitudinal band
• Establish a baseline for the number of kilometres of access route where the width of the
human-impacted strip exceeds 1 km
25
4. Threats to the Conservation Targets
The threats to conservation have a different impact on each of the conservation targets of this
plan (see Figs. 13, 14 and 15). However, there was a strong consensus among the conservation
community regarding the main direct threats to the targets. The following threats were therefore
identied as critical by the workshop participants:
• Hunting
– Cultural hunting
– Subsistence hunting for bushmeat
– Commercial hunting for bushmeat
• Habitat loss
• Habitat fragmentation
– Habitat degradation
– Deforestation
– Natural disasters
• Trade in live chimpanzees
• Trade in live gorillas
• Disease transmission (of human origin)
4.1 Bushmeat Hunting
Despite the fact that all killing, capture or consumption of great apes is illegal, hunting represents
the principal direct threat to great apes in eastern DRC. This threat is growing with the soaring
human colonization and subsequent installation of settlements close to previously undisturbed for-
ested areas. The permanent presence of people who provide the workforce for the legal and illegal
exploitation of natural resources (minerals, wood) also constitutes a major factor in this problem. In
addition, armed rebels residing in the forests increase the extent and intensity of this threat, as they
are dependant upon wildlife to feed themselves. The poaching problem, particularly in protected
areas, is exacerbated further by the lack of anti-poaching patrols.
4.1.1 “Cultural” Hunting
Cultural hunting includes the practices of some ethnic groups who believe that ingesting particular
animal parts can confer strength, courage, virility, fertility, and so on. Such hunting does not reach
the same level as hunting for bushmeat, nonetheless cultural hunting is illegal and constitutes a
threat to great ape populations (D.A. Cox pers. obs.).
4.1.2 Bushmeat Hunting (Subsistence and Commercial)
Hunting for bushmeat, which is more often than not poaching and therefore illegal, is by far the great-
est driver of human predation on great apes and the main threat to their long-term conservation (e.g.,
Wilkie et al. 1998; Walsh et al. 2003; de Merode et al. 2004; Fa et al. 2005). Human demographic
increases and immigration associated with forestry and mining operations aggravate the pressures.
A study in the Twabinga-Mundo region of eastern DRC was able to show a clear relationship between
mining activity and poaching (Nixon 2010). A study in northern Congo estimated an offtake of 5–7%
of the gorilla and chimpanzee population per year (Bowen-Jones & Pendry 1999). This is unsustain-
able due to the great apes’ slow rates of reproduction and compromises the future of these species.
4.1.3 Secondary Impacts of Bushmeat Hunting
Bushmeat hunting has two main secondary impacts: on the one hand, numerous young primates and
chimpanzees in particular, are orphaned. Many die, some are kept as pets, a few reach sanctuaries such
as Lwiro (Cox et al. 2000; Goossens et al. 2003). On the other hand, both gorillas and chimpanzees can
be accidentally caught in snares and traps that have been set to catch other animals, such as antelopes.
Such accidental snaring may cause serious wounding, amputation of a hand or foot or even death from
gangrene or septicaemia. Many gorillas and chimpanzees survive with disabling injuries (Byrne & Stokes
2002; Reynolds 2006).
Victims of the bushmeat trade: chimpanzees at Lwiro Sanctuary
© Christina Ellis
26
Figure 7. Spatial modelling of threats in the Grauer's gorilla landscape
27
Figure 8. Areas where chimpanzees are threatened by poaching
28
Figure 9. Areas where gorillas are threatened by poaching and insecurity
29
4.2 Habitat Loss
Human population growth and the demand for land to cultivate are the main causes of habitat loss
in eastern DRC (Hall et al. 1998b; Butynski 2003; Junker et al. 2012), and habitat loss is one of
the major threats to great apes. The rate of forest conversion to arable land is increasing and the
problem is exacerbated by poor farming practices, such as migratory farming and poor methods
of crop rotation, pushing people towards a continued invasion of the forest.
More than legal operations, the illegal exploitation of forest resources contributes to the problem
signicantly, not only through direct impacts (total deforestation in the affected areas), but also
through indirect impacts such as the opening of access routes and drawing in a work force. The
same problems are associated with mining, one of the main sources of increasing pressure on the
forests of eastern DRC (IES 2008).
4.2.1 Habitat Fragmentation and Degradation
Forest fragmentation, caused by conversion into farmland or by unsustainable exploitation of re-
sources, contributes to the isolation of great ape populations. Their populations are highly suscep-
tible to fragmentation and isolation given that estimates suggest that 500–2,000 individual apes
are needed to maintain a stable population over the long term (Soulé 1987; Harcourt 2002; Reed &
Hobbs 2004). In some areas, such as Itombwe, the great ape populations have already been highly
fragmented by human colonization of their natural habitat, and the corridor linking the lowland and
highland populations in KBNP has been severed. Reduced gene ow and loss of genetic diversity
could disadvantage these populations in the future (Butynski 2003).
4.2.2 Deforestation
Thus far, the average rate of deforestation in the DRC has been
relatively low (0.2–0.3% per year) compared to the global av-
erage (0.6% per year) (Hansen et al. 2011; Ernst et al. 2012).
However, if the rate of demographic growth continues and if the
permits already issued for natural resource exploitation (miner-
als and wood) are put in operation, the rate of deforestation will
increase dramatically. Political instability caused by the pres-
ence of armed rebels has prevented exploitation under many
of the permits already granted, but numerous illegal operations
constitute a signicant driver of deforestation and degradation.
Currently, the main cause of deforestation is still the conversion
of land for farming, which is accompanied by poor agricultural
techniques (such as burning). There is also a high consumption
of wood as a principal source of energy for cooking, aggravating
the problem further.
4.3 Natural Disasters
Natural disasters, such as volcanic eruptions with their emissions of toxic gases, lava ows and
forest res, may further impact great ape populations that have already been isolated by habitat
destruction. Both Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira in Virunga National Park have erupted in recent
years, and chimpanzees residing on the slopes of Nyamulagira were threatened by the eruptions
of January 2010. In addition to the direct impact of mortality, further loss of habitat caused by
these eruptions reduces the chimpanzees’ ability to survive in a region where human development
around the volcanoes prevents migration to other areas. Natural disasters also have the potential
to cause local extinctions.
Slash-and-burn of the forest to cultivate cassava and other crops
© Stuart Nixon/DFGFI
30
Figure 10. Spatial modelling of habitat loss within the Grauer's gorilla landscape
31
Figure 11. Areas within the Grauer's gorilla landscape threatened by deforestation
32
4.4 Trade in Live Infant Chimpanzees and Gorillas
There is no known formal network of great ape trafckers in
eastern DRC. Any live trade is opportunistic, but strongly linked
to poaching for bushmeat. However, infant gorillas and chim-
panzees are popular as pets as much in DRC as in foreign coun-
tries (D.A. Cox pers. obs; F. Chantereau pers. comm.). Young
great apes cannot be captured without killing the mother and
other family members that come to their defence.
4.5 Disease Transmission
The genetic and physiological closeness of great apes and hu-
mans makes great apes particularly susceptible to diseases of
human origin. Viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and numerous
other pathogens are easily transmissible between human be-
ings and great apes. This risk is increasing with closer and more
frequent contact between the two. Respiratory infection, polio, Ebola, anthrax and scabies have all
been documented in great apes (e.g., Butynski & Kalina 1998; Wallis & Lee 1999; Leendertz et al.
