GULF OF GUINEA EXPEDITIONS

Dr. Robert C. Drewes

California Academy of Sciences of 31

GULF OF GUINEA EXPEDITIONS History, Scientific and Educational Goals

(1998, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)



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Table of Contents

THE ACADEMY ........................................................................................................................................ 4

THE GULF OF GUINEA ISLANDS PROJECT ...................................................................................... 4 Goals ...................................................................................................................................................................... 5

THE RESEARCH EXPEDITIONS .......................................................................................................... 6 1998: Bioko ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 São Tomé and Príncipe ................................................................................................................................... 6 2001: First Oceanic Island Expedition (GG I) .......................................................................................... 6 2006: Second Oceanic Island Expedition (GG II) .................................................................................. 7 2008-9: Third Oceanic Island Expedition (GG III) ................................................................................. 7 2010: Fourth Oceanic Island Expedition (GG IV) .................................................................................. 8 2011: Fifth Oceanic Island Expedition (GG V) ....................................................................................... 9 2012: Sixth Oceanic Island Expedition (GG VI) .................................................................................. 10

SCIENTIFIC RESULTS TO DATE ....................................................................................................... 11

ON-GOING INDIVIDUAL AND COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS ................................................... 15

GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT PARTICIPATION ....................................... 18

BIODIVERSITY AWARENESS EDUCATION PROGRAM ............................................................. 19 Community Outreach ................................................................................................................................... 19

GGV (2011) EDUCATION OUTREACH POSTER PROJECT ........................................................ 21 A Different Kind of Expedition .................................................................................................................. 22

GG VI (2012) ENDEMIC SPECIES COLORING BOOK PROJECT ............................................... 24 Fieldwork Goes Inside the Classrooms .................................................................................................. 25

CONTINUATION OF THE BIODIVERSITY EDUCATION PROGRAM ....................................... 28

GULF OF GUINEA BIODIVERSITY CENTER ................................................................................... 30 Functions of a Gulf of Guinea Biodiversity Center ............................................................................. 31



GULF OF GUINEA EXPEDITIONS CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

THE ACADEMY

The California Academy of Sciences is the oldest scientific institution in the western United States and holds in excess of 26 million scientific specimens from all over the world. These collections are available to scientists, worldwide. The Academy faculty is made up of 30+ PhD researchers, post-doctoral fellows and graduate students in nine departments: Ornithology and Mammalogy, Herpetology, Aquatic Biology, Ichthyology, Invertebrate Zoology and Geology, Microbiology, Anthropology, Entomology and Botany.

The Academy has a rich tradition of multidisciplinary field research that dates back over 100 years and has included fundamental work in the Galapagos Islands, Baja California, Mexico, Africa and Asia. Concurrent with the Gulf of Guinea work detailed below, there are multidisciplinary projects being carried out in Yunnan (China), The Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and Madagascar.

The educational, public and academic activities, scientific collections and history of the California Academy of Sciences may be viewed on www.calacademy.org.

THE GULF OF GUINEA ISLANDS PROJECT

The Academy of Sciences' involvement in the islands began with herpetologist Dr. Robert C. Drewes and his interest in the origins of the unique amphibian fauna of the oceanic islands. The first expedition in 1998 was to Bioko, the continental, northern-most member of the archipelago. The mission of the group of entomologists and herpetologists was to update the known biota and to establish that Bioko is, indeed, continental with a fauna and flora similar of mainland Africa. Since 2001, all of the multidisciplinary expeditions have focused on the oceanic islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, and each has been accomplished with the assistance of ECOFAC (EU conservation element), governmental ministries involved with the environment and island-based non-governmental organizations such as STeP-UP. Drewes met personally with the President of the Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, Fradique Menezes in 2005 and has received full support for this on-going project from the Regional President of Príncipe, Tosé Cassandra,with whom close ties are maintained. While scientists have known for some time that the fauna and flora of São Tomé and Príncipe are special, this knowledge is based on very old work largely done by three Portuguese explorers at the end of the 19th Century; moreover; much of the material supporting this early work was destroyed in 1978 in a fire at the natural history museum in Lisbon. Although the bird fauna is relatively well documented, and a Flora exists describing the major elements of the island botany which was written in 1944 plus an

http://www.calacademy.org/



annotated listing of the plant life of both islands dating from that time was updated in 2011, many other important groups have gone completely unstudied by scientists. To address these issues, only scientists and their students who represent poorly known elements of the island biodiversity have been invited to participate in these expeditions.

