Table 1 Spearman rank correlation coefficient (rs) 

 activity and large mammals at 33 sites. Correlation 



for the relationships between human 

 coefficients in bold have p<0.05 



Other than nest sign, including feeding, faeces, tracks etc. 



Table 2 . Spearman correlation s (rs) among human signs in Itombwe Massif 



There was a clearly observed difference in the number of wildlife tracks recorded in the forest areas 

 around military positions. This is not surprising as various forms of human activity were recorded near 

 military camps, including in Kalingi and Lubumba, which were highly disturbed because of soldiers' 

 presence and uncontrolled hunting around the villages. Signs of gorillas and antelopes were more 

 common in the Asolokochi, Asebu, Kongwa, Lutenga and Makyemwilu areas (Annex 1), where the 

 habitat appeared to be more suitable for them (Fig. 4). The paucity of indirect evidence of presence of 

 gorilla species in the Mwana and Bikongyi areas might be related to the habitat they occupy-riverine and 

 dense forest patches- where dense leaf litter hinders sightings of tracks and pellets. The antelope's small 

 tracks were much harder to detect. Thus, the status of antelopes in the forest could not be easily 

 determined, especially during the rainy season, but judging from information received in villages, they 

 were likely to be under severe hunting pressure (Mbayma, 2004). There was a clear negative 

 relationship between occurrence of threatened species and human use of the same area. 



As shown in Table 3 below, three sectors were surveyed (North Ulindi, Upper Elila, and Mwana-kiliza) 

 and the number of grids surveyed was recorded alongside total distance covered in the survey zone. In 

 North Ulindi sector where a total distance of 64 km was covered, the presence of ape species was noticed 

 in 14 km covered by the field teams. In Upper Elila sector, a total of 806 km was covered within which 

 ape presence was observed in 124.3 km; hunting was discerned in 262.88 ha, mining in 366.76 ha and 

 pastoral agriculture in 943.4 ha. 



Nature & Faune Vol. 23, Issue 1 



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