CHIMPANZEES AND FIRES: ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF ANNUAL FIRES ON CHIMPANZEES AND CRITICAL CHIMPANZEE HABITAT IN WESTERN TANZANIA

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LIVERPOOL JOHN MOORES UNIVERSITY.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS 2-YEAR PROJECT IS TO SUPPORT PROTECTION OF EASTERN CHIMPANZEES BY ESTABLISHING BASELINE DATA ON THE EFFECT OF ANNUAL BURNING ON CHIMPANZEE HABITAT AND BEHAVIOR IN WESTERN TANZANIA, AND DISSEMINATING FINDINGS FOR INTEGRATION INTO FIRE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.

ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: 1) IDENTIFYING LANDSCAPE FEATURES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH BURNING PATTERNS ACROSS THE GREATER MAHALE ECOSYSTEM 2) IDENTIFYING AREAS OF OVERLAP BETWEEN BURNING AND CHIMPANZEE HABITAT USE 3) IDENTIFYING THE EFFECT OF BURNING ON VEGETATION AND ESTABLISHING MONTHLY MONITORING AND 4) SPONSORING AND TRAINING A POST-GRADUATE MSC STUDENT IN GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM.