National Specialist to undertake activities related to Red-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix nemaeus) & Indochinese silver leaf monkey (Trachypithecus germaini) Monitoring, Savannakhet, Lao PDR

Consultant Environment

Contract

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Background

The UNDP-GEF Sustainable Forest and Land Management in the Dry Dipterocarp Forest Ecosystems of Southern Lao PDR Project (SAFE Ecosystems Project) aims to support the government of Lao PDR to facilitate a transformative shift towards sustainable land and forest management in the forested landscape of Savannakhet Province. This sustainable management will help to secure critical wildlife habitats, conserve biodiversity and maintain a continuous flow of multiple services such as the provision of quality water and flood prevention. The project will be implemented over a period of six-years from May 2016 to May 2022 by the Department of Forestry (DOF) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The Dry Dipterocarp Forest (DDF) ecosystems located in Savannakhet Province are recognized for being globally important as habitat for a number of globally significant and threatened species, and nationally important for their provision of numerous ecosystem services that benefit the people of Lao PDR. In recent decades, DDF ecosystems and the species within them have come under increasing threat from large-scale conversion of forest, degradation of forest ecosystem services, and species loss. Recognizing their global and national importance, the Government of Lao PDR (GoL) has prioritized the conservation and sustainable management of the Dry Dipterocarp Forests landscape of Savannakhet province. As a measure of the GoL’s commitment to the DDF landscape, it has selected this area to be the site of the newest National Protected Area in the country, and as a demonstration site for testing the implementation of new national policies and processes related to Strategic Environmental Assessment, Integrated Spatial Planning, and High Conservation Value Forests. The GoL has also identified this landscape as suitable for the development and implementation of innovative financing mechanisms for sustainable forest management and protected area management, as well as community participation in protected areas management, ecotourism programs, and livelihoods programs linked to conservation outcomes through formal Conservation Agreement mechanisms. This SAFE Ecosystems Project will seek to strengthen land and resource use planning capacities and procedures, and the policies and regulations that govern them, while simultaneously expanding and strengthening the management of resources on the ground by government agencies, local communities and private sector actors. Furthermore, the project is developing innovative financing mechanisms and programs (including ecotourism and livelihoods programs) that can ensure the sustainability of improved land use and resource management approaches. Monitoring Systems in place to measure changes in key ecological determinants of ecosystem health in dry dipterocarp forests The project will establish baseline values for indicators of ecosystem health in Dry Dipterocarp Forests and establish systems / processes to measure changes in these indicators as well as to monitor the nature and severity of threats to the relevant ecological processes / components. With regard to forest ecosystem ability to sustain biodiversity, the project will establish baselines and monitor the following globally significant species within the project landscape: the Endangered Eld’s Deer (Panolia eldii); the Near Threatened Silvered Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus germaini); the Endangered Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus); the Endangered Red-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix nemaeus); and the Critically Endangered Siamese Crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis). With regards to the aforementioned species, the proposed project will not implement specific species conservation plans. Instead, the intent is to monitor their populations in order to measure the positive impacts on these species from expanded and strengthened protected areas, the designation of HCVFs, improved and sustainable forest management and land use planning, etc.

Duties and Responsibilities

A qualified National Specialist is required to (i) conduct Red-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix nemaeus) & Indochinese silver leaf monkey (Trachypithecus germaini) surveys in Dong Sakee Forest of Savannakhet Province based upon the monitoring protocol recommendations made by Lao Wildlife Conservation Association in 2018.

For this assignment, the SAFE Ecosystems Project is seeking a National Specialist to work in close consultation with the UNDP Lao PDR Country Office and relevant agencies of the Government of Lao PDR (PAFO, 5 DAFOs and DICT of Savannakhet).

