In Sum • The Bafing-Falémé area, located in southwestern part of Mali, constitutes the northernmost limit of the chimpanzee distribution in West Africa.

• The area is recognized internationally important for conservation of the West African chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus).

• In 2003, a first assessment provided a comprehensive overview of chimpanzee distribution, abundance, and threats to survival throughout the area.

• In 2010, a reassessment provided an evaluation of changes in the conservation status of the species that may have occurred in this time interval.

• Several factors increasingly hinder chimpanzee conservation : agricultural expansion, mining, conflict over resources, wildfires, and hunting.

• Since 2010, the construction of a new paved road. Sadly, the economical development of this region may have devastating impacts on the remaining large fauna in Mali.

Laura Martinezˠ, Nicolas Granier* and Jae C. Choeˠ

ˠ Institute of EcoScience, Ewha Womans University, Republic of Korea

* Behavioral Biology Unit, Dept. of Environmental Sciences , University of Liège, Belgium

Contact: lauramatlan@gmail.com

Distribution of the West African Chimpanzee • The West African Chimpanzee is listed as “Endangered” (IUCN 2008).

• Remaining populations are patchily distributed across 9 to 10 countries (21,300 and 55,600 individuals).

• The West African chimpanzee lives in various ecosystems, from dense humid rainforest to semi-arid savannas. Little is known

about the behavior and social structure of savanna-dwelling chimpanzees living in hot, dry and open habitats (McGrew et al.

1981). In Senegal and Mali (Mandingo Plateau), chimpanzees range over widespread areas of mosaic environments. They often

use, at least seasonally, woodland, wooded grassland and grassland habitats, but strongly rely on riparian habitats for nesting

and feeding (Duvall 2000, Pruetz et al. 2002, Granier and Martinez 2004).

In 2003: The First Study of Chimpanzee Populations in the Bafing-Falémé Area • Objectives: 1) Assess chimpanzee status, distribution, abundance and localize important habitats 2) Identify main threats to the

survival of chimpanzees and potential human-primates conflicts 3) Propose a conservation action plan for chimps in the B-F Area

In 2010: Rapid Reassessment of Chimpanzees Conservation Status • Objective: 1) Assess changes that may have occurred during the 7-years time interval

Main Threats to Chimpanzees in Mali • Overall, the conservation status of Bafing-Falémé chimpanzees has not drastically changed between 2003 and 2010.

• However, development of human activities has increased the pressure on chimpanzee populations. Agricultural expansion continues to represent the main threat.

• Several other factors increasingly hinder chimpanzee conservation: industrial and artisanal mining (gold, bauxite, uranium, silver), conflict over space, water and food

resources; wildfires; and hunting for meat consumption or baby trafficking. Most crucially, a road is under construction through the area. This new commercial axe

between Dakar and Bamako is expected to soon amplify the vulnerability to all other threats.

Acknowledgments 2003: the study was financially supported by the Project of Transboundary Protected Area Bafing-Falémé, AGIR Program, (8th EDF, European Union).

2010: the study was financially supported by Grant-in-aid for Scientific Research #20002001 from MEXT, JSPS-ITP-HOPE, and JSPS-GCOE (Japan) to T. Matsuzawa.

2003-2010: we are grateful to the Direction Nationale de la Conservation de la Nature (Ministère de l’Environnement) for permission in conducting these studies. We acknowledge:

D. Bakary, D. & MC. Brugière, S. Cissé, S. Darroze, F. Diarra, C. Duvall, M. Hayashi, M. Kané, M. Kamissoko, Z. Keita, M. Kokaïna, M. Mariko, T. Matsuzawa, B. Niagaté and M. Nomoko.

• Methods

1) Interviews with villagers

2) Opportunistic recce surveys

3) Nest counts and vegetation sampling

on line transects in three Sample Areas

• Results

Habitat Use

1) Chimpanzees predominately inhabit hilly zones harboring permanent water sources and

avoid areas largely disturbed or degraded by human activities (settlements, mining, etc…).

2) In the sample areas, 50% of chimpanzee nests found on gallery forests, thought the

habitat corresponds to only 5% of the vegetation formations available.

Human-chimpanzee Interactions

1) Chimpanzees are hunted despite religious prohibition on primate meat consumption.

2) Locally strong competition for access to water sources, valuable wild fruits and honey.

3) Tolerance towards crop-raiding by chimpanzees (compared to damages by other primates).

63 interviews

1,300 km covered across remote areas by motorbike

18 recce surveys

© Duvall 2010 Bafing-Falémé Area

Present P.t. verus Distribution

References Duvall (2000) Important habitat for chimpanzees in Mali. Afr Stud Mono 21:173-203. Duvall & Smith (2005) Republic of Mali. World atlas of great apes and their conservation: 371-377. Granier &

Martinez (2004) Première reconnaissance des chimpanzés Pan troglodytes verus dans la zone transfrontalière entre la Guinée et le Mali (Afrique de l’Ouest). Primatologie 6:423–447. Kormos et al.

(2003) West African chimpanzees. Status survey and conservation action plan. Pruetz et al. (2002) Survey of savanna chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in southeastern Senegal. Am J Primatol

58: 35-43. McGrew et al. (1981) Chimpanzees in a hot, dry and open habitat: Mt. Assirik, Senegal, West Africa. J Hum Evol 10:227–244. IUCN (2008) http://www.iucnredlist.org

• Methods

1) Interviews with villagers (sometimes same interviewees as 2003)

2) Opportunistic recce surveys (including the 3 Sample Areas)

• Results

Habitat Use

1) Indirect evidences of chimpanzee presence were found in 6 out of 7 visited sites.

2) In one of the 3 Sample Areas, all the gallery forest has been replaced by crop fields.

3) In other revisited sites, habitat loss seems to expand at a relatively slow pace.

Human-chimpanzee Interactions

1) Hunting of chimpanzees is increasing due to scarcity of favorite preys and possibly to pet trade.

2) Chimpanzee populations (as well as other primate populations) are perceived by interviewees “more

abundant” as in 2003. This might be a false impression caused by habitat fragmentation (leading to a

“crowding effect”) and by increased frequency of crop-raiding (reported as the first reason to shoot chimps).

433 nests, footprints, food leftovers, feces

Scare water resources

Hilly home ranges

Habitat loss

The new road

Hunting

Sample Areas

Itinerary

Interviews

Presence reported in interviews

Presence confirmed in surveys

Kenieba Kita

25 Km

Kenieba Kita

25 Km

Feb 2010 Dec 2002

Manantali

Presence reported in interviews

Presence confirmed in surveys

No data

Saraya (Senegal)

Bamako

No data

Fording the Bafing by car