Population Size and Conservation Strategies for Rose-Ringed Parakeet in Maroua, Northern Cameroon | InformativeBD

Ghislain Noé Kougoum Piebeng, from the institute of  Cameroon,  Madi Namissa , from the institute of  Cameroon. Simon Awafor Tamungang , from the institute of  Cameroon. Daksala Wansang , from the institute of  Cameroon.  Leonce Syntcha Djakam, from the institute of  Cameroon . Sandra Ateufack Nguekeng, from the institute of  Cameroon and Alexis Teguia, from the institute of  Cameroon. wrote a research article about, Population Size and Conservation Strategies for Rose-Ringed Parakeet in Maroua, Northern Cameroon. entitled, Population size and conservation management of the rose-ringed parakeet (Alexandrinus krameri) in the town of Maroua, far north Cameroon. This research paper published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES).  an open access scholarly research journal on Biodiversity. under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences | INNSpub. an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher. 

Abstract

The present study was carried out in the town of Maroua, Far North Region of Cameroon with the main objective of contributing to the knowledge of the population status of the Rose-ringed Parakeet (RRP) with a view to its sustainable management. The Rose-ringed Parakeet (RRP) inventory was carried out using the linear strip transect method. The counts were made from 27 July to 20 September 2023 for the rainy season and from 15 November 2023 to 2 February 2024, all between 6 a.m.-9:30 a.m. for the morning and 4 p.m.-6 p.m. for the evening on all sites. The information collected in the field was processed and analysed using Distance 6.0, PAST 4.03 and QGIS.3.22 software. It appears from this analysis that the population of RRP is estimated at 47,391 individuals in the study site with an average density of 20.6 individuals per hectare. In the rainy season, the surface density was estimated at 12,488 individuals/ha for a total of 28,723 individuals while in the dry season, the density was 7.1815 individuals/ha for a total of 16,517 individuals. Depending on the type of habitat, the abundance of parakeets was higher in mixed zones composed of housing and plantations compared to other habitats. RRP are found everywhere in the territory of the city of Maroua. Modelling the spatial distribution using the IDW interpolation method using QGIS software shows that RRP in general and in the rainy season are more abundant in the Maroua 1 subdivision, and this distribution was dependent on the availability of food resources. Les principales activités humaines rencontrés sont le pâturage et l’exploitation forestière. The main human activities encountered were pasture and logging. Although RRPs are still encountered in large numbers in Maroua, conservation should be done as a priority in the districts of Maroua 1 and Maroua 3.

Read more: Innovative Approaches to Atherosclerosis Treatment: Nanomedicine and Herbal Remedies | InformativeBD

Introduction

Birds represent the animal group most used for environmental monitoring, ahead of large mammals (Ricard et al., 2017). They play a role in crop protection by controlling populations of harmful insects. They enable the development of tourist activities through their various forms (Kouzi, 2012). Birds are a source not only of aesthetic pleasure, sound and color to our existence, but also a source of economic growth, providing income and motivation for conservation through ecotourism (Jaquemet, 2010). They also provide a wide variety of ecosystem services. Rose-ringed parakeets (RRP), for their part, are involved in the pollination of plants and can disperse seeds over long distances through their excrement (Blanco et al., 2018). The potentially ubiquitous ecological role of the parakeet may contribute to the resilience of ecosystems against overgrazing and forest degradation, particularly through their dependence on declining basal tree species (Ellison et al., 2005). 

