5.

East African Potto

Perodicticus ibeanus

French: Potto est-africain / German: Ostafrika-Potto / Spanish: Poto oriental

Other common names: Eastern Potto

Taxonomy. Perodicticus ibeanus Thomas, 1910,

Kenya, Kakamega Forest.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. E DR Congo, E & S of the Ubangi River and N & E of the Congo River, extending E of the Lualaba River to NW Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda, and to the Kakamega and Nandi forests in SW Kenya.

Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢.35 cm, tail c¢.5 cm; weight 1.1-2 kg. The East African Potto is intermediate in size compared with the other two recognized species of pottos. It is a relatively small-toothed form. The fur is especially thick and woolly, and hands and feet are dark brown. Dorsal pelage is blackish.

Habitat. Swamp, lowland, and mid-altitude montane rainforest from 600 m above sea level. In Kakamega Forest in south-western Kenya, the East African Potto is found in the canopy at 6-15 m off the ground, and it rarely descends to the forest floor.

Food and Feeding. Little is known about its foraging habits of the East African Potto, but it probably eats animal prey, fruit, and gum. It has been observed to snatch animal prey with two hands and to engage in typical nose-down searching for small insects on branches.

Breeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but infants have been seen throughout the year.

Activity patterns. The East African Potto is nocturnal, arboreal, and capable of rapid locomotion. It does not readily enter live traps and despite an attempt to study it for several months in Kakamega Forest, it remained elusive. Whistle calls that probably are used for territorial spacing were heard during the study.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no specific information available for this species, but most East African Pottos are seen alone.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Least Concern on The [UCN Red List (as P. potto ibeanus). The East African Potto is relatively adaptable to human pressure and is widespread and common. Its populations are not threatened rangewide, and it occurs in at least eight protected areas: Kahuzi-Biéga National Park and Tayna Gorilla Reserve in DR Congo; Kakamega Nature Reserve and Mount Elgon National Park in Kenya; Volcans National Park in Rwanda; and Bwindi Impenetrable, Kibale, and Queen Elizabeth national parks in Uganda.

Bibliography. Bearder et al. (2003), Cowgill (1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1972), Cowgill & Zeman (1980), Cowgill et al. (1989), Groves (2001), Kingdon (1971), Schwarz (1931b), Suckling et al. (1969), Walker (1968a, 1968b, 1969, 1970).