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| Photo: T. Furichi |
Chimpanzee populations are found in 22
forest blocks along the western border of Uganda. Of these,
six areas hold more than 75 percent of the total population
of chimpanzees in Uganda. These areas include the Budongo
Forest Reserve, Bugoma Forest Reserve, Kibale National
Park, Kasyoha-Kitomi Forest Reserve, Maramagambo Forest
(inside Queen Elizabeth National Park) and Kalinzu Forest
Reserve. These six forests collectively house an estimated
3,300 chimpanzees.
JGI Uganda
has implemented snare removal initiatives for three
of the forest blocks - Kibale National Park, the Kalinzu
Forest Reserve, and the Budongo Forest Reserve. Future
plans call for a snare removal program in the Bugoma
Forest Reserve. In all of the forest blocks,
one of the major threats to the chimpanzee populations
is accidental snaring. Although often intended for other
species, snares can severely injure or even kill chimpanzees
within the area.
The impact of commercial hunting on forest mammals is
yet to be fully determined, but current information
indicates that most hunting of primates is unsustainable.
While hunting of primates, particularly chimpanzees,
is not common in Uganda, hunting of other forest mammals,
such as duikers and bush pigs is. This hunting has an
indirect impact on chimpanzees and other primates since
most of the hunting in Uganda is done by setting snares
or jaw traps.
Most of these snares are made from wire. As chimpanzees
walk through the forest, their hands or feet may become
trapped in the snare. In two of the forests where chimpanzees
are studied, researchers have observed up to 25 percent
of chimpanzees with snare-related injuries. Currently
the effects of these injuries on the survivorship of
individuals, particularly females, are being studied.
Other researchers have stated that 50 percent of the
chimpanzees in the Kalinzu forest have snare related
injuries.
JGI Uganda has been supporting snare removal teams
in Budongo, Kibale, and Kalinzu Forests and hopes to
expand this program to include all of the forest blocks
in Uganda where chimpanzees are found. Each forest block
costs approximately $4,000 US to protect against illegal
poaching, including the salaries of field assistants
and their equipment.
Budongo Forest: Oakland Zoo (continuous
support)
Kalinzu Forest: Disney Conservation
Fund (supporting 2004 only)
Kibale Forest: Great Ape Survival
Programme - Australia (supporting 2004 only)
Bugoma Forest: Still seeking support.
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