A camera trap assessment of terrestrial vertebrates in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda

We placed camera traps for a month at sixty locations in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to determine the species composition and distribution of medium-to-large terrestrial vertebrates. A total of 15912 images were recorded from 1800 camera trap days. These provided a total of 625 and 338 camera events when filtered by hour and day, respectively. Twenty mammal species were recorded from 594 and 314 camera events by hour and day, respectively. Four bird species were recorded from 31 and 24 camera events by hour and day, respectively. The African golden cat Profelis aurata Temminck was recorded from 27 and nineteen camera events by hour and day, respectively. The black-fronted duiker Cephalophus nigrifrons Gray was most frequently photographed with 179 and 65 camera events by hour and day, respectively. Analyses reveal two species possessed a significantly interior-biased distribution. One species showed an edge-biased pattern. Five species were detected to have significantly biased altitudinal distributions with higher elevations. Distance to park edge and elevation can significantly influence species distribution. The selective use of the park limits the area that each species utilizes, with implications for maximum population sizes and viability. Our observations provide a baseline for long-term terrestrial vertebrate monitoring in Bwindi

Bamboo for people, mountain gorillas, and golden monkeys: evaluating harvest and conservation trade-offs and synergies in the Virunga volcanoes

There are conflicting demands on bamboo (Yushania alpina (K. Schum.) Lin.) in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (Virunga Volcanoes), Uganda. Local people lost legal access to bamboo when the park was gazetted in 1991 – but still request harvesting rights. Bamboo sprouts provide a key food for conservation significant Mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) and African golden monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis kandti). We examined the impact of a localised harvest of mature bamboo on the production of new stems. We used a grid of 540 variable area plots to record and assess 9420 stems (including 1268 cut stems) and 1981 sprouts. Mean densities were 3.96 stems m−2 and 0.68 sprouts m−2. Densities and diameters were lower in areas with tree shade compared to those without. Densities of new stems were positively related to densities of older stems. Diameters of young stems were positively correlated with the diameters of older stems but younger stems were, in general, significantly larger. Cutting of mature stems had no detectable impact on either the density or diameter of subsequent new stems. Statistical power analysis adapted from pharmaceutical assessments indicates that a minor positive or negative impact remains possible (a positive effect appears more probable). We conclude that the bamboo is in a “building phase”, that densities and sizes of young stems are determined by the extent of the underground rhizome, and that this plot–scale relationship is not detectably influenced by harvesting older stems. Nonetheless, negative impacts may arise with repeated harvesting. Guidelines for any future harvest are suggested