The RRP, despite its ecological and socioeconomic importance, is one of the most successful invasive birds in the world (Menchetti and Mori, 2014; Le Gros et al., 2016), with exotic populations established in more than 35 countries (Menchetti et al., 2016). The rose-ringed parakeet often occurs around human habitation (Grandi et al. 2018; Mentil et al. 2018). It is a social species and is native to parts of eastern and southern Asia and from eastern to central Africa (Parr and Juniper, 2010). Humans have been responsible for translocating this species across the globe as part of the pet trade, and many are purchased for companionship (Menchetti et al., 2016; Vall-llosera et al., 2017). The RRP with its shrill cry is a granivore-frugivore which exploits both local and exotic species (buds, fruits, seeds). It is also considered a major pest in India, its native area, where it attacks fruit and cereal trees (Clergeau et al., 2015). It nests very early in tree cavities and seems to compete in certain regions with other cavity-dwelling species such as the Nuthatch, Sitta europaea (Strubbe and Matthysen, 2009). Studies also show potential impacts on Stock Doves, Columba oenas or bats (Hernandez-Brito et al., 2014) or on the feeding of small passerines (Peck et al., 2014) and during the breeding period, it displays aggressive behaviour towards other birds that fly around its nests (Clergeau et al., 2015).

Several works have already been carried out on the RRP all over the world and in Africa. In this context, we will cite for example the study on the introduction and nesting of the RRP in Algeria (Amina et al., 2005), and the study on the establishment of the RRP Psittacula krameri (syn: Alexandrinus parakeet) in Algeria and first data on its trophic ecology in this region (Bendjoudi et al., 2005). On the other hand, in Cameroon, no previous study has been carried out on RRP. This work was initiated with the overall objective of contributing to knowledge of the state of the RRP population with a view to its sustainable management in the city of Maroua. Specifically, it is: estimate the abundance and density of the Roseringed parakeet in the town of Maroua, map the spatial distribution of RRP; identify and assess the impact of different threats on this bird species.

Reference

Amina F, Moulaî R, Jacob JP. 2005. Introduction et nidification de la Perruche à collier (Psittacula krameri) en Algérie. Aves 42 (3), 257-262.

Bendjoudi D, Voisin JF, Doumandji S, Baziz B. 2005. Installation de la Perruche à collier Psittacula krameri dans l’Algérois et premières données sur son    écologie trophique dans cette région. Alauda 73, 329-334.

BirdLife International. 2018. Etat des populations d’Oiseaux dans le monde : prenons le pouls de la planète. Cambridge, UK : BirdLife International.

Blanco G, Hiraldo F, Tella JL. 2018. Ecological functions of parrots: an integrative perspective from plant life cycle to ecosystem functioning. Emu 118, 36–49.

Buckland ST, Anderson DR, Burnham KP, Laake JL. 2003. Distance sampling: estimating abundance of biological populations. Oxford University press, Inc., New York.

Clergeau P, Vergnes A, Delanoue R. 2008. La Perruche à collier Psittacula krameri introduite en Île-de-France : distribution et régime alimentaire. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle.

Clergeau P, Vergnes A, Delanoue R. 2009. La perruche à collier Psittacula krameri introduite en Ile-de-France : distribution et régime alimentaire. Alauda 77 (2), 121-132.

Clergeau P, Leroy O, Lenancker P. 2015. Dynamique de population de la perruche à collier Psittacula krameri introduite en Île-de-France. Alauda 83 (3), 165-174.

Earnst S, Holmes A. 2012. Bird-habitat relationships in interior Columbia Basin shrubsteppe. Condor 114 (1), 15-29. DOI: 10.1525/cond.2012.100176

Ellison AM, Bank MS, Clinton BD, Colburn EA, Elliott K, Ford CR. 2005. Loss of foundation species: consequences for the structure and dynamics of forested ecosystems. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 3, 479–486.

Grandi G, Menchetti M, Mori E. 2018. Vertical segregation by breeding ring-necked parakeets Psittacula krameri in northern Italy. Urban Ecosystem 21, 1011–1017. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-018-0779-1

Hernández-Brito D, Carrete M, Popa-Lisseanu AG, Ibañez C, Tella JL. 2014. Crowding in the city: losing and winning competitors of an invasive bird. PLoS One 9, e100593.

Jaquemet S. 2010. Rôle des Oiseaux marins tropicaux dans les réseaux trophiques hauturiers du sud et de l’océan Indien. Océan, Atmosphère. Université de la Réunion, Français.305P.

