LOLLDAIGA HILLS RESEARCH PROGRAMME

NEWSLETTER

Tom Butynski & Yvonne de Jong

July-August 2017 (Issue 15)

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Cover photograph: Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus, Lolldaiga Hills Ranch. Photograph by Paul Benson.

New to lolldaiga.com

• News: ‘Lolldaiga-Mukogodo-Ewaso N’yiro Important Bird and Biodiversity Area’ application submitted to Nature Kenya and BirdLife

• New publication: Distributions in Uganda, Kenya, and north Tanzania of members of the Günther’s Dik-dik Madoqua (guentheri) and Kirk’s Dik-dik M. (kirkii) species groups, regions of sympatry, records of aberrant-coloured individuals, and comment on the validity of Hodson’s Dik-dik M. (g.) hodsoni

• Additions to Johannes Refisch’s photographic portfolio

• Camera trap portfolio for July and August 2017

News ‘Lolldaiga-Mukogodo-Ewaso N’yiro Important Bird and Biodiversity Area’ application submitted to Nature Kenya and BirdLife Tom Butynski & Yvonne de Jong

On 1 September 2017, the Lolldaiga Hills Research

Programme submitted an application to Nature Kenya

and BirdLife for recognition of the ‘Lolldaiga-

Mukogodo-Ewaso N’yiro’ Important Bird and

Biodiversity Area (IBA). If approved, this would become

Kenya’s 68th ‘Important Bird and Biodiversity Area’. The

proposed IBA is ca. 5200 km²and includes vital water

catchments, is a region of extreme importance for the

conservation of global and regional biodiversity, and

serves to connect national parks, forest reserves,

national reserves, conservancies, private ranches,

group ranches, riparian systems, ecosystems, and other IBAs.

The bird list of the proposed IBA currently

contains 632 bird species, three of which have

been extirpated. Of these, 14 are ‘globally-

threatened’ with extinction: 4 ‘Critically

Endangered’, 5 ‘Endangered’, 5 ‘Vulnerable’.

Fifteen bird species are ‘Near Threatened’

(iucn.org). In addition, there are nine threatened

mammal species (1 ‘Critically Endangered’, 2

‘Endangered’, 6 ‘Vulnerable’), three threatened

mammal subspecies, one threatened amphibian

species, and one threatened reptile species.

The Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri has been extirpated from the proposed ‘Lolldaiga-Mukogodo-Ewaso N’yiro Important Bird and Biodiversity Area’. Photograph by Yvonne de Jong & Tom Butynski.

Location of the Lolldaiga-Mukogodo-Ewaso N’yiro Important Bird and Biodiversity Area. Map by Yvonne de Jong & Tom Butynski.

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New publication Distributions in Uganda, Kenya, and north Tanzania of members of the Günther’s Dik-dik Madoqua (guentheri) and Kirk’s Dik-dik M. (kirkii) species groups, regions of sympatry, records of aberrant-coloured individuals, and comment on the validity of Hodson’s Dik-dik M. (g.) hodsoni Yvonne de Jong & Tom Butynski, 2017, Gnusletter 34: 11-20.

Abstract:

This paper summarises what is known about the

distributions, in Uganda, Kenya, and north

Tanzania, of members of the Günther’s Dik-dik

Madoqua (guentheri) and Kirk’s Dik-dik Madoqua

(kirkii) species groups. This includes regions of

sympatry that extend from near the Indian Ocean

in south Somalia and Kenya westward

through central Kenya to central east Uganda.

Three traits for distinguishing Günther’s Dik-dik M.

(g.) guentheri and Smith’s Dik-dik M. (g.) smithii

from Kirk’s Dik-dik M. (k.) kirkii and Cavendish’s

Dik-dik M. (k.) cavendishi in the field are provided.

