Our main fieldwork experiences
Gorilla Tracking
Odzala-Kokoua National Park - Congo-BrazzavilleAfrican Park is a non-profit conservation organization actively involved in the conservation of flora and fauna that manages, in collaboration with local authorities, 11 national parks in 8 African countries, including the Odzala-Kokoua National Park in Congo Brazzaville.
This 13,500 km² Park, located in the heart of the world's second rainforest, houses a remarkable biodiversity - mammals, birds, reptiles and plants. Unfortunarely, many of these species are threatened of extinction, such as elephants, chimpanzees and gorillas. By working closely with local communities, several projects are being implemented to ensure the long-term sustainability of the park and reduce poaching.
Amélie Romain was recruited by African Parks as a primatologist for the launch of a Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla g. gorilla) habituation program to develop tourism and scientific research. For several months in a rudimentary field camp (neither running water nor electricity), with a team of local trackers - often former poachers - we followed a group of gorillas daily in a dense forest and savanna zone.
In collaboration with two other primatologists, the main missions were:
Main missions
- Manager of a field camp (rainforest, isolated place) and management of a team (12 trackers)
- Daily monitoring of the gorilla group (6h-18h) in the forest
- Collection and analysis of behavioural data and phenology
- Writing monthly reports for the park and project funders
- Development of scientific collaborations with local and international institutions
After one year, the first group followed is estimated at 25 individuals (thanks to the counting of nests). A dozen individuals are already visible almost daily - including the silver back. The first data on the size of the territory, the displacements and the phenology are currently analysed.
Pygmy Penguin and Black-billed Shearwater monitoring
Phillip Island Nature Park - AustraliaPhillip Island Nature Park is a non-profit conservation organization, conducting research projects on local flora and fauna (pygmy penguins, coastal birds, Australian seals), habitat protection, revegetation, wildlife rescue, as well as and immersive and educational experiences for all ages across marine, bushland, coastal and wetland habitats.
Nora Loudiyi conducted a study of the distribution and geographic overlap of two bird species, the little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) and the short-tailed shearwater (Puffinus tenuirostris), to protect the declining population of the Pygmy Penguin.
Releasing western hoolock gibbons and stump-tailed macaques
Nokrek National Park - North IndiaThe broad aim of the Huro program is the conservation of the Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock, ranked amongst the most endangered primate species in the world, IUCN, 2010) and macaques(Macaca arctoides) in the Northeastern Indian states. The Huro Programme actions include wildlife laws implementation, confiscation, habitat protection initiatives, research projects, rehabilitation and reintroduction programs.
Mylène Chaumette participated in a field study to select the right place to release gibbons, but also follow some individuals already released, including stump-tailed macaques.
Credit : Huro program
Missions carried out:
- Establishment of protocol for field study
- Field data collection
- Establishment of rehabilitation protocol for red-faced macaques
- Behavioural data capture during the rehabilitation process
- Writing a report on the progress of contact and rehabilitation of macaques
- Collaboration with animal care workers