2004; Leroy et al. 2004; Ryan & Walsh 2011; Palacios et al. 2011).
4.6 Threats Analysis: Status of Threats to Conservation Targets in the Grauer’s Landscape
The status of threats to the conservation targets in eastern DRC is shown in Table 4. Threats were
ranked (Low, Moderate, High, Very High) according to the following variables for each of the threats
acting on a conservation target:
Scope: Dened as the proportion of the conservation target that can reasonably be expected to
be negatively impacted by the threat within 10 years under current circumstances (i.e., given the
continuation of the existing situation). Normally, it is dened geographically, but in the case of spe-
cies, it can be measured as a proportion of the population.
Severity: The level of damage to a target that the threat could cause under current circumstances.
For species, it is generally measured by the degree of population reduction in the landscape; for
ecosystems, it is measured by the degree of destruction or degradation in the landscape (scope
of the plan).
Irreversibility: The degree to which the effects of a threat can be reversed, and the target im-
pacted by the threat can be restored.
Table 4. Status of threats to the conservation targets
Threat/Conservation
Target
Ecological and cultural
diversity of chimpanzees
Diversity and
connectivity of habitats
Socio-ecological diversity
of gorillas
Summary of threat
estimate
Bushmeat hunting
(cultural/ subsistence/
commercial)
High Very high High
Trade in live chimpanzee
infants
Moderate Low
Habitat loss Moderate High Moderate
Degradation Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate
Fragmentation Moderate High Moderate
Disease transmission Moderate Moderate Moderate
Adult female eastern chimpanzee © Alain Houle
Table 4 continued on next page
33
Threat/Conservation
Target
Ecological and cultural
diversity of chimpanzees
Diversity and
connectivity of habitats
Socio-ecological diversity
of gorillas
Summary of threat
estimate
Natural disasters Moderate Low Low Low
Deforestation Moderate Moderate Low Moderate
Trade in live gorilla infants Moderate Low
Summary of estimate per
conservation target
High Moderate High High
4.7 Conceptual Models
Conceptual models are increasingly used in conservation planning. They facilitate better under-
standing of the relationships between direct threats to the conservation targets and the underlying
factors that cause them. They are a graphic tool that shows the context affecting the conservation
targets as a ow diagram. These models do not replace situation analyses, but provide a synthesis
and make it easier to analyse the context. In addition, conceptual models help in identifying “gate-
ways” for the development of conservation strategies.
The workshop participants developed conceptual models for each conservation target. The rst
(Figure 12) is a synthesis of the latter three and shows how the combined threats affect the three
conservation targets.
Figure 12. Direct threats to the conservation targets
Table 4 continued from previous page
34
Figure 13. Underlying factors and direct threats to the ecological and cultural diversity of eastern chimpanzees
35
Figure 14. Underlying factors and direct threats to the socio-ecological diversity of Grauer’s gorillas
36
Figure 15. Underlying factors and direct threats to habitat diversity and connectivity
37
5. Conservation Strategies
Conservation strategies are the activities that stakeholders
agree to undertake to mitigate or eliminate the threats to the
conservation targets and assure their long-term viability.
Conservation strategies were planned by analyzing the concep-
tual models and identifying possible “gateways” for develop-
ing activities. To do this, the workshop participants took into
account the value of different factors in a conceptual model in
order to identify those that are most important in driving one
or more of the threats. They also considered the strategic ad-
vantage (i.e., if addressing one problem could resolve multiple
threats and their causes), as well as the capacity and available
or accessible resources to implement these actions.
Strategies were developed for each of the conservation
targets, as follows:
Strategies for conservation of the ecological and cultural diver-
sity of eastern chimpanzees
Goal of the strategies: By 2036, the chimpanzee population will
be stable
• Strategy C.S1: Public awareness campaigns and local
involvement in conservation
• Strategy C.S2: Land-use planning
Strategies for conservation of the socio-ecological diversity
of Grauer’s gorillas
Goal of the strategies: By 2021, the abundance and distribution of priority Grauer’s gorilla popula-
tions are stable compared to 2014.
• Strategy G.S1: Public awareness campaigns and lobbying
• Strategy G.S2: Reinforce capacity in protected areas, sanctuaries and community forests
• Strategy G.S3: Promote and diversify tourism products
Strategies for conservation of habitat diversity and connectivity
Goal of the strategies: TBD
• Strategy H.S1: Enforcement of laws in protected areas
• Strategy H.S2: Promotion of alternative activities
The ‘Results Chains’ in Appendix II illustrate the logic used in construction of the strategies. They
show, in ow diagrams, the premises and general assumptions of the strategies.
Given that the strategies proposed were based on conservation targets, some components were
repeated in the strategies of two or even three targets (e.g., lobbying and public awareness cam-
paigns). To avoid duplication, facilitate understanding of the strategies and development of the
workplan, the strategies were later regrouped and composed by theme. The nal result was the
following:
• Strategy for assessing priority populations of great apes in the landscape
• Strategy for raising awareness and involving the population in conservation
• Strategy for consolidating land management
• Strategy for reinforcing protected areas, community forests, and sanctuaries
• Strategy for enforcing law within the landscape
The general Results Chain for all strategies is presented in Figure 16.
Young Grauer’s gorilla: highland sector of KBNP © Stuart Nixon/FFI
38
Figure 16. General results chain for all strategies
39
5.1 Strategy for assessing priority populations of great apes in the landscape (PP)
Objective Activities Actors
PP/O1
By 2014, great ape priority
populations are known and
baselines of abundance,
distribution and threat established
in consultation with the local
authorities
PP/O1/A1
Identify priority sites for intervention and produce
basic maps.
ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI
PP/O1/A2
Dene survey protocols for great ape habitats
ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI
PP/O1/A3
Select survey teams
ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI
PP/O1/A4
Organize in situ training of survey techniques and
carry out a survey
ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI
PP/O1/A5
Deploy teams in the eld and begin great ape
surveys in priority sites (known and potential)
ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI
PP/O2
From 2013, monitoring techniques
(surveys and health) are
standardized and monitoring is in
place at priority sites
PP/O2/A1
Develop a standard data collection protocol to
compile data in centralized database
ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI/MGVP
PP/O2/A2
Develop a standard methodology for surveys and
monitoring (c.f. Kühl et al. 2008)
ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI/MGVP
PP/O2/A3
Reinforce capacity of ICCN, research centre and
community forest guards to survey and monitor
great ape populations
ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI/MGVP
PP/O2/A4
Implement surveys of great ape populations in
priority sites and other potential sites
ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI/MGVP
Objective PP/O3
From 2013, the health status of
great apes undergoes regular
monitoring.
PP/O3/A1
Implement regulations for great ape visits to limit
the risks of disease transmission (c.f. Mace &
Williamson 2010)
ICCN/MGVP/CRPL
PP/O3/A2
Regular health monitoring of habituated great
apes
ICCN/MGVP/CRPL
PP/O3/A3
Non-invasive health monitoring of unhabituated
great ape populations
ICCN/MGVP/CRPL
PP/O3/A4
Regular health monitoring of staff working with
great apes and in great ape habitat
ICCN/MGVP/CRPL
40
5.2 Strategy for raising awareness and involving the population in conservation (LC)
Objective Activities Actors
LC/O1
By 2016, the rate of respect for
the laws on great ape protection
by the populations targeted has
increased by 60%
LC/O1/A1
Develop and implement a public awareness program in the
landscape (including salaries, transport, etc.)
ICCN/JGI/FFI
LC/O1/A2
Recruit and train public awareness educators
ICCN/JGI/FFI
LC/O1/A3
Support ICCN’s anti-poaching activities in PAs and those of
community guards in community forests
ICCN/Community Conservation
Network
LC/O2
By 2016, the consumption of
great ape meat by the target
populations has diminished by
51%
LC/O2/A1
Implement socio-economic studies (pre and post) at great ape
priority sites and other potential sites to identify alternative
activities/ community initiatives needs
FFI/JGI/WCS
LC/O2/A2
Develop activities to produce alternative protein sources (e.g.,
raising of small livestock) at priority sites
FFI/JGI/ICCN/Ministries
LC/O2/A3
Support family planning programmes of the public health
services in villages bordering PAs
JGI
LC/O3
By 2015, at least one specic
project is put in place at each
great ape priority site
LC/O3/A1
Establish community projects integrated into local development
plans
FFI/JGI
5.3 Strategy for consolidating land management (LM)
Objective Activities Actors
LM/O1
By 2016, pilot land-use plans
are developed and implemented
in 3 administrative territories
identied as priorities
and
LM/O2
By 2021, 30% of the landscape
will be rationally managed under
land-use plans
LM/O1-O2/A1
Prioritization of territories for land-use planning
CI/DFGFI/JGI
LM/O1-O2/A2
Development of a land-use planning framework adapted to a
territorial scale
CI/DFGFI/JGI
LM/O1-O2/A3
Recruit and reinforce capacity of personnel to develop land-use
plans
CI/DFGFI/JGI
LM/O1-O2/A4
Carry out land-use planning for 3 pilot priority territories
CI/DFGFI/JGI
LM/O3
By 2014, the sites impacted by
communities living next to and in
great ape habitats are identied
LM/O3/A1
Develop protocols to survey local communities (census/
elections) (e.g., civil registry, affected groups)
WCS/FFI/ICCN
LM/O3/A2
Deploy teams in the eld
WCS/FFI/ICCN
LM/O3/A3
Map and analyze data
WCS/FFI/JGI
41
5.4 Strategy for reinforcing protected areas, community forests and sanctuaries (PA)
Objective Activities Actors
PA/O1
By 2016, at least 50% of the
surface area of PAs is undergoing
regular monitoring
PA/O1/A1
Participative documenting of PA boundaries with reference to
the legal texts that created them
ICCN/FFI
PA/O1/A2
Put in place a standardized system for collecting data on illegal
activities (MIST)
ICCN/WCS
PA/O1/A3
Equip and deploy patrols in the eld following a procedural
manual and maps with quadrats
ICCN/FFI/JGI/DFGFI
PA/O1/A4
Participative delineation of PA boundaries based on an
established plan
ICCN/FFI/WWF
PA/O1/A5
Construct facilities and provide PA staff with communications
equipment and vehicles
ICCN
PA/O2
By 2016, sanctuaries are able
to take in all conscated great
apes and provide appropriate
conditions for their potential
reintroduction into a natural
environment
PA/O2/A1
Increase the holding capacity of existing sanctuaries to receive
conscated animals
CRPL/DFGFI/GRACE/PASA
PA/O2/A2
Strengthen and standardize management capacity of existing
sanctuaries (salaries, personnel, study trips)
PASA/ICCN
PA/O2/A3
Recover protected species held illegally and provide medical
care to great apes
ICCN/MGVP
Intensive care and regular health monitoring of great ape
orphans
ICCN/MGVP
PA/O3
By 2021, the surface area of
PAs and community forests will
increase by more than 20% and
protected area management will
improve
PA/O3/A1
Carry out a rapid assessment of the capacity of existing PAs
ICCN/WWF
PA/O3/A2
Train and/or retrain conservation actors in PA management
ICCN/FFI/WCS
PA/O3/A3
Revitalize SYGIAP (Protected Area Information Management
System) with equipment, training, development of a database to
include all pertinent data (contracts for mining, logging, farming,
etc.) and/or create a central server to compile all data under the
tutelage of ICCN or create a network to centralize data on great
apes in eastern DRC
ICCN, JGI
PA/O3/A4
Create new PAs and community forests with local community
participation
ICCN, WCS, local community,
governments (Provincial,
Territorial), MECNT, other NGOs
5.4 continued on next page
42
Objective Activities Actors
PA/O4
By 2014, the tourist sites
identied are qualied to receive
tourists
PA/O4/A1
Identication and assessment of tourist sites and their potential
economic value
ICCN/MECNT/private sector
tourism agencies/IUCN
PA/O4/A2
Develop and put in place a marketing plan to promote tourism
ICCN/MECNT/private sector
tourism agencies/FFI/JGI
PA/O4/A3
Support local communities to promote ecotourism attractions in
their neighbourhoods
ICCN/IUCN/conservation NGOs/
USAID/EC/GIZ
PA/O4/A4
Set up facilities and a great ape habituation programme, where
appropriate
ICCN/IUCN/conservation NGOs/
USAID/EC/GIZ
Objective PA/O5
By 2014, veterinary care for all
habituated great apes is ensured
PA/O5/A1
Recruit and train a veterinary team to care for habituated
chimpanzees and gorillas.
