The Ugalla region, located in western Tanzania (see map right), is dominated by open miombo woodland interspersed with small patches of riverine forest, swamp, and wooded grassland.
Ugalla thus comprises one of the driest, most open and seasonal habitats where chimpanzees live. Ugalla is the name applied by Kano (1972) to the region between the Malagarasi River (to the north), the Ugalla River (to the east) and the Uvinza-Mpanda road (to the south/west). It covers ~ 3300 square km and researchers have centered their work at a variety of localities within Ugalla. The primary study site, however, lies overlooking the Issa Valley, highlighted in yellow on the map. Other study populations of chimpanzees in the region include those in Gombe and also Mahale Mountains National Park – both also highlighted in yellow.
To help answer questions about Ugalla, the wildlife it hosts, and the threats faced by both the fauna and the habitat, we collaborate closely with researchers across the world, local and national government institutions, as well as non-governmental conservation organisations working in western Tanzania. For example, we are providing critical data on chimpanzee distribution and habitat prioritisation for village land-use planning across the region based on our results of a 15-month long survey across the Ecosystem from 2011-2012.
Please contact us with questions, comments, or suggestions regarding our work and consider supporting our efforts!
Some of the Ugalla primates, clockwise from top left: Yellow baboon (credit: C. Johnson), chimpanzee (credit: UPP/MPI EVA), greater galago (credit: J. Moore), red colobus (credit: F. Stewart), redtail monkey (credit: C. Johnson)
- Ugalla is characterised by extreme seasonal variation. Specifically, in the dry season, grass fires sweep the landscape, burning undergrowth across 75% of the region, the miombo trees lose their leaves, and most rivers dry. In the wet season, grasses can reach 8ft and those same rivers can be uncrossable.
Videos of the month, April 2013 (credit: UPP/MPI EVA):
We have long observed termite heads in Issa chimpanzee feces. Only recently have we identified from WHERE those heads originate! A clip from late in the wet season, April2013. See more on this research here
We also record: juveniles working on their tumbling…
Here, a leopard lounges on a termite mound:
For more on wildlife at Issa, see http://www.youtube.com/user/UgallaSokwe?feature=mhee
