Past and Present Distribution of the Red-Bellied Monkey Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster in Benin

Abstract

This study provides data on the past and present distribution of the red-bellied monkey, Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster, a subspecies that is endemic to Benin’s southern ecosystems. The original distribution of this subspecies was between the Couffo River and the Nigerian border, but it has since been reduced to regions degraded by intense human settlement (such as the Oueme river valley) and to some better preserved areas, such as the Lama protected forest and some sacred grove forests in wet areas. Local people participated in this research programme and, as a result, many new localities have been discovered. All of these have been in wetlands in southern Benin, mainly in sacred groves. Conservation action for this subspecies will succeed only if local people are involved in its protection.

Distribution of Hyrax (Mammalia/Hyracoidea/Procaviidae) in the Central Regions of Benin.

“…The occurrence area of Dendrohyrax dorsalis ssp sylvestris was reduced by half in three decades from 8007 km² (past occurrence area) to 4003 km² (current occurrence area). This significant loss to the taxon habitat in southern Guinean zone in Benin is comparable to that recorded for the red-bellied monkey (Sinsin et al, 2002). However, the taxon distribution area extends beyond the Guinean zone and much of the Sudano -Guinean transition zone or even South -West of Nigeria.…”

“…It is not only the classified forests, sacred or community forests usually degraded and used as last refuges by the taxon but also inaccessible gallery forests, swamps and flood forests. Like the redbellied monkey Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster (Sinsin et al, 2002), the taxon as refuge there probably because these habitats in the Oueme River Valley are generally difficult to access more than half of the year. These small colonies of D. dorsalis subsp sylvestris are not spared from a possible local extinction due to their sometimes irreversible isolation from other metapopulation (development of settlements and agricultural systems ....)…”

Distribution des espèces de primates au Bénin et ethnozoologie

“…La forêt classée de la Lama abrite les espèces comme la mone, le cercopithèque à ventre rouge, le tantale, le colobe de Geoffroy, le colobe de Van Beneden, des galagos et le potto de Bosman (Kafichoni, 1987 ;Kassa, 2001 ;Nobimè, 2002 ;Nobimè et Sinsin, 2003 ;Djossou, 2003 ;Campbell et al, 2008). La vallée du fleuve Ouémé regorge d'îlots forestiers qui abritent quelques espèces de primates.…”

“…Depuis les travaux de Sayer & Green (1984) relatifs à la faune mammalienne de la république du Bénin, il est apparu que le potentiel du pays en mammifères n'est pas négligeable. Très peu de documents (Kafichoni, 1987 ;Kassa, 2001 ;Nobimè, 2002 ;Nobimè et Sinsin, 2003 ;Djossou, 2003 ;Campbell et al, 2008) ont abordé la distribution des espèces de primates abritées par cette partie du Sillon dahoméen. Le présent travail fait le point sur les primates qui existent selon les grandes zones climatiques du pays, les différents écosystèmes leur servant d'habitats, et sur quelques aspects ethnozoologiques.…”

Ecological factors determining the distribution of the red-bellied guenon Cercopithecus e. erythrogaster in Benin and Togo

“…A wild population of red-bellied guenons was discovered in 1994 (Oates, 1996). We are sure people had seen them before; but Oates was the first to publish a sighting with a geographical distribution limited to forests of the southern Benin (Oates, 1996;Sinsin et al, 2002). Further information about the spatial distribution of the subspecies and the characterization of its remaining habitats are particularly important to ensure the survival of this endangered taxon (Sinsin et al, 2002;Campbell et al, 2008).…”