BURUNDI:
200-250 chimps live in 370km2 Kibira National Park; less than 50 chimps are found in the 4.5km2 Rumonge and 16km2 Bururi Forest Reserves (Weber, 1987). A wildlife census by the Peace Corps under the sponsorship of the Burundi government was scheduled to be completed at Rumonge-Bururi at the end of 1987, and at Kibira sometime in 1988. Mr. P. Trenchard received funds from USAID to support continued research and forest protection during the period 1989-1990, and it was intended that a larger-scale project to include the Rumonge and Bururi Forests would then develop, supported by funds released for conservation within the country of Burundi (Vedder & Weber pers. comm.). Hunting of chimpanzees is infrequent as the local people do not use them for food. However, in the northern forests chimpanzee infants are occasionally hunted and sold in the capital. It is absolutely necessary to keep a watchful eye on these chimps, considering the high human population density in Burundi alone.

RWANDA:
The Nyungwe Forest Reserve (970km2 of mid-altitude forest contiguous with the Kibira Forest of Burundi) contains an estimated 500 chimps, possibly more (Storz, 1982; Vedder, 1988). The forest has recently begun to receive more attention from both conservation and development interests. Conservation work begun in 1987 by Vedder and Offutt now includes determining the chimp population, creating an ecotourist industry (actually based on visits to Angolan colobus monkeys), and educating the local people about the forest. The World Bank was also scheduled to begin an inventory and a local human impact assessment project in the southeast portion of the forest. The forest faces pressure from local goldminers, who cut trees and do limited hunting, and development agencies who are considering logging plans for as much as half of the forested area (Vedder & Weber pers. comm.). Selective logging and reforestation with exotic species also presents a threat (Lee et al., 1988). Some chimps reportedly reside in the Gishwati Forest Reserve, which is now divided into two sectors of approximately 70km2 and 140 km2). This population is thought to contain 20-40 individuals (Vedder & Weber, 1987).

Ed. note: Due to the ongoing civil war in Rwanda, concern grows for both human and nonhuman survival. More recent information about this country would be most appreciated.

SUDAN:
The presence of chimps was reported in the southwest corner of the country in the 1960's and 70's. A wildlife information booklet published in 1982 by the Department of Wildlife Management stated that a small number of chimps were present at Mbarizunga, Bire Kpatous and Banganau Game Reserves. More recent information was not available.

TANZANIA:
Chimpanzees of two national parks, the 50km2 Gombe and the 1600km2 Mahale Mts., have been intensively studied for more than 20 years and are well-protected, both legally and in substance. A rumor reported in the Daily News, Dar es Salaam (Sept. 3, 1987) that the chimps living on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika were routinely poached seems to be groundless. However, at least one chimp was discovered for sale in the Ujiji market in 1987, its origin unknown (Massawe, pers. comm.).

Kano's nationwide census in the late 1960's estimated the total population of chimpanzees to be more than 2,000 individuals (Kano, 1972). Since then, severe deforestation has occurred in some areas such as Kabogo Point (north of Mahale) and around Gombe. A whole population of chimps (about 70 individuals in total) was said to have vanished from the Kabogo Point area. Increasing population and intense cultivation along the lakeshore from Gombe to Mahale does not encourage optimism. However the chimpanzee population in the inland areas of western Tanzania does appear to have changed little since Kano's survey.

The Ugalla area, first surveyed by Kano and Itani, later by Nishida in 1975 (1989) and Moore in 1985 and 1988 is suggested as the most rewarding area for further study due to the marginal nature of the habitat. At present the chimpanzees in the area appear in no imminent danger.

Ed. note: A more recent census (Massawe, 1992) reports that the group of chimps that "vanished" from the Kabogo Point area shifted inland in response to human pressure on the lakeshore.

