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Factors Influencing Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) Crop Foraging in Farmland Outside of Gishwati Forest, Rwanda

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Abstract

Examining how different primate species cope with forest fragmentation is important for the development of effective conservation strategies. Fragmentation can lead to decreases in food availability and increase the frequency of human–primate interactions. In Gishwati, a remnant forest in western Rwanda, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) leave the forest to forage in maize fields. We examined factors affecting this behavior and its influence on habitat use. We measured maize field size and distance to the forest (N = 157) and recorded crop foraging events (N = 197). We also recorded chimpanzee nests (N = 74) in a regenerating area of Gishwati in and out of the maize season. We found that chimpanzees were more likely to crop forage in larger maize fields and those closer to the forest. Crop foraging varied between years, coinciding with farmers moving their maize fields further from the forest and forest regeneration increasing access to previously distant fields. Party size of crop foraging chimpanzees was larger in fields near the core forest vs a corridor region of the regenerating area. However, habitat use of the corridor region increased during the maize season, likely due to chimpanzees monitoring and accessing nearby fields. Our results suggest that crop foraging mitigation efforts, such as moving maize further from the forest, can be effective. However, to maintain efficacy, this movement of crops must follow shifts in habitat use. This research highlights the importance of developing flexible conservation strategies, particularly for landscapes that are undergoing extensive change.

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Data Availability

The datasets analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

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Acknowledgements

Great Ape Trust, West Chester University, and Governors’ Camp/Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge provided funding for this study. The authors thank the Government of Rwanda for their support of our research as well as the Forest of Hope Association for logistical support. They also thank three anonymous reviewers and Joanna Setchell whose comments have improved the manuscript. Special thanks to our research team: Safari Thomas, Uwimana Samuel, Mwiseneza Patience, Ndayambaje Alex, Ngayincyuro Isaac, Ngabonziza Olivier, Munyeshuli Eric, and Simbikangwa Simon.

Funding

This study was funded by Great Ape Trust, West Chester University, and Governors’ Camp/Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, West Chester University, West Chester, PA, 19383, USA

    Aaron Rundus & Rebecca Chancellor

  2. Department of Anthropology & Sociology, West Chester University, West Chester, PA, USA

    Rebecca Chancellor

  3. Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, George Washington University, Washington, D.C, USA

    Sylvain Nyandwi

  4. Department of Ecology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Amanda Johnston

  5. New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA

    Amanda Johnston

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  1. Aaron Rundus
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  2. Rebecca Chancellor
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  4. Amanda Johnston
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aaron Rundus.

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Ethical Note

All crop foraging data collection, including weekly maize field monitoring and farmer eye-witness accounts, was approved by the Great Ape Trust. We obtained verbal informed consent prior to collecting farmer eye-witness accounts. The 2018–2019 nest census data collection was approved by West Chester University. All data collection was approved by the Rwandan government and adhered to the legal requirements of Rwanda. In addition, the authors followed the International Primatological Society Code of Best Practices for Field Primatology.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Rundus, A., Chancellor, R., Nyandwi, S. et al. Factors Influencing Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) Crop Foraging in Farmland Outside of Gishwati Forest, Rwanda. Int J Primatol 43, 494–512 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10764-022-00291-1

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