Long-term research sites as refugia for threatened and over-harvested species

Abstract

The presence of researchers, ecotourists or rangers inside protected areas is generally assumed to provide a protective effect for wildlife populations, mainly by reducing poaching pressure. However, this assumption has rarely been empirically tested. Here, we evaluate and quantify the conservation benefits of the presence of a longterm research area in Taï National Park, Cô te d'Ivoire. A wildlife survey following 225 km of line transects revealed considerably higher primate and duiker encounter rates within the research area when compared with adjacent areas. This positive effect was particularly pronounced for threatened and over-harvested species, such as the endangered red colobus monkey (Procolobus badius). This pattern was clearly mirrored by a reversed gradient in signs of poaching, which decreased towards and inside the research area, a trend that was also supported with park-wide data. This study demonstrates that even relatively simple evidence-based analytical approaches can bridge the gap between conservation theory and practice. In addition, it emphasizes the value of establishing long-term research sites as an integral part of protected area management.

The Conservation Impact of the American Society of Primatologists' Conservation Small Grant Program

“…Second, our results raise the important question of whether the likelihood of conservation success will be greater at sites where a long-term research presence exists (Pusey et al 2007). For example, Campbell et al (2011) empirically demonstrated that encounter rates of primates and duikers in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, were higher in the research area compared to adjacent areas, thereby supporting the assumption that a research presence effectively protects wildlife by reducing hunting pressure. Sustained research presence may therefore be an important criterion for grant programs to consider when deciding which projects to fund.…”

Monkeys in a West African Bushmeat Market: Implications for Cercopithecid Conservation in Eastern Liberia

“…This estimate is probably high because it does not account for reductions due to hunting and the fact that densities from reference populations in Taï National Park and Tiwai are high due to the protection afforded by several long term research projects [11,12]. We therefore reduced our population estimate by 20% to account for these factors yielding an adjusted total of~342,891 anthropoids in the Konobo District.…”

“…These population estimates were reduced by an additional 20% to account for general population reductions that have occurred in these forests over the last few decades [23]. A reduction of 20% is very likely a conservative adjustment since the reference populations in Taї and Tiwai feature group densities that are higher due to the protection provided by research sites [3,9,12].…”

“…This is the case in Taï National Park: several studies in Taï have demonstrated that while most hunters do not hunt the anthropoid primates in the zones where two long term primate research projects operate, monkeys and chimpanzees outside these areas, and throughout the remainder of the park, are targeted frequently. Indeed, survey data indicate that due to the effects of poaching, primate densities drop off immediately outside the research areas of the Taï monkey and chimpanzee projects, and that poaching throughout the greater portion of the park is widespread and largely unchecked [11][12][13][14].…”

“…Hunting in this region is widespread, including in the Ivory Coast's Taï National Park, despite the presence of several long term primate research field stations there and the park's status as a World Heritage Site [9,10]. Established research sites are known to provide measured levels of conservation [10][11][12]; however, the researcher presence provides only limited protection, especially when a park/reserve is considerably larger than the study area within it and/or when law enforcement is poor. This is the case in Taï National Park: several studies in Taï have demonstrated that while most hunters do not hunt the anthropoid primates in the zones where two long term primate research projects operate, monkeys and chimpanzees outside these areas, and throughout the remainder of the park, are targeted frequently.…”