Tony King - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Tony King

Oryx, 2012

Camera traps are standard tools for assessing populations of medium–large terrestrial mammals, pa... more Camera traps are standard tools for assessing populations of medium–large terrestrial mammals, particularly for rare, elusive or cryptic species, yet few researchers have attempted to employ camera traps to document rare primates in arboreal settings. We examined different arboreal camera-trap techniques to document the Critically Endangered greater bamboo lemur Prolemur simus in Madagascar. We documented P. simus at two sites, confirming presence at one site. Most species, including 86% of all lemur occurrences, were documented in low light conditions (c. < 105 lux). Our study suggests that camera traps can be effective in validating unconfirmed sightings of rare or secretive primate species. We recommend that future work with cameras in arboreal settings considers seasonal activity patterns, targets sites with high food densities, uses local knowledge, and utilizes available techniques (e.g. traditional trapping techniques) and landscape topography to concentrate animal movemen...

International Journal of Primatology

Assessing the genetic diversity of captive populations of endangered species is key to the succes... more Assessing the genetic diversity of captive populations of endangered species is key to the successful management of conservation-breeding programs. In this study, we sequenced a 393-bp fragment of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region of 23 captive individuals of the Endangered François’ langur (Trachypithecus francoisi) to assess the mtDNA diversity of the European captive population and to identify the possible geographical origins of the population founders. Combined with 42 sequences previously published from 29 wild François’ langurs, we identified a total of 40 haplotypes in T. francoisi, including 12 haplotypes in the 23 samples from the European captive population. Only one of the haplotypes from captive animals has previously been reported from wild populations; the remaining 11 haplotypes are newly reported here. Our results suggest that the captive T. francoisi population currently holds a relatively good genetic diversity compared with many other captive populatio...

The western gorilla Gorilla gorilla is classified as “Critically Endangered” due to past and curr... more The western gorilla Gorilla gorilla is classified as “Critically Endangered” due to past and current rapid population decline (IUCN 2012). The UK-based charity The Aspinall Foundation is committed to the reintroduction of the species to the Bateke Plateau region of the neighbouring Republics of Congo and Gabon, from where the species has been extirpated during the past few decades. This is being undertaken through projects in both range countries in collaboration with the respective national governments. The Congo project was the first to be initiated, and initial postrelease results are very encouraging, with released gorillas adapting well to the release site, ranging and behaving in similar ways to wild gorillas, and reproducing successfully (Courage et al. 2001; King 2004; King & Courage 2007; King & Chamberlan 2007; King et al. 2005, 2006, 2009, 2012; Farmer & Courage 2008). The Gabon project is ten years younger, but post-release monitoring results are equally encouraging. A c...

PloS one, 2015

Rehabilitation of animals followed by reintroduction into the wild can benefit conservation by su... more Rehabilitation of animals followed by reintroduction into the wild can benefit conservation by supplementing depleted wild populations or reintroducing a species in an area where it has been extirpated or become extinct. The western lowland gorilla (WLG, Gorilla g. gorilla) is persistently poached; infants are often illegally traded and used as pets. Some are confiscated and rehabilitated, then kept in sanctuaries or reintroduced into the wild. Prior to reintroduction, the ability of the orphans to survive independently in their environment needs to be assessed. Here, we performed a multivariate analysis, including diet composition, activity-budget, and pattern of strata using of a group of five juvenile WLG in the process of rehabilitation and distinguished three sub-periods of ecological significance: the high furgivory period, the Dialium fruits consumption period, and the high folivory period. The consequences of these variations on their well-being (play behaviour) and the grou...

