Using science to inform conservation at a landscape level

Landscapes
Conservation Science

Science is the cornerstone of WCS approach to conservation, guiding policies and informing strategies in the field. Each of the conservation projects in the Ndoki-Likouala landscape run different research projects and sites depending on specific local dynamics. Overarching those, the Ndoki-Likouala survey is a massive five-yearly assessment of wildlife population over the 34,000 sq km of the landscape.
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RESEARCH IN THE NNNP

 

  • Research sites: the Park is home to 3 world-renowned research sites that have been collecting data on key mammal species continuously for over 20 years.
  • Research project: the Park welcomes researchers from all over the world on topic-specific research projects, for PhD, articles or books, which also give local researchers the opportunity to learn alongside established researchers.
  • Results: over 80 research assistants and over a hundred scientific articles have come out of Ndoki in the last 20 years.

READ MORE ABOUT: RESEARCH IN NNNP

 

RESEARCH IN THE LTCR

 

  • Biodiversity surveys: inventories of the Reserve’s biodiversity are regularly carried out to better understand the richness of its ecosystems, such as studies of reptiles, bush fires or clearings.
  • Ecological monitoring: population censuses of key species such as waterbirds, undertaken annually since 1997, help to assess the health of the Reserve’s ecosystems and identify threats to them.
  • Research project: Covering topics ranging from primatology to climate change and peatland surveys, research projects are also an excellent way of building local capacity through collaboration with researchers.

READ MORE ABOUT: RESEARCH IN LTCR

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Carried out once every five years since 2006, the Ndoki-Likouala survey is the most extensive and best funded wildlife survey in Central Africa:

  • The survey requires 18 months of work for a specifically trained team of 24 people
  • The survey involves up to 280 transects, with more than 640 km surveyed, over a total surface area of 34,000 sq km
  • Over 37,000 camera traps video clips and 477 biological samples have been collected during the 2022/23 edition
OUR APPROACH

 

USING COMPLEMENTARY METHODS

The Ndoki-Likouala survey uses Linear Transect Distance Sampling that allows an estimate of wildlife population through extrapolation based on wildlife clues (feces, nests, etc.) of megafauna along randomly distributed 1km segments. We combine transects with Camera Trap Distance Sampling to finetune our estimates and widen it to elusive, nocturnal and smaller species that will appear on cameras.

GATHERING BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES

The gathering of biological samples along the transect has been introduced in the latest 2022/23 survey, and allows to study the distribution and frequency of pathogens in the landscape. It creates a baseline to study the impact of human encroachment on wildlife health and the potential impact of the fragmentation to come of the ecosystems linked to the construction of a tarred road from Ouesso to Bangui.

INFORMING POLICING AND STRATEGIES

As the landscape covers a National Park, Congo’s only Community Reserve, forestry concessions, as well as unprotected areas, its survey enables to compare wildlife distribution and health, assess the impact of human activities, and the results of our conservation activities. The survey is the best way to get the big picture of the region and promote informed policies and best practices.

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© WCS Congo
Photo Credit: © WCS Congo

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