Goals

I. Discover, document and describe unknown elements of the unique biota of the oceanic islands of São Tomé and Príncipe.

II. Analyze the relationships of the members of this ancient fauna and flora with respect to related taxa on mainland Africa. (see publication #10, below)

III. Raise awareness of the truly unique nature of the Gulf of Guinea biota among the citizens of the Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe and of the world at large.

Our emphasis is on poorly studied groups, and our efforts so far have added significantly to the known biodiversity of the islands. We are fully cognizant of the changes that will come to the islands with the anticipated arrival of oil revenues and building of a deep-water port facility (São Tomé) and aware that what remains of the natural environment will likely be impacted negatively. We feel that the citizens of the Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, along with the rest of the world, must be made fully aware of the unique biological nature of their islands so that informed decisions on future development plans can be made. At the time of writing, the citizenry of the Republic is largely unaware of the unique biological nature of the islands.



THE RESEARCH EXPEDITIONS

1998: Bioko

A preliminary Gulf of Guinea expedition spanning seven weeks was mounted to explore the higher elevations of the island of Bioko, Equatorial Guinea. The field party included three herpetologists and two entomologists. Preliminary results confirm the continental nature of the fauna of Bioko; spider samples are still being analyzed, as are what

appear to be two undescribed frog species. It has become clear that Bioko is biogeographically entirely different from São Tomé and Principe, which are oceanic in nature. In fact, the Gulf of Guinea Islands represent the only island archipelago in the world that contains both continental and oceanic islands. The expedition was funded by CARPE and CAS Herpetology Department funds.

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São Tomé and Príncipe

To date (2012) thirty-two scientists and their graduate students and three photographers have participated in the Gulf of Guinea Expeditions to São Tomé and Príncipe; some individuals have joined multiple expeditions

2001: First Oceanic Island Expedition (GG I)

The first Academy expedition to São Tomé and Príncipe took place over a two-month period in 2001, and included work on both islands. It was funded by the Academy (G. Lindsay Field Research Fund) and included, at various times, 11 scientists and graduate students representing the fields of herpetology (reptiles and amphibians), ichthyology (fish), entomology (insects), botany (diatoms and algae), arachnology (spiders) and



mammalogy (bats). In addition to the fieldwork, excellent images of specimens produced by the Academy photographer and a short video of the expedition were made and displayed in the public area of our museum. This expedition was the largest in the Academy’s history at the time.

2006: Second Oceanic Island Expedition (GG II)

The second expedition to São Tomé and Príncipe was also two-months in duration and included 11 scientists and graduate students arriving at different times. Three herpetologists returned, an entomologist specializing in beetles, three marine scientists working on sea urchins and sand dollars, barnacles and corals, two ichthyologists, and a mycologist (fungi, mushrooms). Again, CAS photographer, Dong Lin, documented the expedition.

2008-9: Third Oceanic Island Expedition (GG III)

Thanks to logistics support from the Société de Conservation et Développement (Africa’s Eden) of Holland and generous support from private donors, the terrestrial scientists (Group A) of the third expedition were able to spend significant time on Príncipe, as well as continuing work on São Tomé; this team left the islands in May after a month of work. The first mushroom survey ever of Príncipe yielded at least 75 species. Most of the São Tomé mycological species lost in transit in 2006 were recollected. Analysis and description is on going, but at least 225 species of fungi will



soon be recorded from both islands, over 30% of which are new to science. The two botanists in Team A were able to visit the most remote SW slopes of Príncipe, which appear to be dominated by members of the Family Rubiaceae (coffee family). Particularly interesting were collections of the Acanthacae from both islands; chromosomes and DNA were extracted from this material, and duplicate specimens were deposited at the herbarium at Bom Sucesso Herbarium on São Tomé. Photo-documentation of work was done by Wesley Eckerman. Group B arrived in the islands early 2009. The group was made up of marine scientists: a coral specialist, two barnacle specialists, an expert on nudibranchs and two marine ichthyologists who spent most of their time on Príncipe.