Oryx, 2013

The use of population modelling has become an increasingly common tool in reintroduction planning... more The use of population modelling has become an increasingly common tool in reintroduction planning and assessment. Although initial reintroduction success is often measured by quantifying post-release survival and reproduction, longer-term success is best assessed through measurements of population viability. Here we develop a population model capable of providing useful results for influencing management of a reintroduction programme for a long-lived and slow-reproducing primate, the western lowland gorilla Gorilla gorilla gorilla. We used post-release monitoring data from two reintroduced populations in the Batéké Plateau region of Congo and Gabon, complemented with published data on wild and captive populations, to develop a population model using Vortex. Sensitivity testing illustrated that the model was highly sensitive to changes in the input parameters for annual birth rates, the number of lethal equivalents, and for female annual mortality rates, especially for adults. The re...

International Journal of Primatology, 2011

Postrelease monitoring is an important aspect of reintroduction projects, one outcome of which is... more Postrelease monitoring is an important aspect of reintroduction projects, one outcome of which is to allow an assessment of the initial success of the reintroduction, often measured by quantifying survival and reproduction rates. In long-lived species, accurate estimations of demographic parameters are difficult to obtain, and therefore assessment of reintroduction success in such species is challenging. To assess the initial success of a reintroduction program for the long-lived, slow-reproducing, and critically endangered western lowland gorilla Gorilla gorilla gorilla, we analyzed postrelease monitoring data from 2 reintroduced populations, in the Batéké Plateau region of the Republics of Congo and Gabon, to quantify several demographic parameters, and compared our results with published data on wild gorilla populations. Annual survival rate of the 51 released gorillas was 97.4%, 9 females gave birth to 11 infants at an annual birth rate of 0.196 births per adult female, and first-year survival of the infants was 81.8%. Annual birth rate within the reintroduced populations is not significantly different from that given for wild western gorilla populations, and other demographic parameters fall within the range of published data for wild gorilla populations. Our analysis illustrates that the reintroduction program has been successful in terms of the initial measures of postrelease survival and reproduction, and our quantitative data should facilitate the development of a population model that can predict the probability of population persistence and therefore provide an indication of longer-term reintroduction success.

Summary The Javan langur (Trachypithecus auratus) is listed by the IUCN (2012) as Vulnerable, wit... more Summary The Javan langur (Trachypithecus auratus) is listed by the IUCN (2012) as Vulnerable, with the reasons for population decline identified as the illegal pet trade, hunting, and loss and fragmentation of habitat. Populations of the subspecies occurring in East Java, Trachypithecus auratus auratus, occur in isolated forest fragments, and in many of these appear to be at low densities or in some cases extinct. The aim of the Coban Talun langur reinforcement project is to re-establish a viable, self-sustaining population of the Javan langur (Trachypithecus auratus auratus) in the Coban Talun

The greater bamboo lemur Prolemur simus (Fig. 1) is the only recognised species within the Prolem... more The greater bamboo lemur Prolemur simus (Fig. 1) is the only recognised species within the Prolemur genus, is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN (2012), and is considered as one of the top 50 most evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered mammals by the ZSL EDGE Programme (Collen et al. 2011). The global primatological community has considered the species to be one of the most endangered primates in the world for many years (Mittermeier et al. 2009). The greater bamboo lemur is endemic to Madagascar, and whilst fossil records show it was once widely distributed across the island, it is now restricted to a patchy distribution within the remaining eastern rainforest belt, and a handful of outlying degraded habitat fragments. A paper by Wright et al. (2008) highlighted the crisis of the greater bamboo lemur, showing that in 2007 only 60 individuals were known in the wild. To compound the situation, only 22 were known in captivity, in seven institutions, and almost all ca...

The black-and-white ruffed lemur Varecia variegata is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN... more The black-and-white ruffed lemur Varecia variegata is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN (2012), and is considered to be one of the most endangered primates in the world (Mittermeier et al. 2009, 2012). Three subspecies are currently recognised, V. v. variegata, V. v. editorum and V. v. subcincta (Fig. 1), each of which is considered Critically Endangered (IUCN 2012), but there is debate over the validity of these subspecies and their geographic distributions. Black-and-white ruffed lemurs occur only in relatively undisturbed rainforest in the east of Madagascar. There is a zone of hybridisation between the with V. v. subcincta form and the red ruffed lemur Varecia rubra in the north of the species range, around the Masoala and Makira protected areas (Vasey & Tattersall 2002). The known southern limit of the species distribution has recently been extended south of the Mananara River, to near the Midongy du Sud National Park, by collaborative surveys undertaken by WWF-Madaga...