CRPL/ICCN/MGVP
PA/O5/A2
Provide urgent medical attention to great apes with life-
threatening conditions (to include necropsies)
CRPL/ICCN/MGVP
PA/O5/A3
Carry out specic and in-depth research on disease in great
apes
CRPL/ICCN/MGVP
5.5 Strategy for enforcing law within the landscape (LE)
Objective Activities Actors
LE/O1
By 2012, the politico-
administrative, judiciary,
traditional authorities, police and
ANR are sensitized to great ape
conservation and a continuous
training programme is ongoing
LE/O1/A1
Direct informational and public awareness activities towards
politico-administrative, military and traditional authorities and
other opinion makers (continuous)
ICCN/JGI/WWF
LE/O1/A2
Strengthen the operational capacity of environment and border
police in the eld of conservation (Y3)
Judicial authorities, ICCN,
Ministry of the Interior,
Intelligence Services,
Interpol, NGOs working in law
enforcement
LE/O1/A3
Strengthen local NGO capacity in judicial matters relating to
conservation (Y3)
NGOs working in judicial
matters, ICCN, military, police,
conservation NGOs, traditional
leaders, civil society, local
authorities
LE/O1/A4
Strengthen the operational capacities of military personnel and
intelligence services in conservation matters (Y3)
NGOs working in judicial
matters, ICCN, military, police,
conservation NGOs, traditional
leaders, civil society, local
authorities
LE/O2
An advisory panel for forest
protection is established in each
province and operational by
2012
LE/O2/A1
Support the development and validation of provincial decrees
ICCN/provincial ministries
PA/O2/A2
Put in place an advisory panel for each province
5.4 continued from previous page
5.5 continued on next page
43
Objective Activities Actors
LE/O3
By 2013, 100% of mining,
forestry and farming title deeds
in protected areas and 50% of
sites important for great apes are
reconsidered
LE/O3/A1
Inventory all existing mining, forestry and farming title deeds
ICCN/provincial ministries
LE/O3/A2
Develop memoranda for the reconsideration of permits
(contracts)
LE/O3/A3
Appeal for a decision to reconsider (cancel) contracts
LE/O4
By June 2015, a 60% reduction
in the negative impacts of
mining, forestry and farming is
achieved
LE/O4/A1
Dene indicators to monitor the impacts of various forms of
exploitation
ICCN/CI/DFGFI/JGI/WWF
LE/O4/A2
Develop monitoring protocols
ICCN/CI/DFGFI/JGI/WWF
LE/O4/A3
Develop a training programme in impact assessment
ICCN/DFGFI/JGI
LE/O4/A4
Deploy teams in the eld for monitoring
ICCN/DFGFI/JGI
LE/O4/A5
Analyse monitoring reports
ICCN/DFGFI/JGI
LE/O5
By 2021, no illegal mining activity
in any fully protected area
LE/O5/A1
Inventory mining activities throughout the landscape
ICCN/JGI/WCS/FZS
LE/O5/A2
Encourage the removal of illegal mining operations
ICCN
LE/O5/A3
Monitor the departure of miners from PAs
ICCN
Goals for the whole strategy
By 2016, the rate of degradation of great ape habitats will diminish by 20%
By 2021, the abundance and distribution of priority populations of great apes are stable compared
to the situation in 2014
5.5 continued from previous page
44
6. Monitoring Plan
6.1 Monitoring of the strategy for assessing priority populations of great apes in the landscape (PP)
Objective PP/O1:
By 2014, great ape priority populations are known and baselines of abundance, distribution and threat established in
consultation with the local authorities
Indicator Type Method
Existing
Data
Group(s)
Responsible
When
(frequency)
Where Cost
Number of sites
identied
Indices of abundance
Progress
and
Impact
Fieldwork (transects/
recces/interviews)
Yes
(ICCN,
partners)
Local
communities,
ICCN,
partners
Every 5 years
at each site
Protected
areas and other
important sites
Very
High
Objective PP/O2:
From 2013, monitoring techniques (surveys and health) are standardized and monitoring is in place at priority sites
Indicator Type Method
Existing
Data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
Number of gorillas Impact Surveys No Advisory
Panel
Continual,
annual report
In situ and
ex situ
High
Objective PP/O3:
From 2013, the health status of great apes undergoes regular monitoring
Indicator Type Method
Existing
Data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
The commercial bushmeat
trade is the biggest threat to
great apes in DRC: gorillas,
chimpanzees and bonobos
are killed by poachers for their
meat. This photograph was
taken in the TL2 landscape in
central DRC © Terese Hart
45
6.2 Monitoring of the strategy for raising awareness and involving the population in conservation (LC)
Objective LC/O1:
By 2016, the level of respect for the laws on great ape protection by the populations targeted has increased by 60%
Indicator Type Method Existing data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
Number of
chimpanzees arriving
at the sanctuaries
Impact Monitoring
in the
sanctuaries
Yes (ICCN,
JACK, Grace,
Lwiro, PASA,
GRASP,
conservation
NGOs)
ICCN,
sanctuaries,
PNC, FARDC
Yearly ICCN,
sanctuaries,
PNC, FARDC
Low
Records of arrests
for poaching
Progress Patrols and
monitoring in
PAs
Objective LC/O2:
By 2016, the consumption of great ape meat by the target populations has diminished by 51%
Indicator Type Method Existing data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
Number of
chimpanzees arriving
at the sanctuaries
Impact Monitoring
in the
sanctuaries
Yes (ICCN,
JACK,
GRACE,
Lwiro, PASA,
GRASP,
conservation
NGOs)
ICCN,
sanctuaries,
PNC, FARDC
Yearly ICCN,
sanctuaries,
PNC, FARDC
Average
Records of arrests
for poaching
Progress Patrols and
monitoring
in PAs; KAP
(Knowledge,
Attitude and
Practice)
studies
Objective LC/O3:
By 2015, at least one specic project is put in place at each great ape priority site
Indicator Type Method Existing data
Group(s)
Responsible
When
(Frequency)
Where Cost
Number of micro-
projects in the
landscape
Progress
and
impacts
Collaborative
agreements
Yes Local
communities,
ICCN, partners
2015 All sites Very
High
The habituated silverback
Cimanuka © ICCN/KBNP
46
6.3 Monitoring for the strategy for consolidating land management (LM)
Objective LM/O1:
By 2016, pilot land-use plans are developed and implemented in 3 administrative territories identied as priorities
Indicator Type Method Existing data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
Territories
implementing land-
use plans (criteria to
be dened)
Monitoring of
administrative
territories
JGI, WCS,
ICCN, MECNT
MECNT, ICCN,
JGI WCS
Every 3
years
Territories in the
landscape
Average
Objective LM/O2:
By 2021, 30% the landscape will be rationally managed under land-use plans
Indicator Type Method Existing data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
Territories
implementing land-
use plans (criteria to
be dened)
Progress Monitoring of
administrative
territories
JGI, WCS,
ICCN, MECNT
MECNT, ICCN,
JGI WCS
Every 3
years
Territories in the
landscape
Average
Objective LM/O3:
By 2014, the sites impacted by communities living next to and in great ape habitats are identied
Indicator Type Method Existing data
Group(s)
Responsible
When
(Frequency)
Where Cost
Number of villages in
and around PAs and
other important sites
Progress Fieldwork,
SYGIAP
Yes (SYGIAP,
partners)
Local
communities,
ICCN, partners
Before 2014
and then
every year
All sites Very
High
Indices of
abundance of human
activities
Impact
6.4 Monitoring of the strategy for reinforcing protected areas, community forests and sanctuaries (PA)
Objective PA/O1:
By 2016, at least 50% of the surface area of PAs is under regular surveillance
