Wildsolutions.nl now hosts the results of the first systematic work to document the biological diversity represented in Uganda’s major forests, the Biodiversity Report Series (1996). These reports describe fieldwork carried out by the Uganda Forest Department during 1991-1995, aimed at listing the trees and scrubs, birds, butterflies, moths, and small mammals of the country’s 65 most important forests for the conservation of biodiversity. The purpose of this work is to provide data on the biological value of each forest and establish priorities for the designation of Nature Reserves and other conservation areas.
Uganda’s Mount Nyeri demarks both the northern limit of Otzi East Central Forest Reserve and the border with South Sudan. Photograph by Yvonne de Jong & Tom Butynski.
New paper in Primate Conservation (2024) 38: 71-81
Thomas M. Butynski and Yvonne A. de Jong
Abstract: The ‘Endangered’ Prigogine’s Angola colobus Colobus angolensis prigoginei is endemic to the Kabobo Massif along the western shore of Lake Tanganyika, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. As the validity of C. a. prigoginei has been disputed, we compared the holotype and first photographs of a live individual against three paratypes of Cordier’s Angola colobus Colobus angolensis cordieri.
Northeast Kenya is the most poorly known region in eastern Africa as concerns the taxonomy, distribution, abundance, threats, and conservation status of its larger mammals. Nonetheless, this region has a high number of threatened genera and species. Among the larger mammals, 15 species of antelope are known to occur. Diurnal surveys, nocturnal surveys, and camera trap surveys were conducted to cover as much of northeast Kenya (~130,000 km²) as possible in four fieldtrips (total of 48 days, total distance driven 7,163 km). The objectives of the Northeast Kenya Antelope Survey were to: (1) considerably improve our understanding of the taxonomic status, distribution, relative abundance, and threats to the region’s species of antelope; (2) contribute to the reassessments of their IUCN Red List degree of threat status; (3) provide practical, prioritized, recommendations for ameliorating the threats; and (4) bring local, national, and international attention to the unique biodiversity of northeast Kenya, using antelopes as a flagship group.
Yvonne A. de Jong and Thomas M. Butynski
Eastern Africa Primate Diversity and Conservation Program, Nanyuki, Kenya
It took us only a second to realize what we were looking at. On the track in front of our Land Rover was a flat, turtle-like, creature scurrying from one rocky hill (or ‘kopje) to another. What we were seeing was an adult male Pancake Tortoise (or Crevice Tortoise Malacochersus tornieri). The Pancake Tortoise is referred to locally, in Kiswahili, as ‘Kobe kama Chapati’—Chapati Tortoise.
Thomas M. Butynski and Yvonne A. de Jong
Eastern Africa Primate Diversity and Conservation Program, Nanyuki, Kenya
Marsabit National Park (1,554 km²), located in northern Kenya, is named after Mount Marsabit, a shield volcano (1,707 m asl; 6,300 km²) that last erupted ~600,000 years ago (Scoon 2022). The higher reaches of Mount Marsabit are mostly covered with mid-altitude and montane forest that is dependent on frequent heavy mist to supplement the low rainfall. This unique forest is an island among the arid and semi-arid plains of northern Kenya as it is bounded by the Koroli Desert to the west, the Chalbi Desert to the northwest, the Dida Galgalu Desert to the north and northeast, and the vast, semi-arid, plains leading to Somalia and the Indian Ocean to the east and southeast. Dominant trees in the montane forest include pencil cedar Juniperus procera and African olive Olea europaea africana. Big fig trees Ficus are common. Acacia woodlands and bushlands cover the lower slopes. There are several volcanic craters, some with freshwater lakes (e.g., Lake Paradise, Lake Marsabit, Lake Horr), that offer grazing around their perimeters and drinking water for most, or all, of the year.
