Translocation of Mount Kenya guereza (Colobus guereza kikuyuensis):

Human-nonhuman primates conflict mitigation

Peter Fundi, Stan Kivai, Tom Kariuki &Esther Nyawira

Institute of Primate Research – Kenya

Introduction

Human-nonhuman primates conflict mediated by

Complex social organizations

Rapid learning ability

Dietary plasticity

Anthropogenic activities and

Climate change

Worse outside Protected areas

and human modified habitats

Several mitigation measures available

Translocation used as last result

Combined with other conservation solutions

Problem

In Nyandarua county, Central Kenya

Human population increasing rapidly

Large parcels of land subdivision

Clearing of riverine forests

Palatable crops

Human-wildlife interactions

Arboreal primates vulnerable

Primates persecution on the increase

Translocation the only solution

Human-colobus Conflict Mitigation measures

Guarding and Chasing

Use of dogs

Trapping

Scare crows

Mixed crop farming

Clearing their habitats

Why translocate Mount Kenya guereza

The only arboreal primate

Difficulty to migrate in fragmented farmland

Narrow dietary plasticity

Pricey skins and ready market

Sink Habitat

Karura forest

A tropical urban rain forest

Secondary indigenous forest

Surrounded by non-farmers

Fenced and protected

Tourism hub in Nairobi

Project Objectives

Translocate a population of Mount guereza in conflict with humans

Boost aesthetic value and biodiversity of Karura forest

Develop a working model for colobus capture, translocation and

monitoring

Methods

Groups surveys outside protected areas

Human-colobus interactions assessments

Sink and source habitat characterization

Translocation approvals

Groups habituation and diet surveys

Capture and translocation

Release and post release monitoring

Both capture and release sites

Results

Thirty six groups outside protected areas in the county

In five riverine locations

mean group size of six individuals

Eighty five plant species in Karura

Two colobus habitats characterized at source site

Habitat characterization and species sharing

263ha of indigenous forest at Karura to hold 100 colobus

Approved by National Primate Task Force

KWS translocation committee

Location No. species No. shared species

No. shared food species

Gilgil 61 14 8Wanjohi 89 19 11

Human colobus interactions used in prioritizing the groupsAll five locations sampled 20 households per site

Location Interacted (%)

Crop raiding (%)

Translocation support (%)

Wanjohi 60 65 60

Gilgil 40 40 85

Gathiriga 78 88 92

Miharati 55 69 83

Tulasha 84 74 96

Translocation approval: Kenya Wildlife Service National Primates Task Force

100 animals to be translocated in two phasesPhase 1=40 individualsPhase2=60 individuals

Capture targeted whole groups

Phase 1 had 87.5 % of the target and

Phase 2 had 75% of the target

six groups moved in phase 1 and 10 groups in phase 2

Success in transport and release

All individuals transported safely

All individuals released after four days

Site occupancy after translocation

Source

Colobus – nil

Sykes – 5 individuals

Sink

Riverine habitat – 14 groups

Edge habitat – 5 groups

Outside forest – nil

Local impacts of translocation

Single crop farming

Increased in time farming

Consistency in attending school

Minimal citation of dogs in farms

Reduction in complaints at local KWS office

Conclusion

Translocation requires careful planning

Capture methods need to be flexible

Transport in single cages

Community involvement emphasized

Translocation used when all methods fail

Post translocation key in understanding success

Acknowledgements

Institute of Primate Research (IPR)

Friends of Karura Forest (FKF)

Kenya Forest Service(KFS)

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)

African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) - funding

County government of Nyandarua - Support

Thank you