Under supervision of the UNDP Head of Natural Resources Management and Climate Change Unit and the SAFE Ecosystems Project – Project Manager, the National Specialist will be required to undertake the following duties: Implementation of “Line transect-based simple counts” surveys for Red-shanked douc langur & Indochinese silver leaf monkeys using the proposed 2018 Data Collection Protocols developed by Lao Wildlife Conservation Association. Survey Site: • The Dong Sakee Sacred or Reserve Forest is, a small 375 ha patch of semi-evergreen forest nested within the Dongphouvieng NPA, around 1 km from Ban Vongsikeo. • Both target primate species are extremely cryptic in nature. o These characteristics severely limit the range of monitoring methods which could be employed at the site. o Distance sampling requires a minimum of 20 independent samplers (i.e. line transects), and it would be difficult to avoid double-counting in such a small area. o Furthermore, it is almost certain that animals on the transect line would be missed in this environment, which constitutes a fundamental violation of underlying model assumptions. Sampling Design: • A set of transect lines is to be laid out across the entire area, consisting of 26 lines running North to South. • The length of lines varies from 600 to 1,200m they are spaced 100m apart, in the expectation that observer teams can detect animals within a distance of approximately 50m from the line. • Transects should be established using a compass and GPS units before the survey, with some minimal cutting of vegetation to allow teams to walk along the line. • Transects should be clearly marked at 5-10m intervals using paint or brightly coloured flagging tape. This will allow teams to focus on searching for animals rather than the transect. • After marking transects, a minimal interval of two weeks should be allowed to elapse before conducting surveys in order for scent to dissipate. Transects are surveyed as close together in time as possible, with the objective being to capture a ‘snapshot’ of the entire area. • This requires as many teams as possible to survey simultaneously. • However, all transects should be surveyed at least once in the morning and once again in the evening to maximize the probability of detecting all animals. • Surveys should be conducted in the wet season, when animals are expected to be concentrated in this area. • As detection probability can be influenced by many factors, every effort should be made to standardize survey effort across occasions (e.g. survey the same transects, at the same time of day/year, using the same observers if possible.). Data Collection Protocols: • Teams of two observers (one data recorder and one village guide) should walked in parallel starting at first light, around 6.00am and again in the afternoon around 3.30pm, when animals are thought to be most active. • Teams should walk as quietly as possible, refraining from talking and smoking, and searching carefully for target species. • Observers should record all primates observed, but not birds or other small animals. Rare or unusual observations can be noted separately. • When groups or individuals of target species are encountered, observers should use standardized datasheets to record: o Species; Number of individuals; GPS location of observer; Bearing of line (using a compass); Bearing of animal; Distance to animals (using tape measure or laser rangefinder); Behaviour (e.g. hiding, fleeing) and flight direction (e.g. N, S, E, W: in notes column). Data Analyses: • Data are processed and entered into a GIS Program. • Data are then visually assessed to determine which observations constitute independent sightings and which may be double-counts of the same group or individual. • This is done by comparing the location of the animals, the time of the observation and the direction of flight if relevant. Where location and times are similar, plus number of animals in a group or flight direction if relevant, then sighting are amalgamated into one. • A precautionary approach should be taken which ensures animal numbers are underestimated rather than over-estimated (i.e. if in doubt do not treat as independent observations). • The number of individual and groups should then be summed as presented as a minimum estimate of relative abundance.

Competencies

• Proven high level of knowledge and experience of Biodiversity Survey methods and GIS. • Proven experience working with Lao PDR government counterparts and local communities is an advantage. • Proven excellent communication and consultation skills to liaise with a range of stakeholders including district and provincial authorities and local communities, as well as the ability and experience to conduct training. • Ability to lead and work with teams and to achieve quality outputs under tight timelines. • Good working knowledge of written and spoken English and Lao • Ability and willingness to travel within Lao PDR. • Knowledge of UNDP and the UN system is an advantage.

Required Skills and Experience

• The National Specialist must have at least 7 years working experience in Conservation Biology, Biodiversity Survey Methods, Primatology, natural resource management or relevant fields • Must hold a Master’s degree related to Conservation Biology, Biodiversity Survey Methods, Primatology, natural resource management or relevant fields. A candidate with a Bachelor’s degree in the above fields with 10 years’ experience in leu of a higher degree may be considered. • Must have previous experience conducting primate surveys. • Previous experience surveying Red-shanked douc langurs & Indochinese silver leaf monkeys is highly desirable.

Recommended Presentation of Offer

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualification:

1. Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex III
2. Personal CV or P11 Form, indicating all experience from similar projects as well as personal information including age.
3. Financial proposal be quoted in LAK or US Dollar. However, the actual payment will be made in local currency LAK based on the monthly UN Exchange rate on the paying date.

Instructions for on-line submissions

Step 1: Please prepare all required documents electronically;

Step 2: Combine all documents in ONE SINGLE FILE (preferably in PDF, but Word format can be also accepted) and upload it to the UNDP Jobs links

Step 3: After that you will receive an auto reply from the UNDP jobs if your offer is received successfully.

