Arctocebus calabarensis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	PRIMATES	LORISIDAE

Scientific Name:

Arctocebus calabarensis

Species Authority:

(J.A. Smith, 1860)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Calabar Angwantibo, Angwantibo, Golden Potto
French	–	Arctocèbe, Potto De Calabar
Spanish	–	Poto Dorado

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Oates, J.F. & Bearder, S.

Evaluator/s:

Mittermeier, R.A. & Rylands, A.B. (Primate Red List Authority)

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern in view of its tolerance of some degree of habitat modification and since it persists quite well in secondary degraded forest. However, in eastern Nigeria, there is some hunting pressure which if continues unabated may place this species in a higher category of threat.

History:

1996	–	Lower Risk/near threatened (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)
1994	–	Vulnerable (Groombridge 1994)
1990	–	Insufficiently Known (IUCN 1990)
1988	–	Insufficiently Known (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988)
1988	–	Insufficiently Known (Lee et al. 1988)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is found in western Equatorial Africa, with a very patchy and localised distribution within the lowland rainforest block between the Niger River and the Sanaga River in Nigeria and Cameroon.
Countries:	Native: Cameroon; Nigeria
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	A cryptic species that is thought to be locally abundant within its patchy distribution. Originally, they were particularly adapted to clearings in the forest and towards the forest edge.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Confined to areas of very dense, low undergrowth with abundant lianas and vines within the understorey of primary, secondary, and coastal rainforest. This species particularly favours the growth that springs up in clearings, trees falls, and along forest edges. Wherever it is already established, small-scale clearances, selective tree-felling, and road-making probably favour this species. In such areas it is likely to become abundant in thickets and patches of dense secondary growth. It feeds mainly on caterpillars (which are found by smell), and also on beetles and fruits. This species is able to produce two young in a year.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Confined to areas of very dense, low undergrowth with abundant lianas and vines within the understorey of primary, secondary, and coastal rainforest. This species particularly favours the growth that springs up in clearings, trees falls, and along forest edges. Wherever it is already established, small-scale clearances, selective tree-felling, and road-making probably favour this species. In such areas it is likely to become abundant in thickets and patches of dense secondary growth. It feeds mainly on caterpillars (which are found by smell), and also on beetles and fruits. This species is able to produce two young in a year.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Major threats are habitat destruction from forestry and clearance for cultivation, as well as some hunting for meat in Nigeria. This species will not be affected by low-level habitat disturbance, since it is able to inhabit secondary forests as long as dense undergrowth remains and inter-tree distance are not too great. However, broader clearances (e.g. those made for plantations, clear-felling, and agriculture) are likely to eliminate it because of its weak capacity to disperse.

Major Threat(s):

Major threats are habitat destruction from forestry and clearance for cultivation, as well as some hunting for meat in Nigeria. This species will not be affected by low-level habitat disturbance, since it is able to inhabit secondary forests as long as dense undergrowth remains and inter-tree distance are not too great. However, broader clearances (e.g. those made for plantations, clear-felling, and agriculture) are likely to eliminate it because of its weak capacity to disperse.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species is listed as Class B under the African Convention, and under Appendix II of CITES. It is known to occur in Cross River National Park (Nigeria) and Korup National Park (Cameroon). It probably occurs in a few others in the area, although its presence is not confirmed. Further surveys are needed to determine its true conservation status.

Conservation Actions:

This species is listed as Class B under the African Convention, and under Appendix II of CITES. It is known to occur in Cross River National Park (Nigeria) and Korup National Park (Cameroon). It probably occurs in a few others in the area, although its presence is not confirmed. Further surveys are needed to determine its true conservation status.

Citation:	Oates, J.F. & Bearder, S. 2008. Arctocebus calabarensis. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 January 2009.
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