26 March 2026
In western Uganda, where chimpanzees encounter people daily in fields and along roads, a unique research initiative is unfolding at the interface of nature conservation and public health. A Czech team from the Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with Ugandan partners, Liberec Zoo, and Czech Development Cooperation, is examining how close contact between humans, chimpanzees, and domestic animals affects their microbial communities and the sharing of parasites. The project shows that effective conservation of endangered species today depends on integrating science, field-based conservation, and support for local communities.
In western Uganda, between the Budongo and Bugoma Central Forest Reserves, lies a rapidly changing landscape known as the Budongo–Bugoma Corridor. This human-dominated mosaic of farmland, villages, wetlands, and fragmented forest supports one of the most unusual and highly threatened chimpanzee populations in Africa. More than 300 eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii), classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, survive here almost entirely outside protected areas, in direct coexistence with people. Unlike chimpanzees living inside national parks, these animals travel daily through crop fields, nest near homes, cross roads, and share space with local communities. In Bulindi alone, more than 80% of forest cover was converted to farmland between 2006 and 2014. Today, both chimpanzees and people must navigate the consequences of rapid deforestation and agricultural expansion.
In January and February 2026, Dr Bethan Mason and Ugandan PhD student Daniel Sempebwa from the Institute of Vertebrate Biology at the Czech Academy of Sciences travelled to Hoima District, Uganda. In collaboration with the Bulindi Chimpanzee and Community Project (BCCP) and the Bugoma Primate Research Project, they studied bacteriophage communities in both chimpanzees and humans across the Budongo–Bugoma Corridor and Bugoma Central Forest Reserve. The fieldwork is part of a project by the Institute of Vertebrate Biology and the Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, funded by the Czech Science Foundation.
About the project
The project focuses on primate gut bacteriophages — viruses that infect bacteria and are vital in shaping microbial communities. The gut microbiome, made up of hundreds of bacterial species, fundamentally affects host physiology, immunity, and overall health. While our understanding of bacterial communities has expanded rapidly, our understanding of bacteriophages — the main predators of bacteria — remains limited.
“The project aims to map bacteriophage diversity in primates and humans across different ecological and anthropogenic contexts. In Uganda, we are particularly interested in how close contact between chimpanzees and people influences their bacteriophage communities,” explains Klára Petrželková from the Institute of Vertebrate Biology, a co-investigator of the project.
This research contributes not only to primate conservation but also to wider One Health issues related to shared microbial risks in human-influenced landscapes. In addition to bacteriophage studies, the team sampled livestock moving through chimpanzee habitats to explore potential parasite transfer between wild and domestic animals. As part of the project, basic veterinary care was provided to participating households to help reduce pathogen transmission to chimpanzees while supporting local livelihoods.
Monitoring chimpanzees and the role of Liberec Zoo
Long-term conservation in the corridor is overseen by the Bulindi Chimpanzee and Community Project (BCCP), which combines daily chimpanzee monitoring with locally rooted conservation solutions. The project observes six chimpanzee communities — roughly half of the regional population living outside protected areas. Besides gathering valuable data, the presence of trained field staff helps deter poaching, snaring, and illegal killings.
Although chimpanzees can adapt to highly modified landscapes, they often suffer injuries from snares, respiratory diseases likely linked to close contact with humans, and sometimes even killings. These populations serve as a globally important model for understanding whether and how great apes can survive in increasingly human-dominated ecosystems,” says Matthew McLennan, Director of BCCP.
Liberec Zoo has become a partner in chimpanzee monitoring within BCCP, directly supporting the protection of this unique population living outside protected areas close to humans. The partnership links field conservation with the zoos’ role in education and species protection.
“Farmers here face crop losses caused by chimpanzees, which sometimes lead to the use of traps and snares that can seriously injure animals. At the same time, there are situations where people themselves are at risk, including aggressive encounters and attacks on children. This is why it is essential to find solutions that protect both chimpanzees and local communities,” says Adéla Hemelíková from Liberec Zoo.
Chickens or chimpanzees: how alternative livelihoods can reduce conflict
In 2025, BCCP expanded its support for alternative livelihoods in villages near chimpanzee habitats through a Czech Development Cooperation small-scale project funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. The initiative introduced poultry farming as an alternative source of income aimed at reducing reliance on crops that often lead to human–chimpanzee conflict.
Participating households received materials for constructing chicken coops, veterinary support, training in poultry husbandry, and ongoing technical assistance. By diversifying income sources, the project aims to reduce economic vulnerability, ease pressure on remaining forest fragments, and mitigate conflicts between people and wildlife.
“Through a small-scale development project, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic supported alternative livelihoods for communities living near chimpanzee habitats, in line with conservation research. This is an excellent example of science diplomacy in practice. Czech science and expertise have contributed not only to biodiversity research but also to the socio-economic development of local communities,” said Nicol Adamcová, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Kenya, accredited to Uganda.
Czech activities in western Uganda show that effective conservation requires combining research, long-term field monitoring, and support for local communities. The collaboration between the Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Ugandan partner projects, Liberec Zoo, and Czech Development Cooperation serves as a model of responsible international partnership, blending advanced science with tangible benefits for biodiversity conservation and local livelihoods.
“This approach reflects a long-term commitment to biodiversity protection and local development, and shows how Czech institutions can meaningfully contribute to addressing global conservation challenges,” concludes Klára Petrželková.
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