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The expansion of agriculture in equatorial areas is fragmenting and reducing wildlife habitats. For primates, it also increases opportunities to consume crops as high-energy resources, exacerbates conflicts with farmers, and increases exposure to diseases and agrochemicals at the edge of protected areas. In species with sex differences in ranging behavior, individual exposure to such opportunities and threats may vary by sex. Chimpanzees show a great feeding flexibility and are territorial species with varied ranging patterns according to site, sex, or individuals. Within a community whose territory is crossed by a high-traffic road and partially bordered by maize gardens, we tested hypotheses of interindividual differences in access to crops based on age, sex, ranging behavior, and kinship. By analyzing the presence of Sebitoli chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii , Kibale National Park, Uganda) on video clips from 16 camera traps, we estimated the individual dispersion range across the community's territory and the crop foraging frequency along maize gardens over 16 months. While all age and sex classes were represented at the forest–garden interface, large intrasex differences were observed: some mature males and females were not observed to participate. The crop foraging frequency of adult females in maize gardens was significantly correlated with the location of their ranging areas. Related individuals revealed similar range patterns within the forest territory without sharing crop foraging habits. However, social learning and energy and risks–benefits trade-offs as potential drivers of crop consumption are not excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IUCN now recognizes the savannah Loxodonta africana and forest Loxodonta cyclotis elephants to be separate species. Despite ecological, behavioural and morphological differences, and different habitat ranges, genetic studies confirm that the two species and hybrids coexist in forest–savannah ecotones. However, the hybrid phenotypes have not yet been described. In this survey we examined whether the phenotypes of the two species and of hybrids can be distinguished. In the first step, we used a machine learning algorithm (K -nearest neighbours) to compare 296 reference images of African elephants from five forest areas and six savannah areas where hybrids have not been recorded, confirming that six morphological criteria can be used to distinguish the species with more than 90% confidence. In the second step, we analysed 1,408 videos of elephants from 14 camera traps in Sebitoli, in Kibale National Park, Uganda, part of the main hybridization area. We used a multiple correspondence analysis and a species assignment key, highlighting the presence of three categories of phenotypes. Compared to the savannah and forest phenotypes (36.8 and 12.1%, respectively), the intermediate phenotypes, which could include hybrids, were more frequent (51.1%). Further studies combining morphology and genetics of the same individuals will be necessary to refine this species assignment key to characterize phenotypes confidently. This non-invasive, fast and inexpensive phenotypical-based method could be a valuable tool for conservation programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Malaria parasites (Plasmodium sp.), including new species, have recently been discovered as low grade mixed infections in three wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) sampled randomly in Kibale National Park, Uganda. This suggested a high prevalence of malaria infection in this community. The clinical course of malaria in chimpanzees and the species of the vectors that transmit their parasites are not known. The fact that these apes display a specific behaviour in which they consume plant parts of low nutritional value but that contain compounds with anti-malarial properties suggests that the apes health might be affected by the parasite. The avoidance of the night-biting anopheline mosquitoes is another potential behavioural adaptation that would lead to a decrease in the number of infectious bites and consequently malaria. Methods Mosquitoes were collected over two years using suction-light traps and yeast-generated CO2 traps at the nesting and the feeding sites of two chimpanzee communities in Kibale National Park. The species of the female Anopheles caught were then determined and the presence of Plasmodium was sought in these insects by PCR amplification. Results The mosquito catches yielded a total of 309 female Anopheles specimens, the only known vectors of malaria parasites of mammalians. These specimens belonged to 10 species, of which Anopheles implexus, Anopheles vinckei and Anopheles demeilloni dominated. Sensitive DNA amplification techniques failed to detect any Plasmodium-positive Anopheles specimens. Humidity and trap height influenced the Anopheles capture success, and there was a negative correlation between nest numbers and mosquito abundance. The anopheline mosquitoes were also less diverse and numerous in sites where chimpanzees were nesting as compared to those where they were feeding. Conclusions These observations suggest that the sites where chimpanzees build their nests every night might be selected, at least in part, in order to minimize contact with anopheline mosquitoes, which might lead to a reduced risk in acquiring malaria infections.

