Eco-Ethology of bonobos, Pan paniscus, in West Democratic Republic of Congo: why are such data so important for long-term conservation programs? | Eco-éthologie des bonobos, Pan paniscus, dans l'ouest de la République Démocratique du Congo : pourquoi ces données sont importantes pour les programmes de conservation à long terme?

English. peer reviewed

English. Endemic to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and classified as Endangered by IUCN, the Bonobo survival depends exclusively on management measures taken by a country having to deal concomitantly with several problems affecting its development. The current government’s intention to designate new protected areas need to be complemented by effective long-term conservation programs, taking into account both bonobos populations requirements and local socio-economic realities. As part of a WWF conservation program, our study focuses on recently discovered Bonobo populations in West RDC, an eccentric location of the species range. The region is characterized by numerous anthropogenic activities including logging and cattle ranching and is composed of forest-savannah mosaics in which Bonobo has hardly ever been studied in comparison with those evolving in central DRC rainforests. Preliminary observations already indicate that these Western populations differ from other known populations in terms of habitat use, with regular savannahs patches crossing and savannah fruits consumption. To shed further lights on species adaptation’s spectrum, our study investigates local population density; nesting sites choice; and diet composition. Here we present a baseline population density derived from 5 walks along transects using marked-nest count method and we discuss factors inducing nesting sites choice. Ultimately, our results should allow for the formulation of specific management recommendations to be used in regional conservation program.