Using GIS to assess the status and conservation considerations of large 

 mammals in the Itombwe Massif Conservation Landscape, Democratic 



Republic of Congo 



Leonard K. Mubalama' , Guy Mbayma Alalia^ , Guylain Mitamba and Benjamin Wilondja 



Summary 



There is great concern in Africa and the world in general about the loss ofbiodiversity that calls for more 

 conservation efforts. At current time of hope for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in 

 the immediate aftermath of devastating civil strife, the scale of wildlife loss and degradation is a major 

 looming threat to the Itombwe massifs biodiversity. This paper highlights potential threats from human 

 activity and outlines a conceptual methodology to support conservation of critically endangered 

 grauer's gorilla in the Itombwe massif by using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications. 

 Evaluation of threats from human activity with respect to the conservation of the Massif and its 

 populations of gorilla, Gorilla beringei graueri (the type specimen of this subspecies came from the 

 region) as well as eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthi), is among the most important 

 conservation priorities as far as the DRC is concerned. 



1 . Background and Introduction 



The Itombwe Massif, located in eastern DRC, to the west of the northern tip of Lake Tanganyika (Fig. 2), 

 holds the largest and most remote block of intact montane forest ( 1 500- 1 500 m elevation) in Africa. The 

 entire Itombwe Massif and Plateau, covers about 12,000 km^ of which an unbroken block which covers 

 6,500 km^ is the single largest block of montane habitat in the entire Albertine Rift (AR), which range 

 from 1500 to 3500 m in elevation (Fig. 1). This area, which we have termed the Itombwe Massif 

 Conservation Landscape (IMCL), contains the most important ape populations and represents the most 

 significant prospects for conservation of the region's endemic Albertine Rift biodiversity (Mubalama, 

 2005; Hart & Mubalama, 2005). The region lies between 2° 51. 286' and 4° 0.690' Lat S, 28° 09.889' 

 and 28° 58.5 11 'Long E (Fig. 1) and is one of the most diverse sites of the Albertine Rift. (Hart & 

 Mubalama, 2005). . - ^ - . - 



Despite its significance, the levels and type ofbiodiversity of the Itombwe, and the knowledge of the 

 distribution of its great apes, remain incomplete. Field work referred to in this paper has contributed to 

 the creation of the Itombwe Natural Reserve. The purpose of this article is to propose the best locations 

 for concenfrating conservation efforts of endangered large mammals, including consideration for 



habitat quality and relative abundance of populations, as 

 related to the proposed designated protected area. The article 

 also identifies the main threats to the fauna and their habitat 

 using GIS applications. : 



2. Field worli and Methods 

 2.1. Survey techniques 



Fieldwork was carried out from October to November 2003. 

 Further surveys were carried out from January to February 

 2004, encompassing the cenfral sector of the Itombwe 

 Massif For the purpose of the study, the area was divided into 

 three sectors: part of West Mwana, East Mwana-South Elila, 

 and North Kiandjo-South Kiandjo (Fig. 4 and Table 3). The 

 precarious security situation in the area did not allow 



Fig. 1 Map showing the location of the Itombwe Massif Conservation Landscape in DR Congo 



'institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, 13, Avenue des cliniques BP 868, Kinshasa-Gombe, 



DR Congo. Tel: +243 -998272193. E-Mail : Mikedrce@yahoo.co.uk 



^ Wildlife Conservation Society, Salonga National Park Project, Email: Guymbayma@yahoo.fr 



^ Wildlife Conservation Society, Itombwe Massif Conservation Project, P.O Box 852, Buka vu, DR Congo 



■* Wildlife Conservation Society, Itombwe Massif Conservation Project, P.O Box 852, Bukavu, DR Congo 



Nature & Faune Vol. 23, Issue 1 r - ' *='- ^ 



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