Relevant Documents for Individual Contract

IC contract template & IC General Terms and Conditions _ Annex II

Female candidates and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

For more information, please visit our website under the link below

https://www.la.undp.org/content/lao_pdr/en/home/jobs.html

TOR Annex 1:

Biological Monitoring Strategy for Red-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix nemaeus) & Indochinese silver leaf monkey (Trachypithecus germaini)

Situational Analysis

Indochinese leaf monkey is a widespread but rare species throughout most of its range, and is thought to be declining significantly (Nadler et al. 2003). In Laos it is probably localized and though anecdotally it seems that it was formerly common in a small number of areas, there are very few up-to-date data on its current status. What is clear is that no large continuous area is known to support high populations (Duckworth et al. 1999). The Lao population of red-shanked doucs is large and more stable than in neighbouring Vietnam. The species is, nevertheless, believed to be rapidly declining. It is found in undisturbed primary and secondary evergreen and semi-evergreen broadleaf forests (Lippold 1989) and also associated with forests on limestone (karst).

Both Trachypithecus germaini and Pygathrix nemaeusare are classed as Endangered but population monitoring of either species has not happened in Laos, despite it being the global stronghold for red-shanked doucs (Timmins and Duckworth 1999). The threats to both species are similar and include hunting, mainly for subsistence use, traditional medicine and the pet trade. Habitat loss is increasingly a threat, primarily due to agricultural expansion.

Monitoring arboreal, highly mobile and cryptic species is challenging in the extreme, but both T. germainia and P. nigripes have been included as target species in long term monitoring programs based on distance sampling on line transects (O’Kelly et al., 2012). P. nemaeusare has also been surveyed in Lao using rigourous methods (Coudrat, 2013), but this baseline survey in Nakai Nam Theun NPA has not been not repeated.

Method Selection

The options and recommendations presented here represent a balance between the need to adhere to “best practice” standards in terms of science-based monitoring, whilst also ensuring the approaches developed are feasible to implement both within and beyond the duration of the Project. The key criteria used to inform method selection are as follows:

• The methods must be possible to implement in the specific conditions that characterize the Project sites (in terms of terrain, access, and other logistical constraints);
• The methods must be appropriate for use with low density (artificially depressed) wildlife populations;
• The methods must generate reliable data with which to monitor trends over time (i.e. they must be statistically rigorous and have the power to reliably detect change);
• The methods must provide information that can be used to assess whether the Project is meeting its specific conservation goals and objectives;
• The methods must take account of the existing and likely future levels of technical capacity at each of the Project sites;
• The methods must be cost-effective.

Method

Scale

Metric

Unit

Technical Inputs

Manpower Inputs

Cost Inputs

Scientific Rigor

Line transect-based simple counts

Entire Reserve

Complete count or RAI (uncorrected for imperfect detection)

No. observations of animals on transects

Low

Medium

Low

Low

Line transect-based occupancy surveys

Entire Reserve

Proportion of area occupied

Presence of any animal (signs or observations)

Low

High

Low

Low

Line transect-based distance sampling

Entire Reserve

Absolute abundance & density

No. observations of animals on transects

High

Medium

Low

High

Recommendations & Rationale

The Dong Sakee site is a small site and both target primate species are extremely cryptic in nature (see Appendix A). These characteristics severely limit the range of monitoring methods which could be employed at the site. Distance sampling requires a minimum of 20 independent samplers (i.e. line transects), and it would be difficult to avoid double-counting in such a small area. Furthermore, it is almost certain that animals on the transect line would be missed in this environment, which constitutes a fundamental violation of underlying model assumptions (Buckland et al., 2010). Likewise, with an occupancy type approach, multiple independent spatial replicates would be required, and it seems unlikely that double-counting could be avoided. In the past, transects previous surveys were conducted by attempting to make ‘complete counts’ across the site. This involved multiple teams surveying along multiple transects simultaneously. Although it is inevitable that some animals are missed, and others are double-counted, counts obtained can represent a tentative index of population size. It is important to note that this method cannot be considered a true census and neither does allow for any estimate of detection probability, thus the estimates produced are relative rather than absolute. Nevertheless, this is probably the only method available which can be feasibly implemented at this site, and the results can be used for monitoring if interpreted with caution. If management and protection efforts are successful, animals will become less wary in the future and alternative survey methods may be considered.

