Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 170516224

Assessing habitat and microclimate disturbance on herpetofauna living in Kenya's coastal canopies: a search for rare canopy species.

The objectives of this project are: 1) Survey for the presence of Hemidactylus modestus, across habitat types and from edge to interior and survey for our secondary target species: Gastropholis prasina. 2) If possible, estimate distribution, abundance and density of these species within the forest. 3) In so doing, better our understanding of these species’ status and provide updated information to the IUCN Red List. 4) By surveying vertically into the trees, we will also determine how extensively they utilize the canopy habitat of the forest. 5) Conduct an initial assessment of edge effects impacting the distribution of the entire hepertofauna canopy community. 6) Survey the vertical distribution of these arboreal animals across the three distinct forest types in Arabuko Sokoke Forest. Because arboreal animals can move vertically, adjusting the microhabitat they occupy, it is likely that these species move vertically between micro-habitats, thereby increasing their resilience and habitat range in the face of climate-altering disturbances (such as forest fragmentation and global climate change). Our surveys will show how target species and other herpetofauna encountered distribute across microclimate gradients in response to differing and altered habitats.