Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) Population Spans Multiple Protected Areas in the Albertine Rift

A study on chimpanzee populations in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park and surrounding protected areas reveals that these regions do not always define distinct populations. Using mitochondrial DNA, researchers found that Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve and Itwara Central Forest Reserve form a single population, while Semuliki National Park and Rwenzori Mountains National Park represent separate populations. This challenges the notion that protected area boundaries strictly delineate chimpanzee populations, suggesting instead that some areas serve as fragmented landscapes for foraging and dispersal. The study also highlights the need for renewed genetic sampling to better understand these dynamics, leveraging advances in DNA extraction and sequencing technologies.

Rich, A. M., Wasserman, M. D., Hunt, K. D., & Kaestle, F. A. (2020). Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) Population Spans Multiple Protected Areas in the Albertine Rift. Folia Primatologica, 91(6), 595–609. https://doi.org/10.1159/000508073