[en] Spotted hyaena distribution currently widely encompasses sub-Saharan Africa, apart from the Congo Basin. Formerly described as residents of Gabon but considered extinct, vagrant individuals have been recorded since 2003, but no systematic species presence assessment has been made. Based on records of killed individuals, tracks and camera-trap sightings, we show that not only vagrant individuals are roaming in Gabon, but a small resident population occurs in the North-East of the country. The records collated here formed the basis for spotted hyaenas to be listed as protected in Gabon, were included in the IUCN Red List species' range map update and showcased the importance of large-scale by-catch data analysis in updating species distributions.
Disciplines :
Environmental sciences & ecology
Author, co-author :
Orbell, Christopher ; Panthera, New York, United States ; Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom ; Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale, CENAREST, Libreville, Gabon
Abernethy, Katharine A. ; Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom ; Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale, CENAREST, Libreville, Gabon
Akomo-Okoue, Etienne François; Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale, CENAREST, Libreville, Gabon
Bourgeois, Stéphanie; Agence Nationale Des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon
Bunnefeld, Nils; Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
Dloniak, Stephanie M.; Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States
Ebang-Mbele, Alex; Nsombou Abalghe-Dzal Association (NADA), Makokou, Gabon
Nguema, Andy Gilda Ebe; Agence Nationale Des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon
Nguelet, Fred Loique Mindonga; Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale, CENAREST, Libreville, Gabon
Momboua, Brice Roxan; Agence Nationale Des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon
Ntie, Stephan ; Agence Nationale Des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon ; Département de Biologie, Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku, Franceville, Gabon
Ibouanga, Ange Nzamba; Agence Nationale Des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon
Nzamba, Brave Sévère; World Wildlife Fund, Gabon Country Program Office, Libreville, Gabon
Koumba, Christophe Roland Zinga; Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale, CENAREST, Libreville, Gabon ; Agence Nationale Des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon
Rembeyo, Christian; Agence Nationale Des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon
Robinson, Hugh S.; Panthera, New York, United States
Scalbert, Morgane ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Gestion des ressources forestières
White, Lee J. T.; Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom ; Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale, CENAREST, Libreville, Gabon
Whytock, Robin C.; Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom ; Okala Limited, London, United Kingdom
Henschel, Philipp; Panthera, New York, United States ; Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale, CENAREST, Libreville, Gabon
USFWS - United States Fish and Wildlife Service GEF - Global Environment Facility AFD - Agence Française de Développement F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique
Funding text :
CO, WMT and the corridor surveys between 2015 and 2020 were funded by USFWS and the Agence National des Parcs Nationaux under the GeFaCHE grant (World Bank). SB and ANI funds for the bai monitoring project led by the National Parks Agency of Gabon were provided by the French Development Agency under the France-Gabon debt conversion agreement (Convention AFD CGA 1188.01.H/Project El\u00E9phant Gabon). DF was funded by a FRIA grant from the Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS), the \u2018Programme de Promotion de l'Exploitation Certifi\u00E9e des For\u00EAts\u2019 (PPECF) (contract C132) and the \u2018Commission des For\u00EAts d'Afrique Centrale\u2019 (COMIFAC) through the project \u2018De l'Inventaire au Plan de Gestion de la Faune, d\u00E9veloppement d'outils pour rencontrer les exigences des r\u00E9f\u00E9rentiels de certification\u2019 (IPGF). Camera trap surveys around Lastoursville were funded as part of the EU Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme in Gabon. The MS camera trap survey was also funded by the PPECF (contract C162), the \u2018Precious Forests Foundation\u2019 (PFF) and received support from Precious Wood-CEB. RCW and BRM were funded by the EU 11th FED ECOFAC6 programme grant to the National Parks Agency of Gabon during data collection in Lop\u00E9 and Waka National Parks. RCW, LBMK, FLMN and KAA received funding from the UK Research and Innovation's Global Challenges Research Fund (UKRI GCRF) through the Trade, the Development and Environment Hub project (project number ES/S008160/1).CO, WMT and the corridor surveys between 2015 and 2020 were funded by USFWS and the Agence National des Parcs Nationaux under the GeFaCHE grant (World Bank). SB and ANI funds for the bai monitoring project led by the National Parks Agency of Gabon were provided by the French Development Agency under the France\u2010Gabon debt conversion agreement (Convention AFD CGA 1188.01.H/Project El\u00E9phant Gabon). DF was funded by a FRIA grant from the Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS), the \u2018Programme de Promotion de l'Exploitation Certifi\u00E9e des For\u00EAts\u2019 (PPECF) (contract C132) and the \u2018Commission des For\u00EAts d'Afrique Centrale\u2019 (COMIFAC) through the project \u2018De l'Inventaire au Plan de Gestion de la Faune, d\u00E9veloppement d'outils pour rencontrer les exigences des r\u00E9f\u00E9rentiels de certification\u2019 (IPGF). Camera trap surveys around Lastoursville were funded as part of the EU Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme in Gabon. The MS camera trap survey was also funded by the PPECF (contract C162), the \u2018Precious Forests Foundation\u2019 (PFF) and received support from Precious Wood\u2010CEB. RCW and BRM were funded by the EU 11th FED ECOFAC6 programme grant to the National Parks Agency of Gabon during data collection in Lop\u00E9 and Waka National Parks. RCW, LBMK, FLMN and KAA received funding from the UK Research and Innovation's Global Challenges Research Fund (UKRI GCRF) through the Trade, the Development and Environment Hub project (project number ES/S008160/1).
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