Mgambo Forest Reserve: A biodiversity survey. - Eastern Arc ...

Mgambo Forest Reserve
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5.4 Discussion
5.5.1 Introduction
Mgambo FR is 1,346ha and despite its relatively small size, the number of animal species
recorded was comparable to those found in nearby forest reserves, such as Bombo East I and II
and Mtai FRs (refer to Frontier Tanzania, 1999, Frontier Tanzania 2002c and Frontier Tanzania
2002d) (although the number of mammal species captured was lower than expected). Amani
Nature Reserve, for comparison, is almost 6 times the area but, when surveyed, was found to
contain approximately 25% more species (refer to Frontier Tanzania, 2001).
Table 34 Summary of faunal families and species (identified to date) and inclusive of casual observations,
dung surveys etc.
Taxon Number of families Number of species
Mammals (not including bats) 18 35
Bats 4 10
Birds 30 52
Reptiles 9 20
Amphibians 7 14
Butterflies 5 138
5.5.2 Species Abundance and Importance
To provide a concept of species abundance, the frequency of species-capture was investigated.
This makes the assumption that the frequency with which an animal is recorded reflects its general
abundance and it must be highlighted that abundance of highly cryptic species may not be
reflected accurately. Also, it does not give a good measure of species distribution within the
reserve.
5.5.2.1 Mammals
The most commonly captured mammal species was Acomys spinosissimus (Spiny mouse, 23
individuals captured, 10 of which were recaptures). Most of these captures were from trapsite 2,
an area of Miombo woodland. The other species frequently recorded were those of the genus
Crocidura (White-toothed shrew, 13 individuals captured). All of the identifications to species
level are tentative, but of those, Crocidura cf. elongius was the most frequently captured, mostly
in trapsite 2.
Other species recorded in low abundance, at a frequency of one individual per species, were
Grammomys sp. (Narrow-footed woodland mouse), Mastomys sp. (Multi-mammate rat) and
Graphiurus sp. (Dormouse)
Of the larger mammals, there were at least 7 separate sightings of Cercopithecus (n.) mitis
(Gentle/blue monkey) in the forested areas (not including basecamp, where one group was seen
almost daily) and Papio cynocephalus (Yellow baboon) was seen on a number of occasions in and
near the forest borders. Colobus angolensis palliatus (Angola pied colobus) was observed on over
eleven different occasions and heard a number of times, although these may represent
approximately six different groups in patchily distributed lowland forest.
Frequent aural records of Dendrohryax validus (Eastern tree hyrax), Otolemur garnetti (Smalleared
galago) Otolemur crassicaudatus (Greater galago) and Galagoides zanzibaricus (Zanziibar
galago) were heard nightly at trapsite 3, an area of lowland and riverine forest.
East Usambara Conservation Area Management Programme Technical Paper 59