STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR CARRYING OUT ...

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The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project SOP – Camera Traps Bahasa Indonesia

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR CARRYING

OUT POPULATION DENSITY SURVEYS FOR GIBBONS

THE ORANGUTAN TROPICAL PEATLAND PROJECT

July 2012

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The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project SOP – Camera Traps Bahasa Indonesia

The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project is an Indonesia-based research and conservation organisation that works in partnership with the Centre for International Cooperation in Sustainable Management of Tropical Peatland at the University of Palangka Raya. We are supported by the Orangutan Tropical Peatland Trust (registered UK Charity no.1142870), and linked to the Wildlife Conservation Unit (WildCRU) at the University of Oxford, the Wildlife Research Group in the Anatomy School of the University of Cambridge, the College of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Exeter and the Department of Geography at the University of Leicester.

The research described in this report was undertaken in the Natural Laboratory for the Study of Peat-swamp Forest (NLPSF) by the researchers, staff and volunteers of OuTrop and CIMTROP, whom we thank for their hard work and dedication. We would like to thank the people and administrations of Kereng Bangkerai, Kecamatan Sabangau and Kotamadya Palangka Raya for ongoing support; the University of Palangka Raya for supporting our research in the Laboratorium Alam Hutan Gambut; the State Ministry of Research and Technology for providing permission to undertake research in Indonesia; and The Orangutan Project, Arcus Foundation, the Rufford Small Grants For Nature, the US Fish and Wildlife Service Great Apes Conservation Fund and the Wallace Global Fund for financial support of our programmes.

Thanks go to Dr Lauren Gilhooly and Dr Susan Cheyne and OuTrop for producing this document.

Thank you to all individuals who the conducted field work needed to test this protocol.

Thanks go to WILDCRU, Oxford Brookes University and BRINCC for their collaboration on this OuTrop protocol. Thanks also goes Ape TAG, Conservatoire and La Vallee des Singles for supporting this work.

Citation: Gilhooly L.J. and Cheyne, S.M. (2012)Standard Operating Procedures for Carrying out Population Density Surveys for Gibbons. Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project Report, Palangka Raya, Indonesia.

© 2013, The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project. All rights reserved. Email [email protected] Website www.outrop.com Blog www.outrop.blogspot.com The views expressed in this report are those of the others and do not necessarily represent those of OuTrop or their sponsors.

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www.outrop.com www.outrop.blogspot.com @OuTrop

The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project is registered in the UK as a non-profit organisation (Company No. 06761511), and is supported by The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Trust (UK Registered Charity No. 1142870).

Contents

Introduction ……………………………………………………………….………… Page 1

Planning listening sites…..……………………………...…………………………….. Page 2

Set-up .....……………………….………………………………………….…………..

Data collection ....……….…………...………………………………………………… Page 4

Mapping....…………………………………………..…………………………………. Page 4

References....……….………………...…………………..…………...…...…….…….. Page 6

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Introduction

Gibbons are a very difficult species to survey accurately. They are not only difficult to spot due to

their preference for the upper canopy, but they may also flee or hide when approached by humans

(Nijman 2001). While fixed-point counts are often the most accurate and effective way to survey

gibbons, it is by no means an easy process. Surveying gibbons by listening to their morning duets

requires a high degree of patience and the ability to accurately estimate distance and bearing.

While many gibbon species have yet to be surveyed thoroughly, there are several key

published articles available that explain the basics of fixed-point surveys, also known as

triangulation or quadrangulation (Brockleman and Srikosamatra 1993, Buckley et al. 2006, Cheyne

et al. 2008, Hamard et al. 2010). Consult these articles for an explanation of popular methods and

the rationale behind them. We aim here to outline the minute details that are often omitted or not

explained in full within these articles. These minutiae may not be important enough to mention in

published articles, but they are nevertheless crucial to an accurate and successful survey.

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Planning listening sites

Essential materials: GPS (Garmin CS60x is a popular model), map of forest and/or transect grid

Optional materials: Topographic map

-‐ Each site should include three listening posts, each 300-500m apart. 300m is considered the

ideal distance between two posts, as it will result in more accurate quadrangulation between

the three listeners. However, in order to avoid a valley or make use of a hill or ridge to gain a

better vantage point, it may be better to have the posts farther apart.

-‐ Each set of posts should be 1-2km apart. Some degree of overlap between the effective

listening areas (ELA) can be beneficial, as it can confirm locations of those groups that fall

within the overlapping area. However, the farther each set is from the neighboring ones, the

larger the survey area.

