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[[West Africa]] > [[Sierra Leone]] > [[Lake Sonfon]]

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__TOC__
= Summary =

<div style='float: right'>{{#display_map: height=190px | width=300px | scrollzoom=off | zoom=5 | layers=OpenStreetMap,OpenTopoMap|9.249629, -11.499968~[[Lake Sonfon]]~''Pan troglodytes verus''}}</div>
* Western chimpanzees (''Pan troglodytes verus'') may be present in Lake Sonfon.
* The population size is unknown.
* The chimpanzee population trend is decreasing.
* The site has a total size of 8 km².
* Key threats to chimpanzees are mining, hunting, and habitat loss due to agriculture.
* Conservation activities carried out by CSSL have focused on awareness raising and supporting livelihood alternatives.

= Site characteristics =

Lake Sonfon is located in the mountainous northeastern part of Sierra Leone, at an altitude of 549 m above sea level. The vegetation around the lake comprises open grassland, wooded savanna, forest, and farmbush. Seven small streams flow into the lake, which provide a water source for local communities. The lake is also important to local people in terms of traditional beliefs and ceremonies ([[#R01034|Sesay et al. 2017]], [[#R01033|BirdLife International 2023]], [https://www.globalnature.org/en/living-lakes/africa/sonfon-lake GNF]). The site is an Important Bird Area ([[#R01033|BirdLife International 2023]]). Western chimpanzees may be present around the lake; other large mammals in the Lake Sonfon environs include warthog, bay duiker, Maxwell’s duiker, bushbuck, buffalo, red river hog, and various monkeys ([[#R01032|Brncic et al. 2010]]).

'''Table 1. Basic site information for Lake Sonfon'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="Site_characteristics-table"
|Species
|''Pan troglodytes verus''
|-
|Area
|8 km²
|-
|Coordinates
|Lat: 9.249629 , Lon: -11.499968
|-
|Type of site
|Unknown
|-
|Habitat types
|Savanna, Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest
|-
|Type of governance
|
|}

[[Types of sites]] [[Governance types]] [[Habitat types]]
= Ape status =

Interviews were conducted around Lake Sonfon in 2009, which concluded that it does not contain a substantial chimpanzee population. The surrounding forest and woodland savanna may have several groups of chimpanzees ([[#R01032|Brncic et al. 2010]]). Two of these groups were identified during the Bumbuna Hydroelectric Project Baseline Biodiversity Survey; the southernmost group was based near Worowaya ranging to the Seli River, comprising 8-16 individuals. A second group was located northeast of the Sel- Mawoloho confluence, comprising 6-9 individuals ([[#R01032|Brncic et al. 2010]]). During a camera trap survey in 2016 chimpanzees were encountered at the site, though not on the camera traps (Sesay et al. 2016).

'''Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Lake Sonfon'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="Ape_status-table"
!Species
!Year
!Occurrence
!Encounter or vistation rate (nests/km; ind/day)
!Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI)
!Abundance estimate (95% CI)
!Survey area
!Sampling method
!Analytical framework
!Source
!Comments
!A.P.E.S. database ID
|-
|''Pan troglodytes verus''
|2016
|Present
|
|
|
|Lake Sonfon Forest Reserve
|Camera trap
|
|[[#R01034|Sesay et al. 2017]]
|Chimpanzees were observed, but not on the camera traps
|
|-
|''Pan troglodytes verus''
|2009
|Present
|
|
|
|Lake Sonfon Forest Reserve
|Interviews
|
|[[#R01032|Brncic et al. 2010]]
|
|SLE0002, SLE0003<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" data-expandtext="+13 more" data-collapsetext="less">SLE0004, SLE0014, SLE0015, SLE0017, SLE0018, SLE0021, SLE0024, SLE0025, SLE0026, SLE0029, SLE0032, SLE0036, SLE0037</div>
|}

[[Sampling methods]] [[Analytical frameworks]]
= Threats =

During a 2009 survey, people from nearby villages identified mining, hunting, and farming activities as causing a decline in the chimpanzee population since the war ([[#R01032|Brncic et al. 2010]]). The lake itself and the immediate environs are threatened primarily by artisanal gold mining. A significant amount of mining activity was seen at the lake and its surroundings, which is likely to reduce water quality, increase wildlife exploitation and increase forest clearance ([[#R01032|Brncic et al. 2010]]).

