Primate Pathways PurposeWith this Bren School capstone project, the team hopes to promote the conservation of the endangered Grauer's gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Using a data-driven approach to inform habitat corridor management, we are looking at priority conservation areas to investigate the trade-offs between human activities and gorilla conservation planning.
To promote gorilla conservation within the study region, the Primate Pathways team has partnered with Strong Roots Congo, a community-based organization in the DRC. Primate Pathways has also connected with experts in Grauer's gorilla conservation, habitat corridor planning, and environmental policy in developing countries. |
The Region
Kahuzi-Biega National Park and Itombwe Nature Reserve are located within the Sud-Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. These protected areas support two of the largest remaining Grauer’s gorilla populations, but are separated by around 3,000 square km of unprotected landscape. Regional biodiversity is threatened by deforestation, poaching, and wildlife trafficking that has followed decades of civil unrest dating back to the 18th century. Kahuzi-Biega National Park was established in 1970 with the intention of conserving the biodiversity and endemic species in the area. The park covers over 6,000 square km and includes a mixture of dense lowland moist forest and of montane forest. Itombwe Nature Reserve was established as a protected area in 2006. This reserve covers 7,000 square km of forest in the southern part of the province.
Methods & Results
Strong Roots Congo is not alone in their mission to improve community livelihood and biodiversity throughout the DRC. While this project considers the implications of Community Based Forest Management within the Sud-Kivu study region, biodiversity and local community needs extend past our study boundary. In the coming years it will become increasingly important for adjacent Community Forest assisting NGOs and communities to align conservation efforts and allow for the full connection of the remaining Grauer’s gorilla populations. The Grauer’s gorilla sub-population centered out of Kahuzi-Biega frequently travels north out of the study region and toward Nord-Kivu and Maiko National Park, which is home to two more sub-populations. In the Nord-Kivu region, several Community Forests have been established, however, the protected areas in this region are not currently managed as a cohesive network. We hope our findings will serve as a framework for developing a climate-wise corridor network between Nord-Kivu and Kahuzi-Biega.