Not only for the western chimpanzee but also for other species of endangered great apes. "It also demonstrates the value of employing non-invasive genetic techniques to generate critical data on population abundance, structure and genetic health." "For future impact assessments, we recommend genetic sampling, combined with camera trapping, as these methods can provide robust baselines for biomonitoring and conservation management," says Koops. Tatyana Humle, senior associate at Re:wild. "This study undeniably confirms the status of the Nimba UNESCO World Heritage Site as a priority site for the conservation of the critically endangered western chimpanzee," says co-author Dr. For example, the data allow predictions to be made as to how road building and extraction activities might affect chimpanzee movement between the different communities or reduce access to food and nesting sites. "These findings highlight the utility of genetic censusing for temporal monitoring of ape abundance, as well as capturing migratory events and gauging genetic diversity and population viability over time," adds co-author Dr. The team also found a number of migratory events, as well as high levels of shared ancestry and genetic diversity. Christina Hvilsom, conservation geneticist at Copenhagen Zoo. "Infants and juveniles are not reliably included in fecal sampling and some areas of the mountain range remain under-sampled," says Dr. The actual number of chimpanzees in the area probably significantly exceeds this minimum estimate. The analysis identified a total of 136 chimpanzees living in four different communities or social groups. They analyzed the genetic material contained in these samples using a panel of 26 microsatellites - short pieces of DNA that allow the identification of individual animals as well as relatedness between them. During field work the researchers collected almost a thousand fecal samples of chimpanzees between 20. "Our study is the first to employ genetics on such a large scale to estimate the number and population structure of a critically endangered chimpanzee population in West Africa," says Koops. The international team included researchers from the University of Zurich, the University of Kent, Copenhagen Zoo, the University of Copenhagen, Texas A&M and the Environmental Research Institute of Bossou in Guinea. To this end, Koops and her colleagues used genetic censusing to estimate chimpanzee population size, community composition and range boundaries on the western flank of the massif in Guinea. "It is therefore crucial to establish tools to monitor this endangered chimpanzee population and assess the potential impact of mining," says Kathelijne Koops, professor in the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Zurich. Guinea is rich in minerals with some of the highest grade iron-ore deposits in the world. However, this region is now under threat from mining activities immediately abutting its borders. The Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site, located on the borders of Guinea, Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire in West Africa, harbors a unique population of this subspecies. The forests are needed for honey production and honey producers do not want their investment and source of income destroyed.The western chimpanzee is listed as "Critically Endangered" on the Red List of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The beehives will protect the forest because community members will not set fire to a forest when their beehives are inside. Beekeeping in wooded areas will also be a large incentive to prevent the destruction of forested areas, which are burnt by uncontrolled fires annually during the dry season. The project provides training, materials and ongoing value chain and marketing support. An apiculture project will add a key social enterprise that contributes to improved food security, household incomes, and conservation of biological diversity. The project seeks to improve livelihood and enhance food security among vulnerable groups in the area. Mozambique is experiencing a rapid decline in food security due to impact of climate change and extreme weather variability. Involving the local communities to grow trees instead of chopping them down will benefit the local economy and ecosystem, including the animals and plant life. Liberia is thought to host the second largest-and most viablepopulation of western chimpanzees with some of the most suitable environmental conditions, including large blocks of continuous forest. The project establishes trees nurseries and a community based reforestation programme in the area.
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