4 
Bulletin of the EANHS 29< I ( 2 ) 
endemism, many forests remain under-sampled 
implying that there are probably numerous undiscovered 
snails in East Africa This was confirmed with the 
discovery of Gulella spinosa in recent times This 
fascinating, small sized, spiny snail became known to 
science in late 19% after being collected at the western 
slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro at altitude 1 .310 m above sea 
level (Kifufu, Moshi. 30°9’30" S. 37°4’25" E) and 
described in 1998 (Taitcrsficld. 1998) Since then. 
Gulella spinosa was globally known to be only restricted 
within Mt Kilimanjaro forests A combined foice of 
malacologists from the National Museums ol Kenya. 
National Museum of Whies and National Museum of 
Tanzania went to the area in June 1997. but failed to 
record the species using direct search method (Emberton 
etal . 1997) 
However in August 1998, during a Held exploration 
survey, I scooped several specimens of the species from 
the forest floor litters of the Tana Hills forests using the 
same direct search technique A puzzling observation 
Tana hills (03°20‘ S. 38° 15' E) is the north most range 
of the Eastern Arc mountains with altitude over 2.200 m 
at tl>e hill peaks (Brooks el al . 1998). The natural forests 
here have in recent times been heavily exploited (/»/» 
cil ) and to date only a few disturbed forest fragments 
survive on the hill peaks. Gulella spinosa in Taita hills 
was recorded from four fragments, namely Mbololo. 
Ngangao. Eururu and Yale forest 
Discovery of Gulella spinosa in Taita hills wax an 
enrichment to the documented Tana and Kenyan 
terrestrial molluscs checklist It is also a development 
in the understanding of the biogcographical range 
extensions of the species. But more important, in future, 
is fostering understanding of the ecology and distribution 
of the species, including its population size Such 
information is crucial in understanding the conservation 
status of Gulella spinosa and subsequently setting 
conservation strategics for the species along with the 
entire ecosystem, if proved necessary 
Charles N. I.nnge, National Museums of Kenya 
(Invertebrate Zoology). P 0 Box 40658. Nairobi. 
Kenya Email. nmk®AfricaOnlinc.co.kc 
References 
Brooks, f . I Lens. J. Barnes, J K. Kihuria & C Wilder 
(1998) The conservation status of forest birds of 
the Taita Hilts. Kenya Bird Conservation 
International 8 119-139. 
Emberton, K C . 1 Pearce. P.F. Kasigwa. P. Tattcrsfield 
and Z Habibu ( 1997). High diversity and endemism 
in land-snails of Eastern Tanzania. Biodiversity and 
Conservation 6:11 23— 1136. 
Kemey. M .1* & R.A.D. Cameron (1979). A field guide 
to the land-snails of Britain and North-west Europe 
Collins. London. 
Saycr. J A . CS. Ilarcourt & N.M Collins (1992). The 
conservation alias of tropical forests of Africa 
IUCN, Gland. Switzerland. 
Tatters field, P 1996 Local patterns of land snail in a 
Kenyan rain forest. Malacologia 38( I 2). 161-180 
lattcrsfield. P 1998 Patterns of diversity and endemism 
in East Africa land-snails, and the implications for 
conservation Journal of Conchologv Special 
Publication . 2: 77-86. 
Vcrdcourt. B. 1983 A list of non-marine mollusca of 
East Africa (Kenya, Uganda. Tanzania excluding 
Lake Malawi). Achatina II: 200-239. 
THE PROPOSED NGURUMAN PROJECT: USE 
OF RAPTORS AS TOOLS FOR CONSERVATION 
AND ECOLOGICAL MONITORING OF 
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY 
Why raptors? 
Raptors can be an important tool to focus conservation 
strategy locally, regionally and globally 
(Watson 1991). They can be used as 
umbrella species" because their large 
home ranges and low nesting density 
suggest that any protected area 
encompassing a viable population of 
raptors, or a complete community of 
them, would protect sufficient habitat and 
populations of most, if not all. other 
species in the food web below them 
iThtollay 1992) Raptors also occupy top 
positions in terrestrial and aquatic food 
webs and therefore can be used as 
indicators of world wide pollution by 
pesticides (Newton 1979). Changes in 
raptor distribution or abundance can 
serve as measure of man’s impact on 
landscapes, even in remote areas 
(Rcichholf 1974) Finally, raptors arc 
