(Müller, 1766 )

(Eng) Potto

(Fre) Potto de Bosman

Five subspecies have been proposed (Meester & Setzer, 1971; Kingdon, 1997).

Not listed.

Charles-Dominique (1971, 1977, 1979) investigated the main aspects of the ecology of the species at Makoku (Gabon); the author reports information on the species’ habitat, feeding habits, and behaviour. A study on the effects of forest exploitation on the species’ density was carried out in the Kibale Forest by Weisenseel et al. (1993). Data on the species’ occurrence are available for Gabon (Blom et al., 1992), eastern former Zaire (Rahm & Christiaensen, 1966), and Ghana (Booth, 1979); most of the authors mentioned also give some information on the species’ ecology, particularly its habitat. Its presence on Mount Nimba (Liberia) is described in Coe (1975); the author thoroughly analyses the area surveyed, supplying some information on the habitat in which the species is found. General information on the ecology of the species is found in Bourlière (1985), Eisenberg et al. (1979), Estes (1991), Kingdon (1971-77, 1997) and Stuart & Stuart (1997). Status, distribution, and threats are discussed in Oates (1996).

Known extent of occurrence

The potto’s range extends from Senegal to western Kenya and southwards to incude former Zaire and northern Angola (Wilson & Reeder, 1993). Since detailed and updated distribution maps were not available in recent literature, Fig. 2.1.3.a was obtained by overlapping three maps of similar reliability (Charles-Dominique, 1977; Haltenorth & Diller, 1980; Kingdon, 1971-77) and testing the resulting range with the most recent source (Kingdon, 1997).

The species occurs in forest and along forest margins in lowland or lower montane areas; it is also found in forest outliers in savanna areas (Kingdon, 1971-77, 1997; Bourlière, 1985; Booth, 1979; Haltenorth & Diller, 1980).

Based on these environmental preferences, the following scores were assigned (Fig. 2.1.3.b) (Tab. 2.1.3.a):

The output of the probabilistic-continuous (PC) distribution model is shown in Fig. 2.1.3.c.

The known EO stretches from Senegal to Kenya and northern Angola including most of the forests of central Africa. About a third of the EO is classified as unsuitable by the CD model and the largest areas are found along the northern limit of the range in west Africa, in Kenya and along the eastern limit of the range in former Zaire. The Index of Accordance of 71.59% shows good agreement between expected and observed occurrence, and this is particularly true considering the high degree of fragmentation of the AO in Uganda which is one of the two sample areas in which the species was found during field work (the other being Cameroon). The PC model confirms the quality of these last areas. The suitable areas appear to be almost continuous throughout the range (LPI = 74.5%) and the continuity of the total AO is complete when the moderately suitable areas are also taken into account. However, the high AWMSI indicates that these areas and the total AO have a very irregular shape, forming an intricate mosaic with the unsuitable areas: the external edges of the forest areas in the east are mainly responsible for this pattern but so are many of the internal areas in the western section of the EO. The species is not listed as threatened. Only 4.5% of the AO is included in existing protected areas.