The Herpetological Bulletin

AUTHORS: MATHIAS BEHANGANA, RAYMOND KATUMBA, ANKE BARAHUKWA, JIMMY MUHEEBWA, ACHILLES BYARUHANGA, PEARSON MCGOVERN, DANIELE DENDI & LUCA LUISELLI

ABSTRACT: Wetlands are one of the world’s fastest shrinking ecosystems, yet they are home to roughly 43% of all reptile and amphibian species. Sub-Saharan Africa has the fastest growing human population on the planet while also experiencing significant internal migrations of displaced peoples who settle in refugee camps. These camps are often in remote and previously undisturbed areas where interactions with wildlife are common. Reptiles and amphibians can be used to assess the health and resilience of habitats as a result of their sensitivity to environmental conditions. We sampled the herpetofauna of five wetlands located around two major refugee camps in Uganda using time-constrained visual encounter surveys during both nighttime and daytime. We provide baseline data on these wetland populations and compared them using alpha and beta diversity indices. These are the first data for refugee camp herpetofaunal communities, allowing for future comparisons of the effects of increased human pressure within these camps as well as the ability to better incorporate education and management to help conserve these wetlands and the species that inhabit them.