Wild chimpanzees cling to survival in unprotected habitats transformed by human activities in western Uganda.
Chimpanzees in the Budongo–Bugoma Corridor
An imperilled population of around 300 wild chimpanzees survive in Uganda’s Budongo–Bugoma Corridor—a landscape of roughly 1,200 km2 that is human-dominated and fast developing between the Budongo and Bugoma Central Forest Reserves.
This vital great ape population faces severe threats from escalating human pressures, including widespread habitat loss due to agriculture, rapid human population growth, expanding infrastructure such as road upgrades and an oil pipeline, and advancing urbanisation. Additionally, rising human-wildlife conflicts over space and resources not only endanger chimpanzee survival but also jeopardise human welfare and livelihoods.
Research and monitoring of the chimpanzees
The Bulindi Chimpanzee and Community Project conducts daily research and monitoring of six resident chimpanzee ‘communities’, which make up half of the regional chimpanzee population in the Budongo–Bugoma Corridor. These chimpanzees navigate small, fragmented forest patches surrounded by farmland and villages, living in remarkably close proximity to human communities.
Our research and monitoring of the chimpanzees in the Budongo–Bugoma Corridor is shedding light on how these endangered great apes are adapting to life in a human world and reveals both their remarkable resilience to anthropogenic change as well as the threats to their long-term survival.
Conservation of wild chimpanzees and unprotected habitat
The primary goal of the BCCP Project is to conserve wild chimpanzees living outside protected areas and safeguard their habitat. This includes implementing programmes to help landowners conserve forests on their land; providing communities with viable livelihood alternatives to deforestation; and extensive tree planting initiatives to increase tree cover and connect remaining forest patches to aid the movement of chimpanzees and other wildlife. These efforts can help ensure the long-term survival of the chimpanzee populations living in unprotected habitats.
Empowerment of local communities
The project aims to empower local communities by improving livelihoods and engaging them as key partners in chimpanzee conservation. This includes sponsoring private forest owner groups and village savings loan associations, and supporting households with house construction, poultry farming, and coffee cultivation. The project also provides tree seedlings for woodlots and habitat restoration, and installs energy-saving stoves and water boreholes. Additionally, it sponsors schoolchildren to ease educational costs for families and offers chimpanzee-focused educational outreach in local schools.
Research and monitoring
The Bulindi chimpanzees are studied for a long-term research project, which began in 2006. BCCP also undertakes research and monitoring of five other communities of wild chimpanzees in the Budongo–Bugoma Corridor. This unique research project is helping us understand how wild chimpanzees adjust to living around people in a fast-changing landscape. The research findings can also inform conservation approaches for great ape populations under human pressure elsewhere in Uganda and beyond.
Show your support, act now!
Your support is crucial in helping us to continue our conservation and community support efforts and make a positive impact on both people and nature. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a difference and helps to protect these magnificent animals and their vital habitats for generations to come.
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