Indicator Type Method Existing data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
Coverage of
monitoring
Progress Patrols
for on site
monitoring
Yes ICCN, MECNT 4–5 Years PAs High
Objective PA/O2:
By 2016, sanctuaries are able to take in all conscated great apes and provide appropriate conditions for their potential
reintroduction into a natural environment
Indicator Type Method Existing data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
Holding capacity
of the sanctuaries
(assessment criteria
to be dened
according to PASA
and IUCN standards)
Progress PASA
and IUCN
standards
PASA,
sanctuaries,
GRASP,
zoos, animal
welfare
NGOs)
ICCN,
sanctuaries
2016 sanctuaries Low
Objective PA/O3:
By 2021, the surface area of PAs and community forests will increase by more than 20% and PA management will be improved
Indicator Type Method Existing data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
% increase in
surface area of PAs
Monitoring
of ofcial
publications
MECNT,
ICCN, JGI,
WCS
MECNT, ICCN,
JGI, WCS
Every 5
years
PAs Low
6.4 continued on next page
47
Objective PA/O4:
By 2014, the tourist sites identied are qualied to receive tourists
Indicator Type Method Existing data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
Satisfaction of
tourists
Progress Study No Advisory panel Continual,
annual
report
Exit posts (borders)
Airport
Moderate
Number of tourists Progress Verication
of
immigration
records
Yes Local authorities Annual Border post
Airport
Low
Objective PA/O5:
By 2014, veterinary care for all habituated great apes is ensured
Indicator Type Method Existing data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
6.5 Monitoring of the strategy for enforcing law within the landscape (LE)
Objective LE/O1:
By 2012, the politico-administrative, judiciary, traditional authorities, police and ANR are sensitized to great ape conservation
and a continuous training programme is ongoing
Indicator Type Method
Existing
data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
Number of people
trained
Performance Record of
training
sessions
No ICCN and
partners
2012, then
every year
Various Low
% of administrators
trained
Progress Study No ICCN, politico-
representatives,
administrators,
police, traditional
authorities
2012, then
every year
Various Low
Objective LE/O2:
An advisory panel for forest protection is established in each province and operational by 2012
Indicator Type Method
Existing
data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
Provincial decrees Indicator of
progress
No Provincial
authorities
By province Low
Proceedings of
establishment
Progress Meeting Yes Local
communities,
ICCN, partners
Before 2014 PAs and other
important sites
Average
Minutes of meetings Progress and
impacts
Number of
collaborative
agreements with
community leaders
Progress and
impacts
Objective LE/O3:
By 2013, 100% of mining, forestry and farming title deeds in protected areas and 50% of sites important for great apes are
reconsidered
Indicator Type Method
Existing
data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
New legislation
(national and
provincial ministerial
decrees)
Progress National and
provincial
authorities
2013 At national and
provincial levels
Low
6.4 continued from previous page
6.5 continued on next page
48
Objective LE/O4:
By June 2015, a 60% reduction in the negative impacts of mining, forestry and farming is achieved
Indicator Type Method
Existing
data
Group(s)
Responsible
When
(Frequency)
Where Cost
Number of permits
operational and
cancelled
Impact Field
verication
missions
(ground
truthing)
2015, then
every 5 years
PAs
and other
important sites
High
Number of
operations without
permits
Impact
Surface area of
regeneration
Impact Remote
detection
Yes (de
Wasseige et
al. 2009)
ICCN (SYGIAP) Every 5 years Average
Objective LE/O5:
By 2021, no illegal mining activity in any fully protected area
Indicator Type Method
Existing
data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
Mining quarries
closed
Impact Results of
monitoring
Yes ICCN, MECNT,
Ministry of Mines
Annual ICCN, Ministry of
Mines
Average
6.6 Monitoring of the goals for all strategies combined
By 2016, the rate of degradation of great ape habitats will diminish by 20%
Indicator Type Method Existing data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
% loss of forest in
the landscape
Impact GIS,
satellite
ESRI, WHRC,
JGI
WHRC, JGI Every 5 years Whole
landscape
Average
By 2021, the abundance and distribution of priority populations of great apes are stable compared to the situation in 2014
Indicator Type Method Existing data
Group(s)
Responsible
Date or
Frequency
Place Cost
Change in great ape
populations after 10
years
Impact Monitoring
of great
apes in
their natural
habitats
WCS, WWF,
ICCN, FFI,
FZS, ZSL,
JGI, USFWS,
ARCUS
ICCN, community
forest guards,
WCS, JGI, FZS,
ZSL, FFI WWF
Every 5 years PAs, priority
sites
Very High
6.5 continued from previous page
Monigo village, Tayna Nature
Reserve, where inhabitants
live alongside gorillas and
chimpanzees © Stuart Nixon/
DFGFI
49
7. Acknowledgements
In the face of the urgency to nd concerted and long-lasting solutions for the survival of great apes
in eastern DRC, we wish to thank all those who contributed to the development of this conserva-
tion action plan – and the list is long. Although the guidelines for the strategies are well dened, the
planning process can change in light of new data, discoveries and situations. This is why we also
wish to acknowledge the actors who continue to contribute to the improvement of this document
to this day.
We express our gratitude to the government of the DRC and more particularly to the Ministry of
Environment, Nature Conservation and Tourism which, together with the Jane Goodall Institute,
was the instigator of this action plan and we thank them for their contributions to the success
of these workshops. Thank you to the Provincial Ministries of Environment, Mines and Hydro-
carbons and Ministries of the Interior of the Provinces of Maniema, South Kivu, North Kivu and
the Eastern Province for their contributions and investment in the development of the strategies
and activities.
We wish to pay tribute to the presence of the Territorial Administrators, who helped us under-
stand situations particular to their governing structures and proposed practical and enlightened
solutions.
Thank you to ICCN whose support was afrmed from the rst hours of the development of this ac-
tion plan. We pay tribute to the limitless involvement of the National Park Directors and Chief Park
Wardens – their passion equalled only by the sacrices they make to protect the nature of DRC.
Thank you also to the universities and research centres that offered their expertise to contribute to
this plan, and to the Centre for Research in Natural Sciences at Lwiro for the use of its facilities –
among the most beautiful in Central Africa.
Thank you as well to the DRC security services for their commitment. The Congolese National
Police, the Armed Forces of the DRC, and the National Intelligence Agency are essential to the
successful implementation of this plan.
As said previously, the list is long and we end by thanking the NGOs that contributed to this docu-
ment. The spirit of cooperation and constructive exchange was a model for future meetings. Each
one pushed themselves to exceed their institutional guidelines to meet the challenge of securing a
future for the great apes. This mindset, as we nalize this document, is a reality in the implementa-
tion of activities on the ground for a number of them.