2010: Fourth Oceanic Island Expedition (GG IV)

The fourth expedition spent one month between February and March, 2010 working on both islands, again supported logistically by SCD (Africa’s Eden) of Holland, SteP UP and private donations. James Shevock conducted the most comprehensive bryophyte survey of the islands to date, making over 700 collections of mosses and related plants, many of which were in new localities; Dr. Tom Daniel continued his botanical work on flowering plants of the Acanthaceae but also made substantial collections of ferns and other plants in areas not previously visited by Academy teams. Both botanists worked with the staff of the Herbarium at Bom Sucesso and left duplicate collections of material there. Academy education specialist, Roberta Ayres, MA, joined the group for two weeks. She and Dr. Bob Drewes held individual discussions on both islands with a large number of people on the possibility of creating a centralized biodiversity center for environmental information, training and education. Her findings on the state of biodiversity education in the public schools provided the basic information necessary to formulate an educational component for the Gulf of Guinea Project. Drewes also worked in the field on specific projects involving millipede species, shrews and amphibians.



2011: Fifth Oceanic Island Expedition (GG V)

The purpose of the fifth expedition was to take the first steps toward fostering biodiversity awareness on both islands by building upon what was learned during GG IV; GG V was an education mission and one of bridge building. Velma Schnoll of CAS spearheaded the final production of 200 laminated posters celebrating the endemic species of both islands, and during the three weeks of GG V these were distributed to over 50 primary and secondary schools, government offices, libraries, etc on both islands; even on the walls of the new airport building on Príncipe. The activities were fully documented by Andrew Stanbridge, and the team worked with N. Seligman, Roberta dos Santos and Quintino Quade of the local NGO STeP UP. Plans for further educational steps were discussed with teachers, governmental authorities, and foreign representatives on the islands.



2012: Sixth Oceanic Island Expedition (GG VI)

I GG VI was a six week long mix of science exploration and further biodiversity education efforts. Graduate student Miko Nadel conducted the first comprehensive lichen survey of the islands, while James Shevock continued his exploration of the bryophyte flora. Drs. Tomio Iwamoto and Brian Simison worked mostly in the littoral zone surveying marine fish commonly caught by locals and coastal invertebrates. Dr. Drewes and Rayna Bell of Cornell University examined in detail the phenomenon of hybridization between the two São Tomé Hyperolius treefrogs, and searched for the elusive, unknown larva of the Principe giant treefrog. Education specialists Velma Schnoll, Roberta Ayres and Bob Drewes distributed 1,840 coloring books that highlight the endemic species to 62 third grade classes in 17 schools on both islands. The expedition received greatly needed logistical support and lodging at Bom Bom Island on Príncipe and Omali Lodge on Sâo Tomé by HBD.

Funding: The first two São Tomé and Príncipe expeditions were largely supported by the Hagey Research Venture Fund and the G. Lindsay Field Research Fund of the California Academy of Sciences. The last four expeditions (GG III – GG VI) were funded by private donations to the CAS-Gulf of Guinea Fund.



SCIENTIFIC RESULTS TO DATE

A list of published scientific papers based wholly or in part on material from these expeditions is presented here. The list begins with an illustrated popular article describing the goals of the expedition, written after the expedition of 2001 (Drewes, 2002). Our publications routinely contain an abstract in Portuguese (the national language) and multiple copies of each are brought to the islands by hand and distributed to appropriate institutions and individuals

Publications based upon California Academy of Sciences Gulf of Guinea Expedition materials and research. *

Names of past field team members are in bold.

1. Drewes, R. C.* 2002. Islands at the Center of the World. California Wild 55: 8-19. (Popular article)

2. Drewes, R. C. and J. A. Wilkinson. 2004. The California Academy of Sciences Gulf of Guinea Expedition (2001) I. The taxonomic status of the genus Nesionixalus Perret, 1976 (Anura: Hyperoliidae), treefrogs of São Tomé and Príncipe, with comments on the genus, Hyperolius. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 55:395-407.