International guidelines recommend the integration of local communities within protected areas management as a means to improve conservation efforts. However, local management plans rarely consider communities knowledge about wildlife and their traditions to promote biodiversity conservation. In the Sebitoli area of Kibale National Park, Uganda, the contact of local communities with wildlife has been strictly limited at least since the establishment of the park in 1993. The park has not develop programs, outside of touristic sites, to promote local traditions, knowledge, and beliefs in order to link neighboring community members to nature. To investigate such links, we used a combination of semidirected interviews and participative observations (N= 31) with three communities. While human and wildlife territories are legally disjointed, results show that traditional wildlife and spiritual related knowledge trespasses them and the contact with nature is maintained though practice, culture, and imagination. More than 66% of the people we interviewed have wild animals as totems, and continue to use plants to medicate, cook, or build. Five spirits structure humanwildlife relationships at specific sacred sites. However, this knowledge varies as a function of the location of local communities and the sacred sites. A better integration of local wildlifefriendly knowledge into management plans may revive communities' connectedness to nature, motivate conservation behaviors, and promote biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A species, especially when it is endangered and surrounded by anthropogenic elements, can be threatened by habitat fragmentation. Food resource availability in the species' usual or surrogate habitats may reinforce or decrease its use of certain areas. Our objective was to to determine the influence of natural and anthropogenic variables on spatial distribution of eastern chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii). We first determined the home range of a wild chimpanzee community (hereafter Sebitoli Chimpanzee Community [SCC]) based on global positioning system (GPS) point locations ( n = 2,586 direct observations and feces locations) collected between 2009 and 2013 in Sebitoli, Kibale National Park, Uganda. We described SCC home range using grid cells (2,959 cells of 100 m × 100 m) referencing environmental, spatial, and topographical variables ( n = 15). We then determined diet and food species abundance within their territory ( n = 63 vegetation plots and 18 months phenological survey) and predicted distribution of the 10 most foraged fruit species within SCC home range, using environmental, spatial, and topographical variables ( n = 10) by applying a maximum entropy model (maxent). We then predicted chimpanzee presence as a function of environmental, spatial, and topographical variables ( n = 15) using the maxent model and assessed its truthfulness with the kernel model, based only on GPS point locations. Chimpanzees in Sebitoli were mostly observed in a core area of 5.42 km2 within the 25-km2 home range. They did not avoid forest edges in contact with human populations, especially males who used larger core areas than females. Factors with the greatest positive impact on the chimpanzee distribution model (maxent area under the curve [AUC] = 0.907) were related to 3 different food resources: 1) proximity to forest edges considered as attractive because of presence of crops cultivated by local farmers; 2) proximity to a tarmac road that crosses the SCC home range with shoulders covered by attractive terrestrial herbaceous vegetation; and 3) presence of wild forest fruiting resources. The results obtained with the maxent predictive model, applied on a fine scale, were consistent with the kernel model, based on real observations. Therefore, such an approach may be recommended for surveys or action plans interested in sustainable management of wildlife in an anthropogenic environment and may be a useful tool to better understand parameters of a prefered zone for an endangered species. © 2016 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: The study was done to establish medicinal plants used in the treatment of various diseases by the people in the Northern sector of Kibale National Park in western Uganda. It was also aimed at establishing the plant parts used and the mode of preparation of remedies. These plants create a basis for phytochemical evaluation which can lead to the discovery of biologically active compounds that can be used as starting materials in the development of new drugs targeting selected diseases such as malaria. Materials and methods: The required information was obtained using open interviews, semi-structured questionnaires, focus group discussions and transect walks. Results: Different medicinal plants (131 species) distributed over 55 families were observed to be used by the local communities around the Northern sector of Kibale National Park. The plants as reported in this paper are used to treat 43 physical illnesses/diseases. The most used parts of the plants are the leaves. Water is the main medium used for the preparation of the remedies which are mostly administered orally. Conclusion: The people in the study area have a rich heritage of traditional plants that are used in the health care system to treat diseases. These medicinal plants have contributed significantly to several disease therapies. The most common diseases treated are malaria and cough, which are mostly treated by Vernonia amygdalina Del. and Albizia coriaria Welw. respectively. The main sources of medicinal plants include bush land, home gardens, grasslands, and the forest. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]