Mountains in the southern
sector of Maiko National Park ©
Stuart Nixon/FFI
50
8. Acronyms and Abbreviations Used
CAP Conservation Action Plan
CARPE Central African Regional Programme for the Environment
CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
CRPL Lwiro Sanctuary (Centre de Réhabilitation des Primates de Lwiro)
CRSN Centre for Research in Natural Sciences (Centre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles)
DFGFI Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International
DRC Democratic Republic of the Congo
EC European Community
FARDC Armed Forces of the DRC (Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo)
FFI Fauna & Flora International
FZS Frankfurt Zoological Society
GIZ German Agency for International Cooperation (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale
Zusammenarbeit); formerly known as GTZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische
Zusammenarbeit)
GIS Geographic Information System
GRASP Great Apes Survival Partnership
ICCN Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de
la Nature)
IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature
JGI The Jane Goodall Institute
JPE Jeunesse pour la Protection de l’Environnement
KBNP Kahuzi-Biega National Park
MECNT Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Tourism (Ministère de l’Environnement,
Conservation de la Nature et Tourisme)
NGO non-governmental organization
NTFP Non Timber Forest Product
OFAC Observatoire des Forêts d’Afrique
PA protected areas
PASA Pan African Sanctuary Alliance
PNC Congolese National Police (Police Nationale Congolaise)
POPOF Pole Pole Foundation
SYGIAP Information Management System for Protected Areas (Système de Gestion d’Information
pour les Aires Protégées)
TCCB Tayna Centre for Conservation Biology
TNC The Nature Conservancy
UGADEC Union of Associations for Gorilla Conservation and Community Development in Eastern
Congo
UOB Universite Ofcielle de Bukavu
USAID United States Agency for International Development
USFWS United States Fish & Wildlife Service
WCS Wildlife Conservation Society
WWF World Wide Fund for Nature
ZSL Zoological Society of London
51
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54
Appendix I. List of Workshop Participants
Last name, rst name Organization represented Email address
Amsini, Fidèle FZS deleamsini@yahoo.fr
Aguirre, Lorena Coopera (Spain) lorena@coopera.cc
Alaka, André ICCN
Aveling, Conrad Co-moderator conrad@aveling-vives.net
Bahati, Col. Christian 10 RGM Militaire christianngaboyeka@yahoo.fr
Bajope, Baluku CRSN Director bbajope@yahoo.fr
Baliwa-Ngoy, John ICCN Lwama-Kivu kingbakiwa@yahoo.fr
Bangwene, Marie Claire Administrator of Masisi Territory terr-masisi@hotmail.fr
Basabose, Augustin IGCP ak_basabose@yahoo.com
Batechi, Faustin ICCN Itombwe Nature Reserve siteitombwe@yahoo.fr
Bayora Nkuba, Albert ICCN Kitimbo-Okoto albertnkubora@yahoo.fr/
Bi Feza, Adelaide Provincial Ministry of the
Environment, South Kivu
adelbifeza@yahoo.fr
Bofondo, Dominique Administrator of Lubero Territory
Bokele, Djoy Administrator of Nyiragongo
Territory
djoya@yahoo.fr
Buhendwa, Germaine ICCN South Kivu iccn_sudkivu@yahoo.fr
gerrybuhendwa@yahoo.fr
Bush, Glenn Woods Hole Research Center gbush@whrc.org
Bya’ombe, De Dieu ICCN byadedieu@yahoo.fr
Rugenera, Chantal Provincial Minister of Environment,
North Kivu
kambibichantal@yahoo.fr
Mhosa, Col. J.M. PNC, North Kivu jeanmalosa@yahoo.fr
Cox, Debby JGI cox.debby@gmail.com
Ellis, Christina University Melbourne/WWF christinaellis@gmail.com
Eloko, Daniel Administrator of Wahungu Territory
Fawcett, Katie DFGFI fawcettkatie@gmail.com
Hamvlonge, Cikuru GIASI-JPE jpebvu@yahoo.fr
Hart, John Lukuru Foundation Project johnhartdrc@gmail.com
Igunzi Felix ICCN Itombwe felixigunzi@yahoo.fr
Iyanya, Dr. Jacques MGVP buamikajack@gmail.com
Kahirho, Vital Provincial Ministry of Mines,
Eastern Province
vitalkahirho@yahoo.fr
Kakule, Pierre TCCB/UGADEC kakulepierre@gmail.com
Kalenga Lucien Chefferie de Basile (Mwanga) kalenga_74@yahoo.fr
Kalonda, Amisi Administrator of Rutshuru Territory amisikalonda1963@yahoo.fr
Kambale, Kioma Tayna Gorilla Reserve guykambale2@yahoo.fr
Kambale, Nyumu Tayna Gorilla Reserve gracenyumu2005@yahoo.fr
Kasereka Kasika Jeplock TCCB/UGADEC jeplockasika@yahoo.fr
Kisala Mwami Hon. Deputy simonkisala@yahoo.fr
Kitabo Kinincakik ICCN Itombwe
Kujirakwinja, Deo WCS dkujirakwinga@wcs.org
Kukodila Idris Koma Administrator of Bafwasende
Territory
Latigo Nzoro Provincial Ministry of Mines,
Eastern Province
polatigo@yahoo.fr
Lembi Geli PNC, South Kivu lembicelestin@yahoo.fr
Lunganga Lenga, Samuel Administrator of Mwenga Territory
Maldonado, Oscar Moderator oimaldonadov@gmail.com
Appendix 1, continued on next page
55
Last name, rst name Organization represented Email address
Maheshe, Arsene POPOF kisamaheshe@yahoo.fr
Mbusa Paluku, Omer UGADEC plkombu@yahoo.fr
Merlo, Dario JGI dario_jgi@yahoo.fr
Mitamba, Guillain WCS mitagu2003@yahoo.fr
Mubalama, Leonard WWF lmubalam.wwfpckb@yahoo.
co.uk
Muhigwa, Jean Bukavu University jeanmuhigwa@yahoo.fr
Mukasi Godfroid UGADEC godemukasi@yahoo.fr
Mutakirwa-Alexis FZS
Nafranga Noella Administrator of Kalehe Territory efpskivu@yahoo.fr
Ndjemba Ekofo Donat PNC South Kivu ekofodontien@yahoo.fr
NeNakonga, Maitre Silas Lawyer
Ngabo Rutegamasi UEA/Rectorat ngabothomas@yahoo.fr
Ngozi Kikwenda GEODESHA kikwendangozi@yahoo.fr
Nguniabo Musari, Édouard Ministry of the Environment edouardmusari@yahoo.fr
Nishuli, Radar ICCN KBNP radarnishu@yahoo.fr /
dirsitepnkb@yahoo.fr
Nixon, Stuart ZSL snixonZSL@gmail.com
Nulanpoa Jean Sefu Dir. Cab. Min. Mines jeanmatila@yahoo.fr
Chirashagasha, Ones ANR North Kivu
Ouellet Sylvie GIZ sylvie.ouellet@giz.de
Paluku Bernard Ministry of Mines palukuise@yahoo.fr
Pintea, Lilian JGI lpintea@janegoodall.org
Plumptre, Andy WCS aplumptre@wcs.org
Shalukoma, Chantal ICCN KBNP shalukchantal@yahoo.fr
Sivha, Mbake Fauna & Flora International mbakesivha@yahoo.fr
Strunden, George JGI gstrunden@janegoodall.org
Tandishabo, Jean Dir. Cab. Min. Mines
Thembo, Stanislas GRADE yamestau@yahoo.fr
Tshishiku, Dieudonné Administrator of Walikale Territory dieudonmuloke@yahoofr
Vidal, Carmen Coopera (Spain) evensanche@gmail.com
Williamson, Liz IUCN/SSC PSG eaw1@stir.ac.uk
Wilondja-As-Ngobobo,
Paulin
ICCN pngobobo.iccn@gmail.com
Zagabe, Pascal Provincial Ministry of the
Environment, South Kivu
Zahiga Ntwali Puis ANR/South Kivu
Appendix 1, continued from previous page
56
Appendix II. Preliminary Results Chains
The Results Chains in Appendices IIa, IIb and IIc show preliminary analysis of the strategies devel-
oped to address threats to the conservation targets. These Results Chains were used to develop
strategies by thematic area in this conservation action plan.