3. Drewes, R. C. and R. E. Stoelting. 2004. The California Academy of Sciences Gulf of Guinea Expedition (2001). II. Additions and corrections to our knowledge of the endemic amphibians of São Tomé and Príncipe. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 55:573-587.

4.. Kavanaugh, D. H. 2005. The California Academy of Sciences Gulf of Guinea Expedition (2001) III. A new species of the endemic genus Straneoa Basilewsky, 1953, fromSão Tomé (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae: Platynini). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 56:275-283.

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/drewes_popular_2002.pdf

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/drewes_wilkinson_55_20_lr.pdf

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/drewes_wilkinson_55_20_lr.pdf

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/drewes_stoelting_55_31__lr.pdf

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/drewes_stoelting_55_31__lr.pdf

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/kavanaugh_56_21lr.pdf

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/kavanaugh_56_21lr.pdf



5. Penny, N. D. 2005. The California Academy of Sciences Gulf of Guinea Expedition (2001). IV. The Neuroptera of São Tomé and Príncipe Islands. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 56: 285-293.

6. Pezold, F., T. Iwamoto and I. J. Harrison. 2006. The California Academy of Sciences Gulf of Guinea Expedition (2001). V. Multivariate analysis of sicydiines of São Tomé and Príncipe with redescription of Sicydium brevifile and S. bustamantei (Teleostei: Gobiidae) and a key to West African sicydiines. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 57:965-980.

7. Measey, J. G., M. Vences, R. C. Drewes, Y. Chiari, M. Melo and B. Bourles. 2007. Freshwater paths across the ocean: Molecular phylogeny of Ptychadena newtoni gives insights into amphibian colonization of oceanic islands. Journal of Biogeography: 34:7-20.

8. Wirtz, P, C. E. L.,Ferreira, S. R. Floeter, R., Fricke, J. L. Gasparini, T. Iwamoto, L. Rocha, C. L. S. Sampaio and U. K. Schleiwen. 2007. Coastal fishes of São Tomé and Príncipe islands, Gulf of Guinea (Eastern Atlantic Ocean)—an update. Zootaxa 1523:1-48.

9. Uyeda, J. C., R. C. Drewes, and B. M. Zimkus. 2007. The California Academy of Sciences Gulf of Guinea Expeditions (2001, 2006) VI. A new species of Phrynobatrachus from the Gulf of Guinea Islands and a reanalysis of Phrynobatrachus dispar and P. feae (Anura: Phrynobatrachidae). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 58: 367-385.

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/penny_56_22lr.pdf

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/penny_56_22lr.pdf

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/pezold_et_al_pcas_57_34_(dec06)_965_980lr.pdf

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/pezold_et_al_pcas_57_34_(dec06)_965_980lr.pdf

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/measey_et_al_freshwaterpaths_jbiog_2007.pdf

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/measey_et_al_freshwaterpaths_jbiog_2007.pdf

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/wirtz_et_al_2007_zootaxa.pdf

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/wirtz_et_al_2007_zootaxa.pdf

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/pcas_58(367_385)_(28sep07)_uyeda&drewes&zimkuslr.pdf

http://research.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/bdrewes/pdfs/pcas_58(367_385)_(28sep07)_uyeda&drewes&zimkuslr.pdf



10. Drewes, R. C. 2008. Biogeographic implications of intriguing relationship patterns of endemic amphibians of the Gulf of Guinea Islands (pp.231-234). In: Corti, C. (ed.). 2008. Herpetologia Sardiniae. Soc. Herp. Ital./ Edicioni Belvedere, Latina (8), 504p.

11. Wenk, R. C. and T. F. Daniel. 2009. Molecular phylogeny of Nelsonioideae (Acanthaceae) and phylogeography of Elytraria. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 5:53-68.

12. Desjardin, D. E. and B. A. Perry. 2009. A new species of Phallus from São Tomé, Africa. Mycologia 101:545-547.

13. Daniel, T. F. and E. Figueirdo 2009. The California Academy of Sciences Gulf of Guinea Expeditions (2001, 2006, 2009) VII The Acanthaceae of São Tomé and Príncipe. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 60:623-674.



