Volume 5 Pages 1 -
83 (March 1990)
Citation: Lejeune, A. & Frank, V. (1990) Distribution
of Lutra maculicollis in Rwanda: Ecological constraints IUCN Otter Spec.
Group Bull. 5: 8- 16
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Distribution of Lutra maculicollis in Rwanda:
Ecological constraints
A. Lejeune and V. Frank
B.P. 1303 Kigali (Rwanda)
Abstract: The study of 10 rwandese lakes, where
there are still quite important populations of Lutra maculicollis,
has pointed out a few characteristics of the habitat favorable to the
survival of these populations. The ecological constraints for the survival
of these populations are: the abundance of small fishes, the continuity of
the lake side vegetation, the absence of crocodiles and pollution by
pesticides, and the low level of predation by man.
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INTRODUCTION
Three species of otters still live in Rwanda : Lutra maculicollis (LICHTENSTEIN),
Aonyx capensis (SCHINZ) and Aonyx congica. The most abundant is the small
spotted necked otter which is named INZIBYI. Contrarily to the Cape Clawless
otter (IGIHURA) mainly observed in the marshes, the spotted necked otter lives
exclusively in the open waters of the rwandese lakes, where it mainly preys on
fish.
With the exception of lake Kivu flowing into the Zaire basin, the twenty
small rwandese lakes (from 600 ha to 10.000 ha) are part of the Nile basin
through the Nyabarongo and Akagera rivers (see MAP 1.).
These numerous lakes harbour more or less abundant populations of spotted necked
otters.
These variations of abundance depend on various ecological factors which we
will try to point out by a comparative study of ten of these lakes.
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Map 1: Lakes of Rwanda
(Click for larger scale version)
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METHODS
As a hydrobiological study of 8 rwandese lakes was undertaken by the
"Bureau National d'Etude des Projets" (BUNEP,
1989) in view of the development of their fisheries, we have observed the
presence and. the abundance of otters in each of these lakes.
Previously, from 1980 to 1986, an important study of lake Ihema. in the
Akagera National Park, was carried out by FRANK & al.(
1984), PLISNIER & al. (1988) while we were
observing the mammals on the lake sides (LEJEUNE, 1986).
Next an ecological study of lake Muhazi was carried out from 1985 to 1987 by
the project "Etude et Amenagement Piscicole du Lac Muhazi" (EAPLM) (FRANK
et al, 1986).
Finally a study of the Nyabarongo and Akagera marshes realized by SOGREAH
(1989), gives some indications on the presence of Lutra maculicollis
in these valleys.
The study of these 10 lakes are based on identical methods and are perfectly
comparable:
- The transparency is measured by the Secchi disc method.
- The proportions of the different species of fishes are obtained by
analysing the results of a standard program of experimental gillnet fishing
: 4 nights for each season (4), coastal and pelagic, near the surface or
near the bottom of the lake. The battery of monofilament gillnets is
composed by 10 sheets of 50 m2 with mesh sizes varying from 8 mm
to 60 mm bar.
- The lake side vegetation is described by a botanist NVUKIYUMWAMI,
as part of the BUNEP study.
- The density of human populations are estimated according to 4 zones:
- the North zone (Bulera, Luhondo - see MAP 1)
- the lake Muhazi zone
- the South-East zone (Sake, Bilira, Mugesera)
- the East zone (Mpanga, Nasho, Cyambwe)
Lake Ihema is situated inside the Akagera National Park, theoretically without
any human population. In fact a few dozen of Banyambo fishermen live in the
Akagera marshes on the border between Rwanda and Tanzania and more or less
fifty rwandese fishermen work for the Ihema fishery (ORTPN).
- For each lake the presence and the abundance of otters have been estimated
by direct observations (for example for the lakes Muhazi, Luhondo, Sake) or
by indirect observations ( damage of otters to experimental gillnets and
enquiries from the local people). The damages of the otters in the
experimental nets are easily identified (LEJEUNE,
1989 a): the fishes caught in the gillnets are only partly eaten. These
damages are very different of those of crocodiles which swallow the entire
fish and tear completely the net.
RESULTS
The otter densities have only been estimated for lake Muhazi where they have
been studied for 2 years. Their overall number is situated between 200 and 400
for a lake of 3400 ha bordered by 145 km of shores. The density is about 20
otters for 10 km of shore (14 to 30 otters/10 km). The population of lake Muhazi
is thus specially abundant compared with the estimations of ERLINGE
(1967) in Sweden (3.6 to 5.6 Lutra lutra / !0km of lake shore) and VAN
DER ZEE (1982) in South Africa (4 to 7 Aonyx capensis / 10 km of
coast line).
