Trapping African wildlife painlessly
Back from the field of their research, Manon Verbeke (in a final thesis in Master's degree in Forest and Natural Space Management) and Davy Fonteyn (doctoral student at Forest is life) are examining the thousands of pictures (see photo gallery below) recorded by the camera traps they have placed in the heart of the Gabonese forest.
T
heir purpose? Characterize biodiversity within a forest concession certified for its sustainable management, and attempt to assess the level of hunting pressure by local populations on this animal biodiversity.
The results are surprising: more than 29 identified mammal species, including some protected or endangered species (Giant pangolin, chimpanzee, gorilla, forest elephant...).
This valuable work, supervised by Prof. Adeline Fayolle and Cédric Vermeulen, will eventually make it possible to describe these unique animal communities and formulate management measures to hunt them sustainably, and protect them if necessary.
For more information:
A synthesis on the use of camera traps (Orbi)
A study on the contribution of Gabon's forest concessions to gorilla (orbi) conservation
The site of the SWM (Sustainable Wildlife Management) project aimed at the sustainable management of bushmeat