14. Daniel, T.F. 2010. Sciaphila ledermannii (Triuridaceae), a biogeographically significant holosaprophyte newly reported from Príncipe in the Gulf of Guinea. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 61: 619-623.

15. Enroth, J. and J. R. Shevock 2011. Porotrichum saotomense sp. nov. (Neckeraceae) and other additions to the moss flora of São Tomé & Príncipe, Gulf of Guinea, West Africa. Tropical Bryology 33: 6-11

16. Müller, F, Tamás Pócs and J. R. Shevock. 2011 Additions to the liverwort and hornwort flora of São Tomé & Príncipe. Tropical Bryology 33:19-22.

17. Rocha, L. A., A. Brito and D. Ross Robertson. 2012 Sparisoma choati, a new species of Parrotfish (Labridae:Scarinae) from the tropical eastern Atlantic. Zootaxa 3152: 61-67. 18. Miller, E. C., A. B. Sellas and R. C. Drewes 2012.

A new species of Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Príncipe Island, Gulf of Guinea, West Africa with comments on the African-Atlantic clade of Hemidactylus geckos. African Journal of Herpetology 61:40-57.



ON-GOING INDIVIDUAL AND COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS

Much of our research is ongoing and will take some years to complete; some of the more exciting projects include the following (collaborators in bold):

1. Prior to the CAS 2001 there had been no studies of diatoms or algae on the islands. The collections made by Dr. Sarah Spaulding during GG I include many new taxa; in fact, the diatom fauna appears to be entirely different from what scientists would predict. Mariska Brady, a PhD candidate at the University of Texas, Austin will be working with Dr. Spaulding’s diatom collections and continuing diatom surveys in the Gulf of Guinea Ids.

2. The large spider collections made during GG I by Dr. Charles Griswold and Joel Ledford, a recent PhD recipient from UC Berkeley are proving an enormous task to study and will be the subject of some effort in coming years. Along with new taxa, there are also specimens hitherto known only from single individuals collected over 100 years ago.

3. Work by Ricka Stoelting (currently a PhD candidate at U. Wisconsin) confirming the identity of Schistometopum thomense (the caecilian, "Cobra bobo") as a true endemic and ancient disperser is being augmented and prepared for publication with Dr. John Measey of SANBI, South Africa.

4. Prior to our expeditions only four mushroom species had been described from São Tomé. During GG II and GG III in 2008, Drs Desjardin (San Francisco State University) and Brian Perry (University of Hawaii) made the first significant fungus collections on the islands and also the first study ever of the flora of Principe. To date, they have identified 225 species including the first list

from Príncipe (75). These collections contain 60-80 new species that are currently being analyzed . The first new mushroom from this collection was formally described in 2009.

5. Dr. Richard Mooi continues to work on the extremely rare Gulf of Guinea sand dollar and its relatives. He is attempting to extract DNA from one of the 2006 specimens.

6. Robert Van Syoc and Dana Carrison of San Francisco State University are working on two new cryptic species of barnacles discovered during the 2006 expedition. Both scientists returned for GG III in 2009 and sampled similar marine organisms in Príncipe.; they were joined by a nudibranch specialist and a specialist on marine eels.



7. Using samples and tissues of shrews from both São Tomé and Príncipe obtained during GG IV, we have shown that the species on São Tomé, Crocidura thomensis, is a valid endemic species that on Príncipe is still thought to have been introduced. The molecular work was done by Eden Maloney an undergraduate intern from UCLA and Dr. Brian Simison of CAS. Ricardo Lima of the University of Lancaster, is collaborating in the project with locality and ecological observations.

8. Having established that the house snakes of the two islands are genetically distinct from one another, Lisette Arellano (currently PhD candidate at U. Colorado) and Dr. Bob Drewes are comparing the two populations with mainland species, in collaboration with Dr. Zoltan Nagy of Royal Institute, Brussels and Dr. José Jesus of the University of Madeira. One or both of the populations may require formal description as new species.