Summary This paper summarises all known information regarding the avifauna of the Lesio-Louna and... more Summary This paper summarises all known information regarding the avifauna of the Lesio-Louna and Lefini Reserves of the Republic of Congo. Located in the Bateke Plateau region, the major habitats are open Loudetia grassland and lightly wooded Loudetia or Hyparrhenia grassland, with gallery and swamp forests along water-courses and patches of dry forest on higher ground. Observations and mist-netting were undertaken between 2002 and 2007, with 264 species recorded. One subspecies represents a new record for Congo: the intra-African migrant Pygmy Kingfisher Ceyx pictus natalensis, which occurs sympatrically with a resident subspecies. Fifty-nine species are newly published for the reserves, of which the most notable include White-crested Tiger Heron Tigriornis leucolophus (on nest), Black-breasted Snake Eagle Circaetus pectoralis, African Marsh Harrier Circus ranivorus, Chestnutflanked Sparrowhawk Accipter castanilius, Wahlberg’s Eagle Aquila wahlbergi, Grey Kestrel Falco ardosiaceus...

The western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) continues to decline in the wild, and has recently been mov... more The western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) continues to decline in the wild, and has recently been moved from the Endangered to the Critically Endangered class of the IUCN red list of species threatened with extinction (IUCN, 2007). The chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) is classified as Endangered, with populations decreasing. All other great apes are also threatened. To counter this dramatic situation, key objectives have been identified and actions recommended within the Global strategy for the survival of great apes and their habitat (GRASP, 2005b), a strategy ratified by the signing in September 2005 of the Kinshasa Declaration (GRASP, 2005a) by a wide range of partners and supporters of the Great Ape Survival Project (GRASP), including range-state and donor governments, UN agencies, non-governmental organisations and the private sector. These documents provide a valuable resource to all field projects whatever their size. By aligning objectives and actions to those of the Glo...

In 2007 we published the first country records for Congo-Brazzaville of three bird species (King ... more In 2007 we published the first country records for Congo-Brazzaville of three bird species (King & Chamberlan 2007), all from the Lesio-Louna Reserve in the Bateke Plateau, and all from the remarkable barbet family (Capitonidae; Fig. 1). One of them, Sladen’s barbet Gymnobucco sladenii, is a forest-dependant species virtually endemic to the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, whilst the other two are savannah species. One, the yellow-fronted tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus, probably has a continuous distribution from the nearest-known populations only 85 km to the east. However the presence of the third species, the miombo pied barbet Tricholaema frontata was particularly unexpected, as the species is almost exclusively restricted to mature miombo woodland in south-central Africa, with the nearest record 750 km south of the Lesio-Louna. The discovery of these three barbets reinforced the classification of the Bateke Plateau as part of the Guinea-Congolian/Zambezian transi...

African Journal of Ecology

Monitoring populations in areas of ecological transition is crucial to understanding species dist... more Monitoring populations in areas of ecological transition is crucial to understanding species distributions, but also a critical conservation tool. We used camera trapping to investigate the forest mammal community in the Bat ek e Plateau National Park (BPNP) in Gabon, a transitional landscape that experiences severe poaching. We compiled a species inventory, investigated group sizes and activity patterns of observed species, and conducted an initial test to evaluate whether ecological gradients within this landscape influence species occurrence. Based on 6612 images and videos recorded at 40 locations during 5,902 camera days, we identified 31 mammal species, including eight classified as threatened according to the IUCN. We detected lion (Panthera leo, Linnaeus), which was thought to be extinct in Gabon, and mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx, Linnaeus), for which BPNP was thought to be outside of