A path through bamboo forest
at Mt. Tshiaberimu © Stuart
Nixon
57
Appendix IIa. Results chain of the strategies for conservation of the ecological and cultural diversity of eastern chimpanzees
58
Appendix IIb. Results chain of the strategies for conservation of the socio-ecological diversity of Grauer’s gorillas
59
Appendix IIc. Results chain of the strategies for conservation of habitat diversity and connectivity
6060
Appendix 3, continued on next page
Appendix III. Workplan for Year 1
Strategy 1: Strategy for assessing priority populations of great apes in the landscape (PP)
Objective PP/01: By 2014, great ape priority populations are known and baselines of abundance, distribution and threat established in consultation with the local authorities
Cost
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
1 Identify priority sites for intervention and produce basic maps ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI $ 50,000
2 Dene survey protocols for great ape habitats ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI $ 15,000
3 Select survey teams ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI $ 5,000
4 Organize in situ training of survey techniques and carry out a survey (Tayna
proposed for pilot study)
ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI $ 75,000
5 Deploy teams in the eld and begin great ape surveys in priority sites (known and
potential)
ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI $ 250,000 $ 250,000
Subtotal $ 395,000 $ 250,000
Objective PP/O2: From 2013, monitoring techniques (surveys and health) are standardized and monitoring is in place at priority sites
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
6 Develop a standard data collection protocol to compile data in centralized
database
ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI/MGVP $ 50,000
7 Develop a standard methodology for surveys and monitoring ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI/MGVP $ 40,000 $ 40,000
8 Reinforce capacity of ICCN, research centre and community forest guards to
survey and monitor great ape populations
ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI/MGVP $ 400,000 $ 400,000
9 Implement surveys of great ape populations in priority sites and other potential
sites
ICCN/WCS/FFI/FZS/DFGFI/JGI/MGVP $ 200,000 $ 100,000
Subtotal $ 90,000 $ 640,000 $ 500,000
Objective PP/O3: From 2013, the health status of great apes undergoes regular monitoring
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
10 Implement regulations for great ape visits to limit the risks of disease transmission
ICCN/MGVP/CRPL
$ 100,000 $ 100,000
11 Intensive care and regular regular health monitoring of habituated great apes ICCN/MGVP/CRPL $ 50,000 $ 75,000 $ 100,000
12 Non-invasive health monitoring of unhabituated great ape populations ICCN/MGVP/CRPL $ 50,000 $ 50,000
13 Regular health monitoring of staff working with great apes and in great ape habitat ICCN/MGVP/CRPL $ 100,000 $ 150,000 $ 150,000
Subtotal $ 250,000 $ 375,000 $ 300,000
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Appendix 3, continued from previous page
Appendix 3, continued on next page
Strategy 2: Strategy for raising awareness and involving the population in conservation (LC)
Objective LC/O1: By 2016, the rate of respect for the laws on great ape protection by the populations targeted has increased by 60%
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
1 Develop and implement a public awareness program in the landscape (include
salaries, transport, etc.)
ICCN/JGI/FFI $ 250,000 $ 300,000 $ 350,000
2 Recruit and train public awareness educators ICCN/JGI/FFI $ 30,000 $ 45,000 $ 60,000
3 Support ICCN’s anti-poaching activities in PAs and those of community guards in
community forests
ICCN/Community Conservation Network $ 300,000 $ 300,000 $ 300,000
Subtotal $ 580,000 $ 645,000 $ 710,000
Objective LC/O2: By 2016, the consumption of great ape meat by the target populations has diminished by 51%
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
4 Implement socio-economic studies (pre and post) at great ape priority sites and
other potential sites to identify alternative activities/ community initiatives needs
FFI/JGI/WCS $ 120,000 $ 120,000
(Y5)
5 Develop activities to produce alternative protein sources (e.g., raising of small
livestock) at priority sites
FFI/JGI/ICCN/Ministry in charge $ 400,000 $ 400,000 $ 400,000
6 Support family planning programmes of the public health services in villages
bordering PAs
JGI $ 200,000 $ 250,000 $ 300,000
Subtotal $ 720,000 $ 650,000 $ 820,000
Objective LC/O3: By 2015, at least one specic project is put in place at each great ape priority site
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
7 Establish community projects integrated into local development plans (e.g.,
construction of a school or health centre, supply electricity to a village)
FFI/JGI $ 400,000 $ 400,000 $ 400,000
Subtotal $ 400,000 $ 400,000 $ 400,000
Strategy 3: Strategy for consolidating land management (LM)
Objective LM/O1: By 2016, pilot land-use plans are developed and implemented in 3 administrative territories identied as priorities
Objective LM/O2: By 2021, 30% the landscape will be rationally managed under land-use plans
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
1 Prioritization of territories for land-use planning CI/DFGFI/JGI $ 15,000
2 Development of a land-use planning framework adapted to a territorial scale CI/DFGFI/JGI $ 15,000
3 Recruit and reinforce capacity of personnel to develop land-use plans CI/DFGFI/JGI $ 25,000
4 Carry out land-use planning for 3 pilot priority territories CI/DFGFI/JGI $ 60,000 $ 60,000
Subtotal $ 55,000 $ 60,000 $ 60,000
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Appendix 3, continued from previous page
Appendix 3, continued on next page
Objective LM/O3: By 2014, the sites impacted by communities living next to and in great ape habitats are identied
No Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
5 Develop protocols to survey local communities (census/elections) (e.g., civil
registry, affected groups)
WCS/FFI/ICCN $ 45,000
6 Deploy teams in the eld WCS/FFI/ICCN $ 75,000
7 Map and analyze data WCS/FFI/JGI $ 40,000
Subtotal $ 160,000
Strategy 4: Strategy for reinforcing protected areas, community forests and sanctuaries (PA)
Objective PA/O1: By 2016, at least 50% of the surface area of PAs is undergoing regular monitoring
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
1 Participative documenting of PA boundaries with reference to the legal texts that
created them
ICCN/FFI $ 400,000 $ 400,000
2 Put in place a standardized system for collecting data on illegal activities (MIST) ICCN/WCS $ 40,000 $ 25,000
3 Equip and deploy patrols in the eld following a procedural manual and maps with
quadrats
ICCN/FFI/JGI/DFGFI $ 350,000 $ 350,000
4 Participative delineation of PA boundaries based on an established plan ICCN/FFI/WWF $ 800,000 $ 800,000 $ 800,000
5 Construct facilities and provide PA staff with communications equipment and
vehicles
ICCN $ 500,000
Subtotal $ 2,090,000 $ 1,575,000 $ 800,000
Objective PA/O2: By 2016, sanctuaries are able to take in all conscated great apes and provide appropriate conditions for their potential reintroduction into a natural environment
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
6 Increase the holding capacity of existing sanctuaries to receive conscated animals CRPL/DFGFI/GRACE/PASA $ 400,000 $ 400,000
7 Strengthen and standardize management capacity of existing sanctuaries (salaries,
personnel, study trips)
PASA/ICCN $ 200,000 $ 200,000
8 Recover protected species held illegally and provide medical care to great apes ICCN/MGVP $ 30,000 $ 60,000 $ 40,000
9 Intensive care and regular health monitoring of orphaned great apes ICCN/MGVP $ 150,000 $ 200,000 $ 250,000
Subtotal $ 780,000 $ 860,000 $ 290,000
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Appendix 3, continued from previous page
Appendix 3, continued on next page
Objective PA/O3: By 2021, the surface area of PAs and community forests will increase by more than 20% and protected area management will improve
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
