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Mbeli Bai Study, Nouabale-Ndoki Project, Wildlife Conservation Society

Field Study

Mbeli Bai Study, Nouabale-Ndoki Project, Wildlife Conservation Society

Location of field site: Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo , Africa

Project Director: Thomas Breuer

Contact Person: Thomas Breuer , breuer@eva.mpg.de , Phone: 001 871 762 134 143 (satellite phone) Fax: 001 871 762 134 145

Mailing address: Nouabale-Ndoki Project B.P. 14537 , Brazzaville , Republic of Congo

Research Objectives: Longitudinal study of social behavior, group dynamics and patterns of swamp use in western lowland gorillas.

Field Positions and Volunteers: Principal Investigator, research assistant, Congolese researcher

Species Studied: Gorilla gorilla gorilla (western lowland gorilla)

Other Species Found At Site: Central chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes troglodytes), Black and white colobus (Colobus guereza), Cenral African red colobus (Piliocolobus oustaleti), Spot nosed monkey (Cercopithecus nictitans), De Brazza's monkey (C.neglectus), Moustached monkey (C.cephus), Crowned monkey (C. pogonias), Agile mangabey (Cercocebus agilis) Grey-cheeked mangabey (Lophocebus albigena)

Affiliations: Wildlife Conservation Society

Project Begin/End Dates: Started in 1995, research ongoing

Web Site: http://www.wcs-congo.org

Comments: Mbeli bai is a natural swampy clearing of c. 13ha and is a preferred feeding site for western lowland gorillas. It is often visited by more than one group of gorillas in a single day, and 19 groups and 8 solitary silverback gorillas have now been identified; totaling over 180 gorillas. Observations are made from an observation platform overlooking the bai, which affords the researchers an unrestricted view of all individuals and interactions. Gorillas are completely habituated to the presence of researchers on the platform, providing much greater levels of visibility than would be possible using traditional study methods such as tracking through the forest.

Entry created: 2000-01-20
Review requested: 2003-11-17
Entry last reviewed: 2007-10-24

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