3.4. Animals signs identified in Mwaro ecological
corridor
Signs of 11 species of mammals were identified in the Mwaro
corridor (Figure 14). Among these mammals, six species of primates were
identified: Colobus angolensis, Cercopithecus mitis spp., Cercopithecus
mitis kandti, Pan troglodytes, Papio anubis, and Gorilla beringei
beringei.
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Signs of blue monkey (Cercopithecus mitis) and those
of chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and black and white colobus
(Colobus angolensis) were identified in lower altitudes of the
corridor in the forest dominated by Olea hochtetteri. Foot prints of
buffaloes have been recorded in the Neoboutonia macrocalyx dominated
forest, while fresh trails, droppings and nests of mountain gorillas were found
in the highest elevations in Hagenia abyssinica and Hypericum
revolutum dominated forest.
Old chimpanzee nests and feaces, and baboon sightings were
recorded in the permanent plot located in the northern part of our line
transect, while calls of golden monkey were heard in the lower altitudes but
also higher towards the end of our line transect.
3.5. Human Activities in Mwaro ecological corridor.
Figure 25. Human activity signs recorded along the 7 Km line
transect in Mwaro corridor
The Mwaro corridor is affected by many illegal human
activities, including poaching particularly occurring in lower elevations
(Figure 25). The many fresh human paths encountered, sufficiently demonstrate
the frequent movement of poachers in this important ecological corridor.
Biodiversity survey of Mwaro corridor, Altitudinal
distribution of the vegetation and assessment of Gorilla food
availability
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