-‐ Do NOT place listening posts at the edge of the forest, where there is a large area of

burnt/cleared land or where a large river is located. Listening posts too near the forest edge

result in areas unsuitable for gibbons being surveyed thus reducing survey effort.

-‐ For the best results, and to keep the survey process as simple as possible, it is beneficial to

plan where each set of listening posts will be before starting data collection.

-‐ Knowledge of the topography of the study site will help in planning where listening posts

should be situated so as to avoid natural sound barriers. Using a topographical map or

enlisting the help of someone who knows the forest’s landscape will help in planning the

location of your listening posts.

-‐ Using a GPS unit, you can drop a waypoint where you would like one listening post to be,

and then use the ‘measure distance’ tool to ensure the next two posts are the correct

distance apart.

-‐ The same method can be used to measure the distance between the two closest points from

different sets to ensure that they are at least 1km apart.

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Set-up

Essential materials: GPS, flagging tape, compass

Optional materials:

-‐ You may need to mark trails with flagging tape in order to find your way to the listening posts.

Ensure that markers are clearly visible and can be seen both in daylight and in the dark.

Marks that appear obvious in the daylight may be difficult or impossible to see in the dark.

Additionally, marks need to be visible going to a post, as well as coming back from it. It is

best to flag trees on the way to a post as well as on your return. This will allow you to find

your way quickly in the early mornings, and it is essential in preventing anyone from getting

lost.

-‐ It is important to ensure listening posts are clearly marked, and will not be confused for trail

markers. This can be avoided by tying flagging tape between two trees, or in a large bow so

that it will be easily visible in the dark, and recognizable as a marker for a listening post.

-‐ Depending on the location of the listening posts, sites can be set up immediately after data

collection (if the next site is not too far away) or they can be done on a separate day (if they

are farther away).

Data Collection

Essential materials: Clipboard, data sheets, pencil, compass with 2° gradations, digital watch,

head torch.

Optional materials: audio recorder, camera

-‐ Each team member should estimate the bearing and distance to every group they hear.

-‐ If they are having trouble with the distance estimations, they can use ‘close’ (0-300m),

‘medium’ (300-700m), and ‘far’ (700-1000) instead. This should not be done for long,

however, as it makes the mapping and overall location estimates less accurate.

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-‐ Bearing should be estimated to the nearest even number, and taken every three minutes (or

according to the data sheet). This is important as groups may move or change direction

while they call, so it should not be assumed that a group will call from the exact same spot

throughout the entire morning.

-‐ Groups that are only heard once by a listener should not be included due to a potentially high

rate of error.

-‐ If possible, have the listeners make a note of each great call from every respective group.

This helps to ensure that mated pairs rather than solo males are being recorded.

Additionally, it will help with the mapping process later.

Mapping

Essential materials: paper, ruler, compass, calculator, pencil, eraser, data sheets

Optional materials: none

In order to ensure that there is agreement between the listeners from different posts, it is important

to plot the locations of each estimated group daily.

This allows you to determine not only where a group’s home range is, but also to ensure that

bearing and distance are being estimated with enough accuracy.

-‐ Take an average of the distance and bearing for each group heard by each listener. If there

is a lot of variation in the distance estimate consider that the listener may have been hearing

two different groups.

-‐ Use the distance and bearing from one listening point to another to place them on a hand

drawn grid

-‐ Plot each group using the distance and bearing estimate from the respective point on the

map.

-‐ Once all data points are plotted, use the intersections of estimates to determine the

approximate location of each group.

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-‐ To ensure a group was quadrangulated correctly, look at the time each person heard the

group in question. Comparing when female great calls were heard is especially useful.

Once data collection has finished and an approximate location for each group has been calculated

you can begin to estimate the group density. See references below for a detailed description of the

methods behind estimating group density.

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REFERENCES

Cheyne, S. M., C. J. H. Thompson, A. C. Phillips, R. M. C. Hill and S. H. Limin (2007). "Density and Population Estimate of Gibbons (Hylobates albibarbis) in the Sabangau Catchment, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia." Primates 49(1): 50-56.

Hamard, M. C. L., S. M. Cheyne and V. Nijman (2010). "Vegetation correlates of gibbon density in the peat-swamp forest of the Sabangau catchment, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia." American Journal of Primatology 72(7): 607-616.

O'Brien, T. G., M. F. Kinnaird, A. Nurcahyo, M. Iqbal and M. Rusmanto (2004). "Abundance and distribution of sympatric gibbons in a threatened Sumateran rainforest." International Journal of Primatology 25(2): 267-284.

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