Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve - Frontier-publications.co.uk

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Mpanga / Kipengere Game Reserve; A Biodiversity Survey • Birds At least 199 species of bird representing 54 families were recorded in the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve (Appendix 9) in a variety of habitats, which included areas of mid-altitude miombo woodland, riverine habitats within the woodland, open grassland, montane forest and rocky cliffs. All identifications are considered certain, except six species indicated with a question mark. All taxonomy and nomenclature follows that of Baker (2002). The Miombo grey tit (Parus griseiventris) was observed although the identification is not certain. The Miombo grey tit is normally an inhabitant in miombo woodland in Western Tanzania. The Ashy starling (Cosmopsarus unicolor) is an endemic to Tanzania and it was encountered at it’s extreme southern limit in the Mpanga/Kipengere game reserve. Shelley’s Sunbird (Cinnyris habessinica) was recorded, this species is generally uncommon and previously only known from Morogoro and Songea areas. • Reptiles At least 24 species of reptile representing ten families were recorded in the areas of mid-altitude miombo woodland in the reserve (Appendix 10). All identifications of species that were captured remain tentative whilst awaiting taxonomic verifications. All taxonomy and nomenclature follows that of Spawls et al. (2002). An uncertain identification of a Black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) was made from one observation, which if confirmed would represent a Tanzanian range extension for the species, which is normally found in eastern and northern parts only. Several interesting captures represent range extensions geographically or altitudinally. Both the Tropical spiny agama (Agama armata) and Red-headed rock agama (Agama agama), found in the lowlands, have been previously recorded in central and north-eastern Tanzania only. The Angolan dwarf gecko (Lygodactylus angolensis) has previously only had a few scattered records and is rare in Tanzania, as is the Yellow-throated plated lizard (Gerrhosaurus flaviculatus). No records have been recorded in Southern Tanzania for the Tree skink (Mabuya planifrons) and the Leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis). Further range extensions are that of the Walhberg’s skink (Mabuya wahlbergi), found only in the east and to the south of Lake Tanganyika and the Snake-eyed skink (Panaspis megalurus), a Tanzanian endemic previously recorded from the central and Usangu plains. The Velvety-green night adder (Causus resimus), has a patchy distribution in East Africa normally found around Lake Victoria, moving into Western Kenya, also along the coastal belt of Kenya (Spawls et. al 2002). Turner’s thick-toed gecko (Pachydactylus turneri) has a patchy distribution as it is secretive and is probably under collected. It has been recorded on the Kenyan and Tanzanian border and in northwest Rwanda, so the recording here represents a range extension. • Amphibians At least 13 species of amphibian representing four families were recorded in the areas of mid-altitude miombo woodland in the reserve (Appendix 11). All identifications remain tentative whilst awaiting taxonomic verifications. All taxonomy and nomenclature follows that of Channing (2001). The Natal sand frog (Tomopterna natalensis), if positively identified, is a range extension, as it normally inhabits open habitats in South Mozambique to the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. Several specimens of toad (Bufo spp.) were taken and may provide some interesting results once formally identified. Frontier Tanzania Environmental Research Report 99 9
Mpanga / Kipengere Game Reserve; A Biodiversity Survey • Butterflies One hundred and twenty eight species of butterfly representing five families were recorded in the areas of mid-altitude miombo woodland in the reserve (Appendix 12). At least four species from the family Hesperidae, 25 species of the family Lycaenidae, 62 species of Nymphalidae, three species of Papilionidae and 34 species of Pieridae were recorded. Dry season specimens have been identified, whilst identifications for the wet season phase remain tentative whilst awaiting taxonomic verifications. All taxonomy and nomenclature follows that of Larsen (1991). The wet season work provided over 30 additional species to the list, predominantly to the Lycaenidae and Hesperidae families. Both of these families are still under represented as they are small butterflies and often difficult to see and catch. Most species were widely distributed, occupying open savanna habitats. Of the species of interest, Charaxes condoni is a Tanzanian endemic known only from Nyumbenitu, Dabaga and Mufindi in Iringa region to Njombe, Kitesa and Tukuyu in Mbeya region. Bicyclus cottrelli is known from Brachystegia woodland in Angola, Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and west Tanzania. Thus, this record is the most easterly record so far. Finally Hemioalus coecilus coecilus is a range-restricted endemic subspecies known from Brachystegia woodland in Zambia and south west Tanzania. 4.1.3. Human resource-use Survey work aimed at investigating the level of human resource-use within the reserve revealed one of the major uses of the woodland habitat to be the production of charcoal. Species targeted for charcoal production include Brachystegia spiciformis and Combretum schumannii. Poles are also no doubt cut for local firewood. A number of recent and past pitsaw sites were also found within the woodlands, a number of which were for the production of Pterocarpus angolensis (Mninga) timber, although it is thought that Afzelia quanzensis is also exploited for timber. In order to assess the degree of both pole and timber cutting within the reserve, quantitative methods were used to compare the number of live and naturally dead stems with the number of cut stems (Table 3). Results are based on surveys of fifty-nine 200m transects, each split in to four 50m sections. Table 3 Summary results of a pole and timber cutting survey across miombo woodlands of the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve. Total Total no. Live (% Average Dead (% Average Cut (% of Average transect sampled of total) live per of total) dead per total) cut per length (m) hectare (ha) hectare (ha) hectare (ha) Poles 11,800 4866 3902 (80) 330 714 (15) 60.5 250 (5) 21.2 Timbers 11,800 1118 951 (85) 80.6 115 (10) 9.7 52 (5) 4.6 A total of 4866 poles and 1118 timbers were surveyed along transect lines. Although the survey of pole and timber cutting was not systematic, from the data obtained it was clear that areas for pole cutting were utilised from easy access points, such as human paths running through the game reserve between villages. An average of 21.2 poles were cut per hectare. Close proximity to villages also increased the chances of finding pole cutting. Timber cutting was observed at a much lower frequency with an average of 4.6 per hectare. However 12 pit sawing sites, some only one month old, were seen around Kimani waterfalls and heading north towards the village at the edge of the reserve. Obviously many cut timbers would have been removed from the woodland already. As well as recording levels of pole and timber cutting, the survey outlined above also revealed that 33 % of transects (78 out of the 236 50m sections) had been damaged to some degree by fire with most naturally dead poles and timbers dying from this cause (an average of 60.5 and 9.7 per hectare) Frontier Tanzania Environmental Research Report 99 10
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