TY - JOUR
T1 - Genetic census reveals increased but uneven growth of a critically endangered mountain gorilla population
AU - Gray, Maryke
AU - Roy, Justin
AU - Vigilant, Linda
AU - Fawcett, Katie
AU - Basabose, Augustin
AU - Cranfield, Mike
AU - Uwingeli, Prosper
AU - Mburanumwe, Innocent
AU - Kagoda, Edwin
AU - Robbins, Martha M.
N1 - Funding Information:
The 2010 Virunga Massif mountain gorilla census was conducted by the protected area authorities in the three countries: L’Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, the Rwanda Development Board and the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The census was supported by the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (a coalition of the African Wildlife Foundation, World Wide Fund for Nature, and Fauna & Flora International), the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International and the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project. The census was funded by WWF-Sweden, Fair Play Foundation, and the Netherlands Directorate General for International Cooperation (DGIS) through the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration. We would like to thank the governments and security agencies in the three countries for their cooperation and assistance. Special thanks also to Benjamin Mugabukomeye, Prosper Uwingeli, Emmanuel de Merode, Innocent Mburanumwe, Felix Ndagijimana, Gaetan Nsengiyumva, Pontious Ezuma, Fidele Ruzigandekwe, Jan Ramer, James Byamukama, Rosy Kabeya, Jerome Baguma, Jean Diogene Komezusenge, Wilbur Kaiire and André Nzasebera for their cooperation and assistance.
PY - 2013/2
Y1 - 2013/2
N2 - Monitoring changes in the population dynamics of endangered species is crucial to effective conservation strategies. The mountain gorilla population of the Virunga Massif has been the subject of intensive conservation efforts, research and several censuses over the last 40. years, but the region has also been affected by political instability and war. Here we present results from the 2010 census, which was the first to utilize genetic analyses of fecal samples for the entire population. The genetic analyses improved the accuracy of the population estimate by identifying several instances in which gorillas otherwise would have been undercounted or double-counted. The population was estimated to be 480 individuals; including 349 individuals found in 24 groups that were habituated for research and tourism, 101 individuals found in 12 unhabituated groups, fourteen solitary males, and a correction factor of sixteen for undetected infants. The population has increased by 26% since 2003 (an annual rate of 3.7%) and it has almost doubled since 1981. Nearly all of the increase can be attributed to a relatively higher growth rate in the habituated groups from 2003 to 2010, and in all five of the previous intervals between consecutive censuses. Nonetheless, it would be imprudent to habituate additional groups due to the concomitant risks of disease transmission from humans, behavioral disturbance and potential vulnerability to poaching. The results show that it is possible for conservation efforts to succeed even under difficult conditions, while highlighting the continuing challenges of managing a wild population of both habituated and unhabituated gorillas.
AB - Monitoring changes in the population dynamics of endangered species is crucial to effective conservation strategies. The mountain gorilla population of the Virunga Massif has been the subject of intensive conservation efforts, research and several censuses over the last 40. years, but the region has also been affected by political instability and war. Here we present results from the 2010 census, which was the first to utilize genetic analyses of fecal samples for the entire population. The genetic analyses improved the accuracy of the population estimate by identifying several instances in which gorillas otherwise would have been undercounted or double-counted. The population was estimated to be 480 individuals; including 349 individuals found in 24 groups that were habituated for research and tourism, 101 individuals found in 12 unhabituated groups, fourteen solitary males, and a correction factor of sixteen for undetected infants. The population has increased by 26% since 2003 (an annual rate of 3.7%) and it has almost doubled since 1981. Nearly all of the increase can be attributed to a relatively higher growth rate in the habituated groups from 2003 to 2010, and in all five of the previous intervals between consecutive censuses. Nonetheless, it would be imprudent to habituate additional groups due to the concomitant risks of disease transmission from humans, behavioral disturbance and potential vulnerability to poaching. The results show that it is possible for conservation efforts to succeed even under difficult conditions, while highlighting the continuing challenges of managing a wild population of both habituated and unhabituated gorillas.
KW - Gorilla beringei beringei
KW - Microsatellite genotyping
KW - Population survey
KW - Virunga Massif
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U2 - 10.1016/j.biocon.2012.09.018
DO - 10.1016/j.biocon.2012.09.018
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84870320873
SN - 0006-3207
VL - 158
SP - 230
EP - 238
JO - Biological Conservation
JF - Biological Conservation
ER -