Title
Aerial Reconnaissance Survey of Wildlife, Human Activity and Habitat Across the Bili-Uéré Protected Area Complex, Democratic Republic of Congo, April 2013
Author(s)
Paul Elkan; Robert Mwinyihali; Soqui Mendiguetti; Chris Hamley; Ephrem Mpaka; Kakule Kasongo Nathanael; Boniface Nyembo; Kahindo Mbafumoja Faustin; Abedi Selemani
Published
2013
Abstract
This report details an aerial sample count (supported with supplementary recces and targetted counts) of animals in the Bouba N’djida - Sena Oura - Benoue - Faro Landscape, located in north Cameroon and extending into southwest Chad. The survey was conducted April-May 2015. A total of 5,412 km were flown across 180 transects over a combined survey area of 21,742 km2. Across the survey area only 7 elephant groups (total of 102 individuals) were observed during the entire survey (all reconnaissance and transect flying). This included one group in Bouba N’djida NP and 6 other groups. Only 12 elephants were observed on-transect (with 9 in-strip), this low count did not permit a population estimate. A minimum count of 102 was documented. For Bouba N’djida NP, total observed elephant numbers were just 2% of the 450 observed in 2008 (Omondi et al 2008). The minimum count for elephant carcasses in all age categories both inside and outside the survey strata was 253. This included 27 recent (between 1 month and a year old), 207 old (over a year old) and 19 very old (over 2 years old) carcasses. A total of 83 elephant carcasses were observed on-transect. This included 2 recent carcasses, and 81 old and very old carcasses. Ground missions to elephant kill sites, verified a total of 150 carcasses, which included 38 recent and 112 old carcasses. Threats to elephant populations in the area include transboundary poaching, gold mining and pastoralism.
Keywords
Benoue; Bouba N’djida; Cameroon; Chad; Faro; Sena Oura; aerial
Full Citation
Elkan, P., R. Mwinyihali, S. Mendiguetti, C. Hamley, E. Mpaka, N. Kakule Kasongo, B. Nyembo, F. Kahindo and A. Selemani (2013). Aerial Reconnaissance Survey of Wildlife, Human Activity and Habitat Across the Bili-Uéré Protected Area Complex, Democratic Republic of Congo, April 2013. Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Wildlife Conservation Society and Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature.
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