Ebola in great apes – current knowledge, possibilities for vaccination and the implications for conservation and human health

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a threat to human health and the survival of African great apes. The disease has led to major population declines of chimpanzees and gorillas, and infected great apes play an important role as sources of human EVD outbreaks. The threat posed by EVD raises the question whether vaccination of wild apes is a possible strategy to reduce the occurence and impact of this disease. This article reviews the current knowledge about EVD in great apes and emphasizes the link between ape and human outbreaks. It discusses the need for control strategies such as vaccination and describes aspects of primate behavior, virus biology, vaccine composition, and vaccination principles that are necessary to consider when making management decisions about great ape vaccination. Finally, it identifies gaps in the understanding of Ebola ecology and highlights surveillance and research that can aid the survival of great apes and reduce human exposure to Ebola virus. The unpredictable emergence of Ebola viruses and the severe impact of EVD call for efficient monitoring and ultimately control of Ebola. This article provides a platform for further interdiciplinary discussions to decide on optimal management solutions regarding vaccination of great apes against Ebola

Short-term impacts of selective logging on forest elephants

Although forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) are known to use logged forests, the impact of selective logging on this critically endangered species has never been well established. Considering the potential of some logged areas to serve as other effective area-based conservation measures, aligning with the Convention on Biological Diversity's 30/30 initiative, we aimed to assess the short-term impacts of logging on three population parameters: the presence, abundance, and activity of forest elephants. Combining camera traps and dung surveys before and after logging operations, we assessed the response of forest elephants in a certified timber concession in Gabon. Encouragingly, we found no negative effects of logging on the three population parameters studied. There was no discernible change in the presence of elephants after logging, and their abundance actually increased (relative abundance index from 1.56 to 2.59; p-value 0.0139) at one of the study sites. Activity patterns were also unaffected, showing sustained activity during daylight hours. We also identified the logging-associated factors that have significantly influenced forest elephant's abundance. Notably, logging intensity, as measured by the average number of trees harvested per hectare, and road density were positively correlated with the number of forest elephant observations (logging intensity effect: 0.2992, p-value 0.035; road density effect: 0.3628, p-value 0.060). As global conservation goals evolve, this research provides important insights into the coexistence of well-managed industrial activities and the conservation of endangered species, highlighting the need to include responsibly managed timber concessions in future conservation strategies. It also underscores the importance of wider adoption of sustainable practices such as low-impact logging, promoted by certification schemes such as FSC or PEFC, to secure the future of central African forests and their unique wildlife

Hautes valeurs de conservation (HVC) dans les unités forestières d'aménagement du Cameroun.

he Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification system aims to promote sustainable forest management. It is based on a set of standards, one of which is particularly complex to implement in Central Africa, principle 9 dealing with High Conservation Values (HCV). This principle should be interpreted at the national level to take into account the specificities of each country. Although there are already books developed by various organizations, none specifically target large forest concessions. In Cameroon, these concessions, or Forest Management Units (FMUs), represent 40% of the national forest estate. This guide aims to provide forest management actors in Cameroon with the most relevant knowledge to enable them to identify, manage and monitor High Conservation Values in FMUs. It differs from previous guides in several ways: (i) a detailed literature review is provided on the thorny subject of identifying each HCV, and the authors' opinions are highlighted; (ii) the identification process is supported by the most relevant references, avoiding the manager's search for documentation; (iii) based on their experience, the authors propose a series of threats that can affect HCVs, management measures and monitoring indicators. The approach developed is based on empirical and pragmatic methods on the one hand, and on scientific studies on the other. This book should provide an interesting basis for a solid interpretation of HCVs in Cameroon. Furthermore, although it focuses on Cameroonian FMUs, it could inspire other forest actors working in the Congo Basin. / Le système de certification FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) vise à promouvoir la gestion durable des forêts. Il repose sur un ensemble de normes dont une est particulièrement complexe à mettre en oeuvre en Afrique Centrale, le principe 9 traitant des Hautes Valeurs de Conservation (HVC). Ce principe devrait être interprété aux échelons nationaux afin de prendre en compte les spécificités de chaque pays. Bien que des ouvrages aient déjà été élaborés par diverses organisations, aucun ne cible particulièrement les grandes concessions forestières. Au Cameroun, ces concessions ou Unités Forestières d’Aménagement (UFA), représentent pourtant 40 % du domaine forestier national. Le présent guide ambitionne de fournir aux acteurs de la gestion forestière au Cameroun les connaissances les plus pertinentes afin de leur permettre d’identifier, de gérer et de suivre les Hautes Valeurs de Conservation dans les UFA. Il se démarque des précédents guides par plusieurs points : (i) une revue bibliographique détaillée est fournie sur le sujet épineux de l’identification de chaque HVC, et l’opinion des auteurs y est mise en exergue; (ii) la démarche d’identification est appuyée par les références les plus pertinentes, évitant au gestionnaire de se disperser dans sa quête de documentation; (iii) sur la base de leur expérience, les auteurs proposent une série de menaces pouvant affecter les HVC, de mesures de gestion et d’indicateurs de suivi. L’approche développée se base sur des méthodes empiriques et pragmatiques d’une part et, d’autre part, sur des études scientifiques. Cet ouvrage devrait constituer une base intéressante pour une interprétation solide des HVC au Cameroun. De plus, bien que ciblant les UFA camerounaises, il pourrait inspirer d’autres acteurs forestiers œuvrant dans le Bassin du Congo