More than a dozen records (some supported by

photographs) of aberrant-coloured (i.e., greyish and

all-white) M. (guentheri) are presented. The question

of whether Hodson’s Dik-dik M. (g.) hodsoni is a valid

species/subspecies is reviewed as this taxon appears to be based on several aberrant greyish individuals. The full

publication is available at: http://www.lolldaiga.com/madoqua/

Greyish adult male Smith’s Dik-dik Madoqua (guentheri) smithii, Lolldaiga Hills Ranch, central Kenya. Photograph by ZSL/LHRP camera trap.

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Do You Have What It Takes?

Calling On Pilots And Observers For This Year’s Aerial Survey

KWS and partners are planning an aerial survey of the Great Ewaso Ng'iro ecosystem that lies in Kenya’s

Mountain Region. They are seeking the support of volunteer pilots and observers to participate in this

very important activity. Pilots and observers will be trained, fed, given overnight accommodation, and all

participating aircraft will be fuelled. Training will be mandatory for both pilots and observers.

This year’s total count, generously funded by USAID – Kenya, will be focussing on elephants, buffaloes,

Grevy's Zebras, and giraffes. Numbers and location of cattle, shoats, bomas and settlements will be noted.

The greater Meru National Park area will also be included in the count.

Dates: 19 - 30 November 2017

Survey area: Laikipia - Samburu – Marasbit – Meru

For more information please go to http://www.laikipia.org/do-you-have-what-it-takes/

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In July 2017, swarms of 50-100 Milkweed Locust Nymphs Phymateurs sp. appeared on Lolldaiga Hills Ranch. Also known as ‘Gaudy Grasshoppers’ (Family Pyrgomorphidae), the nymphs are gregarious, thereby concentrating and displaying their rustling noise, warning colours, unpleasant pungent smell, and distasteful secretions to potential predators. To find out more about Milkweed Locust Nymphs, see: Martins, D. 2014. Sexy signals: the locust, stalk-eyed fly and widowbird. Swara July-September: 26-31. Photographs by Tom Butynski.

Publications and Reports Published

• De Jong, Y. A. & Butynski, T. M. 2017. Distributions in Uganda, Kenya, and north Tanzania of members of the Günther’s dik-dik Madoqua (guentheri) and Kirk’s dik-dik M. (kirkii) species groups, regions of sympatry, records of aberrant-coloured individuals, and comment on the validity of Hodson’s dik-dik M. (g.) hodsoni. Gnusletter 34: 11-20.

In press

• Butynski, T. M. & De Jong, Y. A. Common warthog Phacochoerus africanus. In Ecology, Evolution and Management of Wild Pigs and Peccaries. Implications for Conservation. Melletti, M. & Meijaard, E., eds. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

• Butynski, T. M. & De Jong, Y. A. Primates of Africa’s coastal deltas and their conservation. In Primates in Flooded Habitats: Ecology and Conservation. Barnett, A. A., Matsuda, I. & Nowak, K., eds. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

• Butynski, T. M., De Jong, Y. A., King, J. & Ting, N. Piliocolobus rufomitratus (Peters, 1879). IUCN/SSC Red Colobus Action Plan. IUCN/SSC, Gland, Switzerland.

• Cunneyworth, P., De Jong, Y. A., Butynski, T. M. & Perkin, A. W. IUCN/SSC Red List assessment for Peter's Angolan colobus Colobus angolensis palliatus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017. IUCN/SSC, Gland, Switzerland.

• De Jong, Y. A. & Butynski, T. M. Desert warthog Phacochoerus aethiopicus. In Ecology, Evolution and Management of Wild Pigs and Peccaries. Implications for Conservation. Melletti, M. & Meijaard, E., eds. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

Lion Panthera leo, Lolldaiga Hills Ranch. Photograph by Johannes Refisch.

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• De Jong, Y. A. & Butynski, T. M. IUCN/SSC Red List 2017 assessments for 50 taxa of African primates. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017. IUCN/SSC, Gland, Switzerland.

