| Since 2008, we’ve been monitoring privately owned forests in Hoima district to document mammal ecology and behavior, in addition to human impacts on the forests. We have been doing periodic weekly monitoring patrols that document presence of mammals and changes occurring in the forests as a result of human impacts.
We noted however that during patrol monitoring, some salient mammal observation could not be documented such as chimpanzees nesting on the ground and chimpanzee interactions with other primates in the forest.
This challenge has since been curbed with a donation of 6 camera traps for monitoring in Itohya forest, western Uganda, from Utah’s Hogle Zoo Facebook
‘With the cameras, I believe we shall get more accurate and unique reports about the mammals, especially chimpanzee behaviour as this will not be influenced by human presence during the monitoring process,’ says Paul Hatanga, Field Conservation Projects Manager.
Itohya forest, 374 hectares, is one of the remaining privately owned forests in the Murchison Semliki that is monitored by the Chimpanzee Trust Field team. The forest is home to about 50-60 chimpanzees.
Special thanks to Ms. Boanna Owens who delivered the cameras.
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| A picture of baby chimpanzee with its mother in Itohya forest |
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