Predicting range shifts of African apes under global change scenarios

Aim: Modelling African great ape distribution has until now focused on current or past conditions, while future scenarios remain scarcely explored. Using an ensemble forecasting approach, we predicted changes in taxon-specific distribution under future scenarios of climate, land use and human populations for (1) areas outside protected areas (PAs) only (assuming complete management effectiveness of PAs), (2) the entire study region and (3) interspecies range overlap. Location: Tropical Africa. Methods: We compiled occurrence data (n = 5,203) on African apes from the IUCN A.P.E.S. database and extracted relevant climate-, habitat- and human-related predictors representing current and future (2050) conditions to predict taxon-specific range change under a best- and a worst-case scenario, using ensemble forecasting. Results The predictive performance of the models varied across taxa. Synergistic interactions between predictors are shaping African ape distribution, particularly human-related variables. On average across taxa, a range decline of 50% is expected outside PAs under the best scenario if no dispersal occurs (61% in worst scenario). Otherwise, an 85% range reduction is predicted to occur across study regions (94% worst). However, range gains are predicted outside PAs if dispersal occurs (52% best, 21% worst), with a slight increase in gains expected across study regions (66% best, 24% worst). Moreover, more than half of range losses and gains are predicted to occur outside PAs where interspecific ranges overlap. Main Conclusions: Massive range decline is expected by 2050, but range gain is uncertain as African apes will not be able to occupy these new areas immediately due to their limited dispersal capacity, migration lag and ecological constraints. Given that most future range changes are predicted outside PAs, Africa's current PA network is likely to be insufficient for preserving suitable habitats and maintaining connected ape populations. Thus, conservation planners urgently need to integrate land use planning and climate change mitigation measures at all decision-making levels both in range countries and abroad

Predicting range shifts of African apes under global change scenarios

Aim: Modelling African great ape distribution has until now focused on current or past conditions, while future scenarios remain scarcely explored. Using an ensemble forecasting approach, we predicted changes in taxon-specific distribution under future scenarios of climate, land use and human populations for (1) areas outside protected areas (PAs) only (assuming complete management effectiveness of PAs), (2) the entire study region and (3) interspecies range overlap. Location: Tropical Africa. Methods: We compiled occurrence data (n = 5,203) on African apes from the IUCN A.P.E.S. database and extracted relevant climate-, habitat- and human-related predictors representing current and future (2050) conditions to predict taxon-specific range change under a best- and a worst-case scenario, using ensemble forecasting. Results: The predictive performance of the models varied across taxa. Synergistic interactions between predictors are shaping African ape distribution, particularly human-related variables. On average across taxa, a range decline of 50% is expected outside PAs under the best scenario if no dispersal occurs (61% in worst scenario). Otherwise, an 85% range reduction is predicted to occur across study regions (94% worst). However, range gains are predicted outside PAs if dispersal occurs (52% best, 21% worst), with a slight increase in gains expected across study regions (66% best, 24% worst). Moreover, more than half of range losses and gains are predicted to occur outside PAs where interspecific ranges overlap. Main Conclusions: Massive range decline is expected by 2050, but range gain is uncertain as African apes will not be able to occupy these new areas immediately due to their limited dispersal capacity, migration lag and ecological constraints. Given that most future range changes are predicted outside PAs, Africa\u27s current PA network is likely to be insufficient for preserving suitable habitats and maintaining connected ape populations. Thus, conservation planners urgently need to integrate land use planning and climate change mitigation measures at all decision-making levels both in range countries and abroad

Pangolins in Global Camera Trap Data: Implications for Ecological Monitoring

Despite being heavily exploited, pangolins (Pholidota: Manidae) have been subject to limited research, resulting in a lack of reliable population estimates and standardised survey methods for the eight extant species. Camera trapping represents a unique opportunity for broad-scale collaborative species monitoring due to its largely non-discriminatory nature, which creates considerable volumes of data on a relatively wide range of species. This has the potential to shed light on the ecology of rare, cryptic and understudied taxa, with implications for conservation decision-making. We undertook a global analysis of available pangolin data from camera trapping studies across their range in Africa and Asia. Our aims were (1) to assess the utility of existing camera trapping efforts as a method for monitoring pangolin populations, and (2) to gain insights into the distribution and ecology of pangolins. We analysed data collated from 103 camera trap surveys undertaken across 22 countries that fell within the range of seven of the eight pangolin species, which yielded more than half a million trap nights and 888 pangolin encounters. We ran occupancy analyses on three species (Sunda pangolin Manis javanica, white-bellied pangolin Phataginus tricuspis and giant pangolin Smutsia gigantea). Detection probabilities varied with forest cover and levels of human influence for P. tricuspis, but were low (M. javanica and S. gigantea, elevation for P. tricuspis and S. gigantea, forest cover for P. tricuspis and protected area status for M. javanica and P. tricuspis. We conclude that camera traps are suitable for the detection of pangolins and large-scale assessment of their distributions. However, the trapping effort required to monitor populations at any given study site using existing methods appears prohibitively high. This may change in the future should anticipated technological and methodological advances in camera trapping facilitate greater sampling efforts and/or higher probabilities of detection. In particular, targeted camera placement for pangolins is likely to make pangolin monitoring more feasible with moderate sampling efforts