Submitted

• Amin, R., Wacher, T. & Butynski, T. M. Sympatry among three suid species (Family Suidae) on the north coast of Kenya.

• Butynski, T. M. & De Jong, Y. A. Geographic range, taxonomy, and conservation of the Mount Kilimanjaro guereza colobus monkey (Primates: Cercopithecidae: Colobus)

• De Jong, Y. A. & Butynski, T. M. Lost species: Mount Kenya potto.

• Svensson, M. S, Nekaris, K. A. I., Bearder, S. K., Bettridge, C., Butynski, T. M., Cheyne, S. M., Das, N., De Jong, Y. A., Luhrs, A. M., Luncz, L., Perin, A., Pimley, E., Poindexter, S., Spaan, D., Stark, D. J., Starr, C., Nijman, V. Sleep patterns, daytime predation, and the evolution of sleep site selection in lorisiforms.

In preparation

• Butynski, T. M. & De Jong, Y. A. Survey of the eastern patas monkey Erythrocebus patas pyrrhonotus and other primates in eastern Laikipia County, central Kenya. Unpublished report for Primate Conservation Inc.

• Butynski, T. M., De Jong, Y. A., Oates, J. F. & Brugieri, D. African colobines conservation. In The Colobines: Natural History, Behaviour and Ecological Diversity. Matsuda, I, Grueter, C. C. & Teichroeb, J. A., eds. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

• De Jong, Y. A. & Butynski, T. M. Primates of East Africa. Pocket Identification Guide. Conservation International Tropical Pocket Guide Series.

• De Jong, Y. A., d’Huart, J. P. & Butynski, T. M. Biogeography of the desert warthog Phacochoerus aethiopicus (Pallas, 1766) and common warthog Phacochoerus africanus (Gmelin, 1788) in the Horn of Africa.

• De Jong, Y. A. & Butynski, T. M. Biogeography, taxonomy and phenotypic clines in Papio anubis and Papio cynocephalus in eastern Africa. Wallis, J., ed. Baboons. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

Juvenile Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus, Lolldaiga Hills Ranch. Photograph by Per Aronsson.

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Rainfall on Lolldaiga Hills Ranch

Species totals as of end of August 2017 Mammals on the Lolldaiga Hills Conservation Landscape…………………………..104 species Birds on Lolldaiga Hills Ranch……………………………………………………………………..386 species Birds on the proposed IBA/KBA………………………………………………………………….632 species Reptiles on Lolldaiga Hills Ranch……………………………………………..……………….….33 species Amphibians on Lolldaiga Hills Ranch...............................................................12 species Butterflies on Lolldaiga Hills Ranch……………… ……………………………………………135 species Moths on Lolldaiga Hills Ranch....................................................................>200 species Except for moths, species list for the above taxonomic groups can be viewed at www.lolldaiga.com

Rainfall data kindly provided by Peter Karani.

Ancient soil erosion on Lolldaiga Hills Ranch. Photograph by Johannes Refisch.

1021

0

38

195

8

115

60

0

50

100

150

200

250

Monthly rainfall (mm) on Lolldaiga Hills Ranch during 2017

(mean of four sites)225

127

80

29

8360

83

12

0

50

100

150

200

250

South West Central North

Rainfall (mm) at four sites on Lolldaiga Hills Ranch during July and August 2017

July August

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Best Zoological Society of London/Lolldaiga Hills Research Programme camera trap photographs on Lolldaiga Hills Ranch (July-August 2017)

Lion (Panthera leo)

Suni (Nesotragus moschatus)

Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) and Impala (Aepyceros melampus)

Plains Zebra (Equus quagga)

Spotted Hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) Plains Zebra (Equus quagga)

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Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus)

Leopard (Panthera pardus)

Savanna Elephant (Loxodonta africana)

Large-spotted genet (Genetta maculate)

Kolb’s Monkey (Cercopithecus mitis kolbi)

Steenbok (Raphicerus campestris)