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[[East Africa]] > [[Rwanda]] > [[Gishwati-Mukura National Park]]

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__TOC__
= Summary =

<div style='float: right'>{{#display_map: height=190px | width=300px | scrollzoom=off | zoom=5 | layers=OpenStreetMap,OpenTopoMap|-1.751373, 29.441319~[[Gishwati-Mukura National Park]]~''Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii''}}</div>
* Eastern chimpanzees (''Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii'') are present in Gishwati-Mukura National Park.
* It has been estimated that 28 individuals occur at the site.
* The chimpanzee population trend is increasing.
* The site has a total size of 35.58 km².
* Key threats to chimpanzees are deforestation, illegal cattle grazing, hunting & mining.
* Conservation activities have focused on conducting anti-poaching patrols, establishing “eco-clubs” for conservation education, and running a long-term research project.





= Site characteristics =

Located in northwest Rwanda, Gishwati-Mukura National Park is located roughly between Volcanoes National Park to the north and [[Nyungwe National Park]] to the south. The park is made up of two parts: the larger Gishwati forest, and small Mukura forest. The forests are situated on the ridge that divides the Congo and Nile water catchment areas, along the Albertine Rift in the west of the country ([https://www.visitrwanda.com/destinations/gishwati-mukura-national-park/ Visit Rwanda]). In addition to eastern chimpanzees, other primates inhabiting the site include golden monkeys, L’Hoest’s and blue monkeys. A recent survey of birds detected 155 species, including 20 which are endemic to the Albertine Rift (Inman & Ntoyinkama 2020).The Gishwati Forest was declared a Forest Reserve in 1951; in 2015 Gishwati Forest was gazetted as part of the Gishwati-Mukura National Park (Inman & Ntoyinkama 2020). The site is part of the [https://en.unesco.org/biosphere/africa/gishwati-mukura-landscape Gishwati-Mukura Landscape Biosphere Reserve], a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, since 2020.

'''Table 1. Basic site information for Gishwati-Mukura National Park'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="Site_characteristics-table"
|Species
|''Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii''
|-
|Area
|35.58 km²
|-
|Coordinates
|Lat: -1.751373 , Lon:  29.441319
|-
|Type of site
|Protected area (National Park)
|-
|Habitat types
|Subtropical/tropical moist montane forest
|-
|Type of governance
|Governance by government
|}

[[Types of sites]] [[Governance types]] [[Habitat types]] 
= Ape status =

The chimpanzee population in the Gishwati forest has increased in size, from 13 individuals in 2007, to 19 individuals in 2010, and more recently, in 2019, chimpanzee trackers were able to identify 28 individuals (Chancellor et al. 2020).

'''Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Gishwati-Mukura National Park'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="Ape_status-table"
!Species
!Year
!Occurrence
!Encounter or vistation rate (nests/km; ind/day)
!Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI)
!Abundance estimate (95% CI)
!Survey area
!Sampling method
!Analytical framework
!Source
!Comments
!A.P.E.S. database ID
|-
|''Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii''
|2019
|
|
|
|28
|Gishwati Forest
|Full count
|
|Chancellor et al. 2020
|
|
|-
|''Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii''
|2009-2010
|
|
|
|19
|Gishwati Forest Reserve
|Genetic (dung/hair)
|
|Chancellor et al. 2012
|
|
|}

[[Sampling methods]] [[Analytical frameworks]] 
= Threats =

Deforestation has been a major problem in the area; by 2001, only 1,500 acres of the forest’s original 250,000 remained ([https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/38644/gishwati-forest-rwanda NASA Earth Observatory]). Other important threats include illegal cattle grazing, hunting, illegal mining and logging, and agricultural expansion (Chancellor et al. 2020).

'''Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Gishwati-Mukura National Park'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="Threats-table"
!Category
!Specific threats
!Threat level
!Description
!Year of threat
|-
|5 Biological resource use
|5.3 Logging & wood harvesting
|High (more than 70% of population affected)
|Deforestation is a key threat at the site; by 2001, only 1,500 acres of the forest’s original 250,000 remained ([https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/38644/gishwati-forest-rwanda NASA Earth Observatory]; Chancellor 2020).
|2001-Ongoing (2020)
|}

[[Threats]] 
= Conservation activities =

In 2010, the [https://www.povertyandconservation.info/en/org/o0426 Gishwati Area Conservation Program], sponsored by Great Ape Trust, was given the responsibility for managing and implementing conservation interventions in Gishwati Forest for 3 years. As part of the program, a key objective was to restore a forest corridor between Gishwati and Nyungwe Forest National Park to connect the chimpanzee populations and preserve genetic diversity.

'''Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Gishwati-Mukura National Park'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="Conservation_activities-table"
!Category
!Specific activity
!Description
!Implementing organization(s)
!Year of activity
|-
|8 Permanent presence
|8.1 Run research project and ensure permanent human presence at site
|Since 2008, long-term chimpanzee research began in Gishwati (Chancellor et al. 2020).
|
|2008-Ongoing (2020)
|-
|5 Protection & restoration
|5.2 Legally protect ape habitat
|The site was declared a National Park in 2015 (Inman & Ntoyinkama 2020).
|
|2015-Ongoing (2020)
|-
|2 Counter-wildlife crime
|2.3 Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols
|Eco Guards monitor illegal and unsustainable human activities including cattle grazing, logging, charcoal production, and mining in Gishwati forest (Chancellor et al. 2020).
|
|Ongoing (2020)
|-
|4 Education & awareness
|4.1 Educate local communities about apes and sustainable use
|Establishment of eco-clubs in nearby primary and secondary schools, where children learn about conservation and the local flora and fauna (Chancellor et al. 2020).
|
|Ongoing (2020)
|}