In all the other rwandese lakes, the otters are less abundant. Observations
are made regularly on lake Luhondo, Mugesera, Sake (personal observations and
depredation of experimental fishing nets), occasionally on lake Bulera, Birira,
Mpanga, Nasho and Cyambwe (no personal observations but presence confirmed by
fishermen and local population) and exceptionally on lake Ihema (2 observations
in 5 years and no depredation of nets).
Some characteristics of these 10 lakes are presented in TABLE
1.
Table
1. Characteristics of 10 Rwandese lakes |
Lake |
Altitude
m |
Depth
(max)
m
(mean) |
Transparency
cm |
Fishes
Haplochromis
%W,N, TW (kg)1 |
Lakeside
Vegetation2 |
Human
Population
inh/km2) |
Crocodiles |
Otters |
1 |
Bulera |
1862 |
173
(100) |
120< |
W |
47% |
P.
maur (2m)
exploited |
378 |
0 |
++ |
N |
97% |
TW |
62 |
2 |
Luhondo |
1764 |
68
(40) |
74-120 |
W |
83% |
P.
maur
T. lat
exploited |
378 |
0 |
+++ |
N |
99% |
TW |
209 |
3 |
Muhazi |
1443 |
12
(6) |
65-70 |
W |
78% |
P.
maur (5m)
T. lat, M. vio.
C. pap. |
230 |
0 |
++++ |
N |
99% |
TW |
189 |
4 |
Mugasera |
1350 |
4
(4) |
30-50 |
W |
64% |
C.
pap. (4m<)
E. pyr. |
260 |
++ |
+++ |
N |
96% |
TW |
231 |
5 |
Bilira |
1350 |
6.5
(6) |
39-49 |
W |
13% |
E.
pyr.(3m)
P.rec. |
260 |
++ |
++ |
N |
60% |
TW |
9 |
6 |
Sake |
1350 |
4.3
(4) |
40-78 |
W |
41% |
C.
pap. (40m<)
E. pyr. |
260 |
++ |
+++ |
N |
71% |
TW |
127 |
7 |
Rwampanga |
1250 |
7
(5) |
64-90 |
W |
23% |
Forest
gallery |
90 |
+++ |
++ |
N |
58% |
TW |
194 |
8 |
Cyambwe |
1290 |
6.7
(4) |
35-70 |
W |
33% |
Forest
gallery |
90 |
+++ |
++ |
N |
72% |
TW |
199 |
9 |
Nasho |
1290 |
6.3
(3) |
48-65 |
W |
41% |
C.
pap. (1m)
+ P. rec., E. pyr. |
90 |
++ |
++ |
N |
91% |
TW |
153 |
10 |
Ihema |
1290 |
7
(4.8) |
55-60 |
W |
28% |
A.
ela |
<5 |
+++ |
+ |
N |
58% |
TW |
148 |
1 |
W = Weight; N = Number; TW = Total Weight (16 nights
fishing) |
2 |
P. maur |
Phragmites mauritianus |
|
T.lat |
Typha latifolius |
|
C. pap. |
Cyperus papyrus |
|
E. pyr. |
Echinochlos pyramidalis |
|
P. rec. |
Phoenix reclinata |
|
A. ela. |
Aeschinomene elaphroxylon |
Density |
(1985) Rwanda mean = 240 inh/km2 |
Abundance |
0 |
Absence |
+ |
Very Rare |
++ |
Rare |
+++ |
Abundant |
++++ |
Very Abundant |
We shall try and point out the main factors influencing the high density of
otters in lake Muhazi :
- The altitude of lake Muhazi (1443 m) is "mean" compared with the
other rwandese lakes (1290 to 1862 m).
- The depth is rather shallow (5 to 12 m) compared with the great depths of
the Northern lakes, although lake Muhazi is deeper than the lakes of the
Akagera valley.
- The transparency of the water does not seem to be a key factor as the
water of the lake Muhazi, very rich in phytoplankton, is turbid (mean
transparency : 65-70 cm). The Northern lakes which have clear waters only
support very few otters.
- On the other hand the relative abundance of Haplochromis sp, most
preferred prey of Lutra maculicollis (LEJEUNE, in press) should play
a most important role. These small cichlids, underexploited by the local
fishermen, make up for 75% of the ichtyomassa of lakes Muhazi and Luhonda.
During 16 nights of experimental fishing, we have captured respectively 189
kg, 209 kg, 231 kg and 172 kg in the lakes Muhazi, Luhondo, Mugesera and
Sake against only 62 kg and 9 kg for the lakes Bulera and Bilira. The
Akagera lakes are also very rich in small cichlids but other ecological
factors seem to limit the otter density: lakeside vegetation and crocodiles.
- The vegetation of the lake side seems to be an essential factor. The
otter spends at least 16 hours out of 24 in this vegetation, for cover and
reproduction (LEJEUNE, 1989 b). The shores
of lake Muhazi are fringed with a thick row (2 to 7m) of Phragmites
mauritianus. At the end of the lake arms, marshes of Cyperus
papyrus, Typha latifolia, Miscanthidium violaceum replace
the fringe of Phragmites.
