Tutin C E G, Fernandez M
Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Gabon and University of Stirling, Scotland.
Am J Primatol. 1984;6(4):313-336. doi: 10.1002/ajp.1350060403.
A census was made of gorilla and chimpanzee populations throughout Gabon between December 1980 and February 1983. The aim of the census was to estimate the total numbers of both species and describe their distributions. The method was based on nest counts from line transects which allowed the calculation of population densities of all individuals except suckling infants. Fifteen types of habitat were recognized and defined in terms of their structural features. In the initial phase of the study we did transects in each habitat-type and computed mean densities for each species in each habitat-type. In the second phase of the study we estimated the sizes of gorilla and chimpanzee populations throughout the country by extrapolation from these population density values. We did transects in all areas of the country and conducted interviews to check the accuracy of the population totals obtained by extrapolation. Corrections were made to the extrapolated totals to take into account different levels of hunting pressure and other human activities found to modify ape population densities. Total populations of 34,764 gorillas and 64,173 chimpanzees were estimated. An error of ± 20% was associated with the estimated population totals, which allows the conclusion that Gabon contains 35,000 ± 7,000 gorillas and 64,000 ± 13,000 chimpanzees. The figure for gorillas is much larger than previous estimates. This seems to be because (1) gorillas occur in almost all types of forest and are not restricted to man-made secondary forest as had been though; and (2) the geographical distribution of gorillas in Gabon is wider than previously believed. Gabon's large areas of undisturbed primary forest offer exceptional potential for conservation, not only of gorillas and chimpanzees, but also of the intact tropical rain forest ecosystems which they inhabit.
1980年12月至1983年2月期间，对加蓬境内的大猩猩和黑猩猩种群进行了一次普查。此次普查的目的是估算这两个物种的总数，并描述它们的分布情况。普查方法基于沿样线统计巢穴数量，通过这种方法可以计算出除哺乳期幼崽外所有个体的种群密度。根据结构特征识别并定义了15种栖息地类型。在研究的初始阶段，我们在每种栖息地类型中设置了样线，并计算了每种栖息地类型中每个物种的平均密度。在研究的第二阶段，我们根据这些种群密度值进行外推，估算了全国范围内大猩猩和黑猩猩的种群数量。我们在该国所有地区设置了样线，并进行访谈以核实通过外推得出的种群总数的准确性。考虑到不同程度的狩猎压力以及其他发现会改变猿类种群密度的人类活动，我们对推算出的总数进行了修正。估计大猩猩的总数为34,764只，黑猩猩为64,173只。估计的种群总数存在±20%的误差，由此可以得出结论，加蓬有35,000 ± 7,000只大猩猩和64,000 ± 13,000只黑猩猩。大猩猩的数量比之前的估计要多得多。这似乎是因为：（1）大猩猩几乎出现在所有类型的森林中，并不像之前认为的那样仅限于人工次生林；（2）加蓬境内大猩猩的地理分布比之前认为的更广。加蓬大面积未受干扰的原始森林不仅为大猩猩和黑猩猩的保护，也为它们所栖息的完整热带雨林生态系统的保护提供了绝佳的潜力。