10 Carry out a rapid assessment of the capacity of existing PAs ICCN/WWF $ 25,000
11 Train and/or retrain conservation actors in PA management ICCN/FFI/WCS $ 200,000 $ 100,000
12 Revitalize SYGIAP (Protected Area Information Management System) with
equipment, training, development of a database to include all pertinent data
(contracts for mining, logging, farming, etc.) and/or create a central server to
compile all data under the tutelage of ICCN or create a network to centralize data
on great apes in eastern DRC
ICCN/JGI $ 75,000 $ 75,000
13 Create new PAs and community forests with local community participation ICCN, WCS, local community,
governments (Provincial, Territorial),
MECNT, other NGOs
$ 400,000
Subtotal $ 225,000 $ 175,000 $ 475,000
Objective PA/O4: By 2014, the tourist sites identied are qualied to receive tourists
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
14 Identication and assessment of tourist sites and their potential economic value ICCN/MECNT/private sector tourism
agencies/IUCN
$ 60,000
15 Develop and put in place a marketing plan to promote tourism ICCN/MECNT/private sector tourism
agencies/FFI/JGI
$ 100,000 $ 100,000
16 Support local communities to promote ecotourism attractions in their
neighbourhoods
ICCN/IUCN/conservation NGOs/USAID/
EC/GIZ
$ 50,000 $ 80,000 $ 80,000
17 Set up facilities and a great ape habituation programme, where appropriate ICCN/IUCN/conservation NGOs/USAID/
EC/GIZ
$ 120,000 $ 180,000 $ 180,000
Subtotal $ 330,000 $ 360,000 $ 260,000
Objective PA/O5: By 2014, veterinary care for all habituated great apes is ensured
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
18 Recruit and train a veterinary team to provide care for habituated gorillas and
chimpanzees
CRPL/ICCN/MGVP $ 100,000 $ 125,000
19 Provide urgent medical attention to great apes with life-threatening conditions (to
include necropsies)
CRPL/ICCN/MGVP $ 40,000 $ 50,000 $ 60,000
20 Carry out specic and in-depth research on disease in great apes CRPL/ICCN/MGVP $ 50,000 $ 100,000 $ 100,000
Subtotal $ 190,000 $ 275,000 $ 160,000
6464
Appendix 3, continued from previous page
Appendix 3, continued on next page
Strategy 5: Strategy for enforcing law within the landscape
Objective LE/O1: By 2012, the politico-administrative, judiciary, traditional authorities, police and ANR are sensitized to great ape conservation and a continuous training programme is
ongoing
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
1 Direct informational and public awareness activities towards politico-
administrative, military and traditional authorities and other opinion makers
(continuous)
ICCN/JGI/WWF $ 150,000 $ 150,000
2 Strengthen the operational capacity of environment and border police in the eld of
conservation (Y3)
Judicial authorities, ICCN, Ministry of the
Interior, Intelligence Services, Interpol,
NGOs working in law enforcement
$ 100,000 $ 100,000 $ 100,000
3 Strengthen local NGO capacity in judicial matters relating to conservation (Y3) NGOs working in judicial matters, ICCN,
military, police, conservation NGOs,
traditional leaders, civil society, local
authorities
$ 50,000 $ 50,000
4 Strengthen the operational capacities of military personnel and intelligence
services in conservation matters (Y3)
NGOs working in judicial matters, ICCN,
military, police, conservation NGOs,
traditional leaders, civil society, local
authorities
$ 60,000 $ 60,000 $ 60,000
Subtotal $ 360,000 $ 360,000 $ 160,000
Objective LE/O2: An advisory panel for forest protection is established in each province and operational by 2012
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
5 Support the development and validation of provincial decrees ICCN/provincial ministries $ 30,000
6 Put in place an advisory panel for each province ICCN/provincial ministries $ 30,000 $ 45,000 $ 30,000
Objective LE/O3: By 2013, 100% of mining, forestry and farming title deeds in protected areas and 50% of sites important for great apes are reconsidered
No. Activities Responsible (s) A1 A2 A3
7 Inventory all existing mining, forestry and farming title deeds ICCN/provincial ministries
8 Develop memoranda for the reconsideration of permits (contracts) ICCN/provincial ministries $ 60,000 $ 30,000
9 Appeal for a decision to reconsider (cancel) of contracts ICCN/provincial ministries $ 60,000 $ 60,000 $ 60,000
Objective LE/O4: By June 2015, a 60% reduction in the negative impacts of mining, forestry and farming is achieved
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
10 Dene indicators to monitor the impacts of various forms of exploitation ICCN/CI/DFGFI/JGI/WWF $ 10,000
11 Develop monitoring protocols ICCN/CI/DFGFI/JGI/WWF $ 100,000 $ 60,000
12 Develop a training programme in impact reduction ICCN/DFGFI/JGI $ 30,000
13 Deploy teams in the eld for monitoring ICCN/DFGFI/JGI $ 50,000 $ 50,000
14 Analyse monitoring reports ICCN/DFGFI/JGI $ 15,000 $ 15,000
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Appendix 3, continued from previous page
Objective LE/O5: By 2021, no illegal mining activity in any fully protected area LE/O5: By 2021, no illegal mining activity in any fully protected area
No. Activities Group(s) Responsible A1 A2 A3
15 Inventory mining activities throughout the landscape ICCN/JGI/WCS/FZS $ 70,000
16 Encourage the removal of illegal mining operations ICCN $ 50,000 $ 50,000
17 Monitor the departure of miners from PAs ICCN $ 20,000 $ 20,000
Subtotal $ 505,000 $ 330,000 $ 110,000
TOTAL $ 7,130,000 $ 6,955,000 $ 5,045,000
[left] ICCN guard with conscated chimpanzee,
Maiko National Park © Stuart Nixon/FFI
[right] Diverse habitat favoured by Grauer’s gorillas
in Tayna Nature Reserve © Stuart Nixon/DFGFI
66
Appendix IV. Conclusions and Lessons Learned from the
Planning Process
Coordination meetings held with key stakeholders were essential, even indispensable, to ensure
their full commitment during the planning process, particularly their participation in the planning
workshops. Similarly, the collective work carried out under a common banner (a non-institutional
logo and an encouraging slogan “Together, let’s guarantee their future”) also facilitated community
participation and created a sense of involvement in the process.
The invitation to stakeholders such as the police, armed forces and territorial administrators not
traditionally included in conservation planning processes (but who are asked to participate in sub-
sequent activities) was greatly appreciated. This invitation was fundamental in assuring their sense
of ownership in the CAP and their involvement in its implementation.
On the scientic side, it is always necessary to do scientic analyses in a separate expert work-
shop and then to present the outputs to more open stakeholders meetings. For the next iteration
of the planning process, it is advisable to start working now on the necessary data and key infor-
mation for a more in-depth viability assessment. This analysis could be prepared well in advance
and be developed during a separate expert workshop. In addition, the research results, as well as
basic information on the ecology of great apes, should be made accessible to stakeholders who
are unaware of the fundamental requirements for survival of the conservation targets.
Regarding the mapping, it was very useful to have a GIS expert in the workshops who knew the
mapping needs that the CAP process entails. But mapmaking, as a fundamental part of the CAP
process (which goes beyond planning and comprises implementation of activities and monitor-
ing) must be part of permanent CAP activities and use various methods, notably participative
mapmaking.
Finally, it is very important to emphasize the idea that workshops are only the beginning of the pro-
cess and not the end. The commitment of a group of stakeholders, particularly organizations and
individuals that decide to be part of the core team, is indispensable to guaranteeing the completion
of the action plan in good time, particularly in revising preliminary versions, in providing information
necessary and in ensuring scientic validity.
Adult male eastern chimpanzee calling © Alain Houle
Montane forest in the highland sector of KBNP © John Martin
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