[[Conservation activities]] 
= Challenges =



'''Table 5. Challenges reported for Gishwati-Mukura National Park'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="Challenges-table"
!Challenges
!Specific challenges
!Source
!Year(s)
|-
|
|Not reported
|
|
|}

[[Challenges]] 
= Enablers =



'''Table 6. Enablers reported for Gishwati-Mukura National Park'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="enabler-table"
!Enablers
!Specific enablers
!Source
!Year(s)
|-
|1 Site management
|
|
|
|-
|2 Resources and capacity
|
|
|
|-
|3 Engaged community
|
|
|
|-
|4 Institutional support
|
|
|
|-
|5 Ecological context
|
|
|
|-
|6 Safety and stability
|
|
|
|}

[[Enablers]] 
= Research activities =

https://www.cepf.net/sites/default/files/guidebook-gishwati-mukura-national-park.pdf

= Documented behaviours =



'''Table 7. Behaviours documented for Gishwati-Mukura National Park'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="behaviours-table"
!Category
!Behavior
!Observation type
!Prevalence
!Observation dates
!Source
!Habituation
!Species
!Comment
|-
|
|Not reported
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}

[[Behaviours]] 
= Exposure to climate change impacts =

As part of a study on the exposure of African great ape sites to climate change impacts, Kiribou et al. subm. extracted climate data and data on projected extreme climate impact events for the site. Climatological characteristics were derived from observation-based climate data provided by the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP, www.isimip.org). Parameters were calculated as the average across each 30-year period. For 1981-2010, the EWEMBI dataset from ISIMIP2a was used. For the two future periods (2021-2050 and 2071-2099) ISIMIP2b climate data based on four CMIP5 global climate models were used. For future projections, two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) were used. RCP 2.6 is a scenario with strong mitigation measures in which global temperatures would likely rise below 2C. RCP 6.0 is a scenario with medium emissions in which global temperatures would likely rise up to 3C by 2100. For the number of days with heavy precipitation events, the 98th percentile of all precipitation days (>1mm/d) was calculated for the 1979-2013 reference period as a threshold for a heavy precipitation event. Then, for each year, the number of days above that threshold was derived. The figures on temperature and precipitation anomaly show the deviation from the mean temperature and mean precipitation for the 1979-2013 reference period.

The estimated exposure to future extreme climate impact events (crop failure, drought, river flood, wildfire, tropical cyclone, and heatwave) is based on a published dataset by Lange et al. 2020 derived from ISIMIP2b data. The same global climate models and RCPs as described above were used. Within each 30-year period, the number of years with an extreme event and the average proportion of the site affected were calculated (see Kiribou et al. subm. for details).

'''Table 8. Estimated past and projected climatological characteristics in Gishwati-Mukura National Park'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="clima-table"
!Value
!1981-2010
!2021-2050, RCP 2.6
!2021-2050, RCP 6.0
!2071-2099, RCP 2.6
!2071-2099, RCP 6.0
|-
|Mean temperature [C]
|17.600000000000001
|18.7
|18.5
|18.899999999999999
|20.100000000000001
|-
|Annual precipitation [mm]
|1306
|1324
|1459
|1329
|1455
|-
|Max no. consecutive dry days (per year)
|30.8
|35.4
|34
|36.799999999999997
|32.9
|-
|No. days with heavy precipitation (per year)
|5.5
|6.8
|7.7
|7.7
|9.6
|}


'''Table 9. Projected exposure of apes to extreme climate impact events in Gishwati-Mukura National Park'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="clima2-table"
!Type
!No. of years with event (2021-2050, RCP 2.6)
!% of site exposed (2021-2050, RCP 2.6)
!No. of years with event (2021-2050, RCP 6.0)
!% of site exposed (2021-2050, RCP 6.0)
!No. of years with event (2070-2099, RCP 2.6)
!% of site exposed (2070-2099, RCP 2.6)
!No. of years with event (2070-2099, RCP 6.0)
!% of site exposed (2070-2099, RCP 6.0)
|-
|Crop failure
|5
|1.75
|4
|1.26
|4
|2.33
|9.5
|1.63
|-
|Drought
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|-
|Heatwave
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|-
|River flood
|3.25
|2.35
|4.25
|8.77
|2
|1.59
|5.25
|2.8
|-
|Tropical cyclone
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|-
|Wildfire
|30
|0.38
|30
|0.32
|29
|0.28999999999999998
|29
|0.22
|}


= External links =

[https://www.visitrwanda.com/destinations/gishwati-mukura-national-park/ Visit Rwanda - Gishwati-Mukura National Park]

[https://en.unesco.org/biosphere/africa/gishwati-mukura-landscape Gishwati-Mukura Landscape Biosphere Reserve UNESCO]

= References =

Chancellor, R. L., Langergraber, K., Ramirez, S., Rundus, A. S., & Vigilant, L. (2012). Genetic Sampling of Unhabituated Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in Gishwati Forest Reserve, an Isolated Forest Fragment in Western Rwanda. International Journal of Primatology, 33(2), 479-488. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10764-012-9591-6

Chancellor, R., Rundus, A., Nyiratuza, M., Nyandwi, S., & Aimable, T. (2020). Community‐based conservation and chimpanzee research in Gishwati forest, Rwanda. American Journal of Primatology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23195

Inman, S. & Ntoyinkama, C. (2020). Recent Survey of Birds in Gishwati Forest, Rwanda. Scopus, 40(1), 7–15.



'''Page created by: '''APES Atlas Team''' Date:''' 2020-12-30