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. 2011 Oct 23;7(5):723-6.
doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2011.0155. Epub 2011 Mar 30.

Long-term research sites as refugia for threatened and over-harvested species

G Campbell  1 , H Kuehl, A Diarrassouba, P K N'Goran, C Boesch
Affiliations

Long-term research sites as refugia for threatened and over-harvested species

G Campbell et al. Biol Lett. .

Abstract

The presence of researchers, ecotourists or rangers inside protected areas is generally assumed to provide a protective effect for wildlife populations, mainly by reducing poaching pressure. However, this assumption has rarely been empirically tested. Here, we evaluate and quantify the conservation benefits of the presence of a long-term research area in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire. A wildlife survey following 225 km of line transects revealed considerably higher primate and duiker encounter rates within the research area when compared with adjacent areas. This positive effect was particularly pronounced for threatened and over-harvested species, such as the endangered red colobus monkey (Procolobus badius). This pattern was clearly mirrored by a reversed gradient in signs of poaching, which decreased towards and inside the research area, a trend that was also supported with park-wide data. This study demonstrates that even relatively simple evidence-based analytical approaches can bridge the gap between conservation theory and practice. In addition, it emphasizes the value of establishing long-term research sites as an integral part of protected area management.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
(a) Location of the study area within Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire. (b) The location of the 75 transects are shown within the survey area, with the research area represented by dashed lines. Within the research area, the location of the Taï Monkey Project's camp is indicated by a circle and the three Taï Chimpanzee Project's camps by stars.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Interpolated maps from encounter rates with (a) poaching signs (sign km−1) and (b) groups of P. badius observed (group km−1). For each panel, the maps derived from data collected for this study are shown to the right, and from data collected throughout the Taï National Park to the left. Both maps share the same shading legend. (a) White regions, 0–1; light grey regions, 2–4; dark grey regions, 5–7; black regions, 8–15. (b) White regions, 0–0,49; grey regions, 0,5–1,49; black regions, 1,50–3,00.
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