On the otter hand, the banks of the Northern lakes are bare following the
overexploitation of the Phragmites by the peasants for constructions,
fences, ... The Phragmites are sold at 1.5 to 2 RwF/piece (85
RwF = 1 US $). The vegetation of the Eastern lakes is very different:
the marshes of Cyperus papyrus alternate with meadows of Echinochloa
pyramidalis or with forest galleries of Phoenix reclinata and Aeschinomene
elaphroxylon.
6) The impact of the human population on the density of otters is quite
relative as the lake Muhazi basin bears a density of 230 inhabitants/km2,
for only 5 inhabitants/km2 around lake Ihema.
Man becomes a limiting factor if his activities harms the otters: clearing
of shores, overexploitation of the fishes chased by the otters, hunting of
otters for their pelts... Until 1973, the spotted necked otter was
intensively hunted in Rwanda; more or less one thousand pelts were bought
yearly at 300 RwF/piece by a private tannery in Gisenyi (DEWALQUE, pers.
com.). Since 15 years the trade of otter pelts is forbidden in Rwanda and
they are only rarely seen in the tanneries. The traditional hunting of
otters (on a canoe with a spear) has been replaced by the hunting of small
predators such as civets and genets. This type of hunting, using dogs causes
the death of a few dozens of otters each year around lake Muhazi.
- The presence of crocodiles (Crocodilus niloticus} could also be a
limiting factor for the otter population. If the small crocodiles eat mainly
insects, the greater specimens prey on fishes and mammals. It is very
probable that the otters, sharing the same habitat, are often predated by
crocodiles. In the Nyabarongo and Akagera valleys (Eastern lakes) crocodiles
are still quite abundant. On the other hand, they are totally absent from
lakes Muhazi, Bulera and Luhondo.
DISCUSSION
They are only very few informations on the dispersion of Lutra maculicollis
in Africa (ROWE-ROWE, 1989) and the characteristics of
their habitats.
ROWE-ROWE (1977, 1985)
comparing 2 species of otters (Lutra maculicollis and Aonyx capensis)
in South Africa concludes that L. maculicollis chases by sight and needs
transparent waters, unpolluted and rich in small fishes, crabs and frogs.
The pollution of rivers by agriculture and industry would be the first cause for
the disappearance of spotted necked otters (STUART, 1985).
The abundance of otters in the turbid waters of some of the rwandese lakes
seems to counter this hypothesis. It is necessary to distinguish here
turbid waters with a low transparency from polluted waters. The low
transparency of the rwandese lakes is caused by an abundant phytoplankton and
suspended organic matters, but is not the result of any industrial or
agricultural pollution, still absent in Rwanda.
This pollution as described in South Africa on the Orange River (STUART,
1985) might be responsible for the decline of otters in this region but - in our
opinion - not because the water has become less transparent but rather because
of the decline of fish stocks or the concentration of pesticides in the tissues
of the otters at the top of the alimentary chain (ROWE-ROWE,
1989).
The development of the gillnet fishery in Africa does not seem to be a
limiting factor as it was supposed by STUART (1985) or MONFORT
(1985). At lake Muhazi, where the gillnet fishery is very intensive, the
numerous otters are only very rarely caught in these nets (one observation in 5
years). Furthermore otters have learnt very well to take profit of this type of
fishing by eating part of the fishes caught by this static gear (LEJEUNE.
1989 a). The presence of man is not either directly a limiting factor for
the otters in Rwanda as these are very rare in the Akagera National Park, a
region protected of human influence and very abundant in lake Muhazi situated in
a very highly populated area.
On the other hand, the abundance of fishes of small size (genus Haplochromis}
is an essential factor. Small fishes are in fact easier preys than big ones (ROWE-ROWE,
1977; LEJEUNE, in press).
Even if they eat big fishes (Clarias gariepinus and Tilapia
nilotica) coming from gillnets, the main part of their diet is composed of
fishes under 15 cm total length. These little fishes must be available in very
great quantities so as to compensate the small biomass of each prey (mean weight
= 3.9g). It only takes two dives for the otter to capture one prey (LEJEUNE,
1989 b).
Finally, an important fringe of vegetation all along the shoreline of the
lake gives a good cover necessary to the rest and the breeding of the otters.
The draining of marshes for new farmlands, the harnessing of rivers and streams
(for roads, for electricity generating,...) and the overexploitation of the lake
side vegetation are as many threats for the important populations of Lutra
maculicollis in Central Africa.
CONCLUSION
The abundance of small fishes in the lakes, the unbroken vegetal cover along
the shores, the absence of crocodiles and also certainly the ban on the trading
of pelts are the main factors for sustaining or even increasing the populations
of spotted necked otters in Rwanda.
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