Perceptions of challenges to subsistence agriculture, and crop foraging by wildlife and chimpanzees Pan troglodytes verus in unprotected areas in Sierra Leone

Abstract

The Sierra Leone National Chimpanzee Census Project (SLNCCP) estimated a population of 5,580 individuals distributed across the country with >50% occurring outside protected areas. This census also highlighted the significance of human-chimpanzee competition for resources in areas dominated by farming activities where wild chimpanzees forage on crops. For the purpose of this study, we selected four study areas in two districts in Sierra Leone with high chimpanzee density in agricultural dominated habitats far from any protected areas. The objectives were to assess farmers' perceptions of the main challenges to their agricultural yields and wildlife involved in crop foraging, the main crop protection measures used and to understand farmers' perception of chimpanzees. For this purpose, we conducted 257 semi-structured interviews with local farmers across the four study areas. The results showed that: a) farmers reported wild animals as their main agricultural problem; b) most complaints concerned cane rats Thryonomys swinderianus, which targeted almost all crop types (20/23), especially rice and cassava; c) chimpanzees reportedly targeted 21/23 crops but less often than cane rats, focusing particularly on oil palm, cassava and domestic fruits; d) overall chimpanzees were not reported among the top three most destructive animals; e) chimpanzees were generally perceived as more destructive than dangerous and as having declined since before the civil war; f) the main reported crop protection measure employed was fencing interspersed with traps. Our study illustrates the importance of investigating farmers' perceptions before developing appropriate conservation strategies aimed at promoting people-wildlife co-existence in highly degraded landscapes.

Factors influencing wild chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) relative abundance in an agriculture-swamp matrix outside protected areas

“…and sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ) using slash-and-burn intercropping practices. Previous investigations in the study area confirmed the presence of chimpanzees through semi-structured interviews as well as direct observations [23,46].…”

“…In our model, settlements and human presence did not influence chimpanzees’ relative abundance, possibly due to human tolerance for chimpanzees [46] and low levels of hunting in our study area [7]. Therefore, at a spatial level, human presence did not impact chimpanzee presence.…”

“…Semi-domesticated oil palms are abundant and are the most frequently encountered tree species across this agricultural matrix. The climate is tropical with a dry season which runs from November to May [46]. The total human population is rural with an average density of 51.5 hab/km 2 for Bumpeh and 55.9 hab/km 2 for Kagboro chiefdoms [53].…”

“…However, only a few studies in Sierra Leone have since been published exploring how chimpanzees are able to persist in such agricultural matrixes [7,23]. Chimpanzees face serious threats in Sierra Leone, including habitat loss, hunting, and retaliation as a result of competition with people for resources [23,46]. The persistence of chimpanzees in agricultural matrixes and their co-existence with farmers has been documented in other parts of Africa [24], but still remains largely understudied.…”

Consumer perceptions and reported wild and domestic meat and fish consumption behavior during the Ebola epidemic in Guinea, West Africa

“…These five faunal groups happened to be the ones most consumed before the EVD epidemic and are hence potentially preferred. It is also worthy to note that, among these faunal groups, monkeys, rodents and hogs are also well known for their crop-foraging habits (Garriga et al, 2018), which may have additionally influenced their continued hunting, consumption and commercialization in the region (Duonamou et al, in press). Although LeBreton et al (2006) found that disease risk perception in Cameroon was only significant for wildmeat butchering rather than its consumption, our findings suggest that when it comes to EVD, the belief that a species could act as a carrier or a vector of EVD could also significantly influence people's consumption behavior.…”