Relative habitat use of duikers, bush pigs, and elephants in virgin and selectively logged areas of the Kibale Forest, Uganda

Abstract

Comparisons of relative habitat use of red and blue duikers [Cephalophus natalensis A. Smith 1843 and C. monticola (Thunberg 1789)], bush pigs [Potamochoerus porcus (L. 1758)] and elephants in two natural forests, and to selectively felled forests were carried out by monthly censuses of duiker pellet groups/elephant dung and bush pig diggings during 1 year in 1983-84. The amount of duiker dung and bush pig diggings varied greatly between and within the different areas. The highest density of duiker pellet groups was found in a part of the lightly logged forest. In the number of diggings there were no significant differences between the forest areas. The number of pellets found correlated negatively, and the number of diggings found correlated positively with the rainfall of the previous month. The number of elephants in the Kibale Forest is roughly 1/5 of that recorded 20 years earlier. Elephants preferred selectively felled areas.

Biodiversity and Human Activities in the Udzungwa Mountain Forests, Tanzania. 1. Ethnobotanical Survey in the Uzungwa Scarp Forest Reserve

“…The gaps apparently originate from hunters' and honey collectors' activities and timber harvesting. Some wild animals, especially elephants, were considered to be abundant in the past when they may have affected the forest gap formation and maintenance (see Kasenene, 1984;Nummelin, 1990;Struhsaker et al, 1996). Plant uses Thirty-seven forest plant uses were recorded from the area (appendix).…”

Relative Densities of Mammals in Response to Different Levels of Bushmeat Hunting in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania

“…In some cases the density of duikers may even increase in degraded or secondary forest due to increased availability of food sources [36,51]. Thus, comparison between locations indicates that the duiker population has been reduced by hunting, although effects of differences in habitat quality related to previous logging activities cannot be excluded.…”

“…The structure of ground vegetation affects the probability of detecting animals and spoors (e.g. [20,36,37] (Table 1). Primate groups combined per km transect were significantly higher in WKSFR compared to USFR and NDUFR (difference = P<0.001 both cases).…”

Primate Populations and Their Interactions with Changing Habitats

“…Apparently, the differences in tree species removed from Budongo and Kibale are not the only ones to account for differences in primate populations in the 2 forests. Whereas regeneration of several tree species occurred after logging in Budongo (Plumptre 1996), studies from Kibale (Kasenene 1987;Lawes and Chapman 2006;Nummelin 1990;Paul et al 2004;Struhsaker 1997;Struhsaker et al 1996) strongly suggest that elephant browsing in the logged areas suppresses regeneration. Logged areas in Kibale are dominated by thick tangles of herbaceous vegetation (Struhsaker 1997).…”

“…For example, the old growth forest at Ngogo, though it appears virgin (Nummelin 1990), harbors grinding stones and shards of pottery that indicate that people once lived there. Decorations on the pottery shards are typical of the period between 200 and 400 b.p.…”