Kougoum, PGN, Tamungang SA, Téguia A. 2017. Breeding biology of African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus) in Kom National Park (South-Cameroon) and implications to the species conservations. International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences 11(5), 1948-1966. https://doi.org/10.4314/ijbcs.v11i5.2

Kouzi P. 2012. Etat de connaissances bibliographiques de l’avifaune de Kisangani et ses environs (province Orientale, République démocratique du Congo). Mémoire master 2. Université de Kisangani.37Pp.

Le Gros A, Samadi S, Zuccon D, Cornette R, Braun MP, Senar JC, Clergeau P. 2016. Rapid morphological changes, admixture and invasive success in populations of ring- necked parakeets (Psittacula krameri) established in Europe. Biological Invasions 18, 1581-1598.

Madi OP, Sali B, Woin N. 2012. Utilisations et importance socio-économiques du Moringa oleifera au Maroua, Cameroun. Journal of Applied Biosciences 60, 4421– 4432.

Menchetti M, Mori E. 2014. Worldwide impact of alien parrots (Aves Psittaciformes) on native biodiversity and environment: a review. Ethology Ecology and Evolution 26, 172–194.

Mentil L, Battisti C, Carpaneto GM. 2018. The impact of Psittacula krameri (Scopoli, 1769) on orchards: First quantitative evidence for Southern Europe. Belgian Journal of Zoology 148(2). https://doi.org/10.26496/bjz.2018.22

Menchetti M, Mori E, Angelici FM. 2016. Effects of the recent world invasion by ring-necked parakeets Psittacula krameri. In: Angelici F (ed) Problematic Wildlife. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22246-2_12

Mousa SD. 1994. Impact de la commercialisation de certaines espèces d’oiseaux au Sénégal. ORSTOM. 39p

Oumarou Y, Dapsia DJ, Ndih AC, Fameni TS, Haïwa G, Mohamadou A. 2022. Effets des fientes de volailles, du tourteau de neem [Azadirachta indica (A. Juss)] et du compost à base de bouse de bovin sur la croissance et le rendement du cotonnier (Gossypium hirsutum L.) et les propriétés phisico-chimiques du sol dans la localité de Zokok-Laddéo de la région de l’Extrême-Nord au Cameroun. Afrique Science 21(4), 138-149.

Parr M, Juniper T. 2010. Parrots: A guide to parrots of the world. Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

Peck HL. 2013. Investigating ecological impacts of the non-native population of Rose-ringed parakeets (Psittacula krameri) in the UK. PhD thesis, 212p.

Peck HL, Pringle HE, Marshall HH, Owens IP, Lord AM. 2014. Experimental evidence of impacts of an invasive parakeet on foraging behavior of native birds. Behavioral Ecology 25, 582–590.

Ricard J, Garcin A, Jay L, Mandrin J. 2017. Les Vertébrés, Biodiversité et regulation des ravageurs en arboriculture fruitiere. Centre technique interprofessionnel des fruits et légumes CtiffBalandran 30127 (France).33p.

Shiels AB, Kalodimos NP. 2019. Biology and impacts of Pacific Island invasive species. 15. Psittacula krameri, the Rose-Ringed Parakeet (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae). Pacific Science 73, 421–449.

Strubbe D, Matthysen E. 2009. Experimental evidence for nest-site competition between invasive Ring-necked Parakeets Psittacula krameri and native Nuthatches Sitta europaea. Biological Conservation 142, 1588-1594.

Vall-llosera M, Woolnough AP, Anderson D, Cassey P. 2017. Improved surveillance for early detection of a potential invasive species: the alien rose-ringed parakeet Psittacula krameri in Australia. Biological Invasions 19, 1273–1284. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-016-1332-x

Vangeluwe D. 2014. Rapport des activités et des résultats réalisés en 2014. Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Centre de baguage.

Weiserbs A. 2010. Invasive species: The case of Belgian Psittacidae. Impacts, risks assessment and range of control measures. Aves 47(1), 21-35.

Source : Population size and conservation management of the rose-ringed parakeet (Alexandrinus krameri) inthe town of Maroua, far north Cameroon