'''Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Lake Sonfon'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="Threats-table"
!Category
!Specific threats
!Threat level
!Description
!Year of threat
|-
|2 Agriculture & aquaculture
|2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops
|Low (up to 30% of population affected)
|Habitat degradation due to farming activities ([[#R01032|Brncic et al. 2010]], [[#R01034|Sesay et al. 2017]]).
|2010-Ongoing (2017)
|-
|3 Energy production & mining
|3.2 Mining & quarrying
|High (more than 70% of population affected)
|Artisanal gold mining is the largest threat ([[#R01032|Brncic et al. 2010]], [[#R01034|Sesay et al. 2017]])
|2010-Ongoing (2017)
|-
|5 Biological resource use
|5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals
|High (more than 70% of population affected)
|Hunting was reported as a main threat during a 2009 interview survey in the area ([[#R01032|Brncic et al. 2010]]).
|Ongoing (2010)
|-
|5 Biological resource use
|5.3 Logging & wood harvesting
|High (more than 70% of population affected)
|Logging and subsequent agricultural activities have degraded the forest ([[#R01032|Brncic et al. 2010]]); charcoal extraction ([[#R01034|Sesay et al. 2017]]).
|2010-Ongoing (2017)
|-
|6 Human intrusions & disturbance
|6.2 War, civil unrest & military exercises
|Present (unknown severity)
|A decline in chimpanzee population was noticeable to local communities since the war ([[#R01032|Brncic et al. 2010]]).
|1991-2002
|}

[[Threats]]
= Conservation activities =

Since 2011, Friends of the Environment and Culture (FOTEC) has worked towards protecting the flora and fauna at the site ([https://www.globalnature.org/en/living-lakes/africa/sonfon-lake GNF]). The Conservation Society of Sierra Leone has also conducted conservation activities in the area, including awareness raising and support for alternative livelihood programs ([https://cs-sl.org/where-we-work/ CSSL]).

= Challenges =

'''Table 5. Challenges reported for Lake Sonfon'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="Challenges-table"
!Challenges
!Specific challenges
!Source
!Year(s)
|-
|
|Not reported
|
|
|}

[[Challenges]]
= Enablers =

'''Table 6. Enablers reported for Lake Sonfon'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="enabler-table"
!Enablers
!Specific enablers
!Source
!Year(s)
|-
|1 Site management
|
|
|
|-
|2 Resources and capacity
|
|
|
|-
|3 Engaged community
|
|
|
|-
|4 Institutional support
|
|
|
|-
|5 Ecological context
|
|
|
|-
|6 Safety and stability
|
|
|
|}

[[Enablers]]
= Research activities =

= Documented behaviours =

'''Table 7. Behaviours documented for Lake Sonfon'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="behaviours-table"
!Category
!Behavior
!Observation type
!Prevalence
!Observation dates
!Source
!Habituation
!Species
!Comment
|-
|
|Not reported
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}

[[Behaviours]]
= Exposure to climate change impacts =

= External links =

= References =

<span id="R01032"></span>Brncic, T.M., Amarasekaran,B. & McKenna,A. 2010. Final Report of the Sierra Leone National Chimpanzee Census Project. Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Freetown, Sierra Leone. [https://web.archive.org/web/20160308223613/http://tacugama.com/census.html link]

<span id="R01033"></span>BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Sonfon and environs. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-sonfon-and-environs-iba-sierra-leone on 04/12/2023.

<span id="R01034"></span>Sesay, P. B. Abdulai Duada, A. D. Momoh Bai-Sesay M. B., Havery, S. J., Ashpole, J., Hillers, A. & Oppel, S. (2017) Report on the biodiversity of Lake Sonfon, Sierra Leone. Report to African Bird Club & Bread for the World.

'''Page created by: '''APES Atlas Team''' Date:''' 2023-11-24

Lake Sonfon - Revision history