Monitoring Protocols

Survey Site

Dong Phou Vieng NPA, covering approximately 197,000 ha, was officially established in 1995, and the Dong Sakee Sacred or Reserve Forest is, a small 375 ha patch of semi-evergreen forest nested within the NPA, around 1 km from Ban Vongsikeo. Dong Sakee is believed to be the site of a mythical village, and as it is considered sacred by surrounding communities, meaning they have great respect for it and refrain from carrying out destructive practices within the area (Coudrat, 2011; Vongkhamheng, 2013). Dong Sakee consists of mostly semi-evergreen forest, within a wider landscape of predominantly dry dipterocarp and mixed deciduous forest. There are no permanent water sources within Dong Sakee and although the area holds resident populations of both Silver Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus garmaini) and Red-shanked Douc Langur (Pygathrix nemaeus), these animals may disperse across the wider landscape at certain times of the year (Vongkhamheng, 2014).

Sampling Design

A set of transect lines is laid out across the entire area, consisting of 26 lines running North to South (Figure 2). The length of lines varies from 600 to 1,200m they are spaced 100m apart, in the expectation that observer teams can detect animals within a distance of approximately 50m from the line. Transects should be established using a compass and GPS units before the survey, with some minimal cutting of vegetation to allow teams to walk along the line. Transects should be clearly marked at 5-10m intervals using paint or brightly colored flagging tape. This will allow teams to focus on searching for animals rather than the transect. After marking transects, a minimal interval of two weeks should be allowed to elapse before conducting surveys in order for scent to dissipate. Transects are surveyed as close together in time as possible, with the objective being to capture a ‘snapshot’ of the entire area. This requires as many teams as possible to survey simultaneously. However, all transects should be surveyed at least once in the morning and once again in the evening to maximize the probability of detecting all animals. Surveys should be conducted in the wet season, when animals are expected to be concentrated in this area (Vongkhamheng, 2014). As detection probability can be influenced by many factors, every effort should be made to standardize survey effort across occasions (e.g. survey the same transects, at the same time of day/year, using the same observers if possible.).

Data Collection Protocols

• Teams of two observers (one data recorder and one village guide) should walked in parallel starting at first light, around 6.00am and again in the afternoon around 3.30pm, when animals are thought to be most active.
• Teams should walk as quietly as possible, refraining from talking and smoking, and searching carefully for target species.
• Observers should record all primates observed, but not birds or other small animals. Rare or unusual observations can be noted separately.
• When groups or individuals of target species are encountered, observers should use standardized datasheets to record:
  • Species
  • Number of individuals
  • GPS location of observer
  • Bearing of line (using a compass)
  • Bearing of animal
  • Distance to animals (using tape measure or laser rangefinder)
  • Behavior (e.g. hiding, fleeing) and flight direction (e.g. N, S, E, W: in notes column)

Data Analyses

Data are processed and entered into a GIS Program. Data are then visually assessed to determine which observations constitute independent sightings and which may be double-counts of the same group or individual. This is done by comparing the location of the animals, the time of the observation and the direction of flight if relevant. Where location and times are similar, plus number of animals in a group or flight direction if relevant, then sighting are amalgamated into one. A precautionary approach should be taken which ensures animal numbers are underestimated rather than over-estimated (i.e. if in doubt do not treat as independent observations). The number of individual and groups should then be summed as presented as a minimum estimate of relative abundance.

Further Technical Recommendations

Training Needs and Technical Oversight

The data collections protocols outline above are simple to follow and GoL personnel assisted by local guides should have no difficulty carrying out the survey. It may be useful to recruit university students to increase the number of teams available. A moderate level of input on coordination of the will be required prior to the annual survey (the transect marking process, when marking and surveying will happen, who will participate etc.) and during (team assignment, team management during the survey etc.). However, data analysis will require the proficiency in the use of GIS software and some experience of data management, processing and analysis. The analysis technique is not complex, but some additional training maybe required for a data technician/technical office once real survey data are collected. Once results are obtained, they will need to be interpreted within a management context and presented in report form, complete with a detailed discussion section and a set of recommendations for moving forward. Additional technical support may be required to produce such a report.

Research, Monitoring and Management

It is still unclear to what extent populations in the Dong Sakee Forest use the wider area, and which portions they might use. It is also unclear if and where other primate populations may still be present within the wider NPA. Further research could help to determine this and may also open up opportunities for additional survey methods over an extended area (for example, distance sampling for a range of species).

Figure 2 – A set of transect lines is laid out across the entire area of Dongsakee secret forest

(More detail information is on the TOR)

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Added 3 years ago - Updated 3 years ago - Source: jobs.undp.org