UGANDA:
No overall survey has been made, but estimates from known habitat suggest a total population of around 2000 chimps, with an additional 2000 to 3000 individuals potentially occurring in unsurveyed areas of appropriate habitat (Lee et al. 1988). The forested area is divided into dozens of small blocks, with the total area shrinking at a rate of 2% or more per year (Teleki, 1987). Law enforcement is said to be weak throughout the country (Howard pers. comm.). Intensive ecological research has been conducted in two major forest reserves: by Wrangham and Isabirye-Basuta in Kibale, and by Butynksi and Kalina in Bwindi Forest. The size of the chimpanzee population in the 321km2 Bwindi forest in 1983-84 was estimated to be 133 individuals at a density of 0.4/km2 (Butynski, 1985). Ghiglieri (1984) reported a chimpanzee density of 2.38/km2 at Kibale in 1976-77, and Wrangham (unpub.) has estimated the population at 800-900 individuals in a 560km2 area.

Wrangham visited Budongo in February, 1989 and reported that infant chimps had been illegally transported from Budongo for export to Dubai. Many of the logging crews were Zairois, who unlike Ugandans are not averse to eating chimpanzee meat. An estimated 70% of the forest had been logged and no data was available on the current status of chimps in either logged or unlogged areas. Applications to export at least 20 chimps from Entebbe airport had been made in late 1988 to early 1989, and some of the chimps were presumed to have come from Budongo since their appearance coincided with the known removal of infants from the Budongo area (Wrangham, unpub).

Ed. note: There have been a number of changes in Uganda, including the resumption of studies in Budongo Forest by V. Reynolds and his team of researchers (see Reynolds, PAN vol. 1 no. 1).

ZAIRE:
No nationwide survey has been attempted, and population estimates remain vague. Maximum population in known habitat was estimated at 2000 (Lee et al., 1988). An active trade exists in Kinshasa and other cities, and infants and juveniles of both P. troglodytes and P. paniscus are easily obtained at the markets. Yamagiwa et al.(1988) surveyed Kivu district, eastern Zaire in 1987, covering the areas of Kahuzi, Masisi, Irangi and Itebero-Utu. The presence of chimpanzees was confirmed by sightings, calls or food remains in the above areas except for Irangi where there was no direct evidence but the local people claimed to have seen chimps. Chimpanzee population densities were estimated as 0.9-1.1/km2 for Masisi and 0.27-0.33/km2 at Itebero-Utu.

A conservation project was established in the Tongo area of the Virunga National Park (southern sector) by C. and R. Aveling and A. Lanjouw, where the chimpanzees were being habituated for tourism. The park's forests harbour a substantial chimp population, whose range extends into the threatened forest beyond park boundaries. Firewood collection near the boundaries was brought under control by the chimp habituation project personnel, but it was expected that the chimp's range would gradually be restricted to the area within the park (Lanjouw, pers. comm.).

Chimps are widely dispersed in Ituri Forest (Hart & Thomas, 1986) but are not common. There is severe hunting pressure for meat (Ichikawa pers. comm.) but populations appear little disturbed in many areas (Hart, pers. comm.). A portion of the central forest has been proposed as a reserve and national park, and WWF and the Zairean National Parks Service have undertaken a project to delineate park boundaries and develop infrastructure. Determination of the ranges andabundance of the local chimps is critical in order to ensure that important populations will be included within park boundaries (Har, pers. comm.).

Chimpanzees are thought to be present in Mwenga-Fizi and the Mugita-Marungu Mts. of southeastern Zaire (Terashima, pers. comm.), but no population estimates were available.

North of the Zaire River, the presence of chimps was reported by local people in the area south of Gemena to the Zaire River, along the northeastern part of the Gemena-Libenge road, on the outskirts of towns such as Libenge, Zongo, Dongo and Bozene, and in the triangular zone created by the Ubangui and Zaire rivers, although no chimps were reported to be in the vicinity of the towns (Tanno, 1987). A juvenile chimp caught near Dongo and kept by a villager was seen by Tanno in 1985. Chimps are hunted with guns lent to pygmy hunters by villagers who regard the meat as a delicacy. Tanno (1987) concluded that the chimps in this area were on the verge of extinction.

Most individuals of the eastern subspecies of chimps are said to be living in Zaire (Teleki, 1987). This statement is probably true but not based on hard evidence and surveys in the areas between Lake Tanganyika and the Lualaba River, and between the Zaire and Ubangui Rivers are needed.

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