9. James Shevock collected over 1300 samples of bryophytes (mosses and allies) during GG IV & GG VI. The following collaboraters are working of various parts of this large collection: Dr. Ronald A. Pursell (Penn State University-moss genus Fissidens), Dr. Frank Müller (Technische Universität Dresden, Institit für Botanik - thallose and selected leafy liverworts), Dr. Tamás Pócs ( Ady, Hungary-liverworts,esp. Lejeuneaceae ), Dr.

Johannes Enroth (University of Helsinki - Neckeralean mosses and Dr. Jaakko Hyvönen (University of Helsinki - mosses, Polytrichaceae ). Dr. Juan Carlos Villarreal, University of München – hornworts, and Dr. Phillip Sollman, the Netherlands (Pottiaceae) 10. Dr. José Jesus of the University of Madeira and his colleagues have shown that the leaf-litter skinks (Panaspis) of the two islands are genetically distinct. Dr. Bob Drewes and Lauren Scheinberg are collaborating on morphological examinations of GGI and GG II specimens in order to corroborate the DNA-based results and in the comparison with possibly related mainland forms. One or both of the populations may require formal description as new species.



11. Diplopods (millipedes) collected at different elevations on both islands during GG IV were preliminarily examined by Dr. Rowland Shelley of the North Carolina State Museum, and are now being studied by Dr. Didier Vandenspeigel of the Royal Museum of Central Africa, in Tervuren, Belgium. Early indications are that this group may represent a species swarm and that the genus Globanus to which they all belong may be unique to the two islands.

12. Various elements of our GG II and III marine fish collections are being studied by scientists from other institutions: Dr. Carole Baldwin, of the National Museum of Natural history is working on our specimens and tissues of Rypticus (soapfish) and Ophioblennius (blennies); Dr. Kent Carpenter of Old Dominion University and Dr. Bill Smith-Vaniz, of FLMNH are analyzing tissues and specimens of Caranx (jacks) collected in GG III, and Dr. Phil Heemstra of the South African Inst. for Aquatic Biodiversity is examining specimens of a new species of Serranus, also collected during GG III.

13. Alex Kim, a Harvard undergraduate, has been studying freshwater shrimp specimens collected during GG I and GG II and utilizing shrimp tissue collected by GG III in an ongoing molecular study of possible trans-oceanic dispersal in this group.

14. Dr. Tomio Iwamoto, veteran of GG I and II joined us on GG VI and is preparing the GUIDE TO THE COMMON FISHES OF SÃO TOMÉ & PRÍNCIPE. The guide will written for the local fishermen, market vendors, fisheries scientists, conservationists, and interested laymen, and as such will be in Portuguese. Common local names as well as scientific names will be used.



GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT PARTICIPATION We have been accompanied by graduate students and postdoctoral scientists on all but one of our expeditions. To date, each graduate student has completed his/her degree, and three of the seven are currently in doctoral programs.

The California Academy of Sciences hosts the Summer Systematics Institute, an NSF-funded mentorship program for undergraduates in systematic biology. To date, seven undergraduate interns have worked on Gulf of Guinea projects under the guidance of Dr. Bob Drewes: Lindsay Wilson, Dartmouth College (tree frogs); Ricka Stoelting (U.C Santa Cruz (caecilians), Josef Ueda, Willamette College (island puddle frogs); Katharine Marshall, Occidental College (oceanic tree frogs); Ana Lisette Arellano, University of California, Santa Barbara (island house snakes); Eden Maloney, University of California, Los Angeles (island shrews); Elizabeth Miller, University of California, San Diego (giant geckos), and one, Courtney Mattison, Skidmore College, (coral/barnacle relationships) under the guidance of Drs. Gary Williams and Bob Van Syoc. Four of the six are currently PhD candidates; Mattison is pursuing a combined graduate degree at Brown University.



BIODIVERSITY AWARENESS EDUCATION PROGRAM

Community Outreach

Since April, 2008, Drewes has maintained a monthly blog on our scientific activities in the Gulf of Guinea on an invitational site established by Dr. Richard Leaky of Kenya: Wildlifedirect.org. The blog is entitled: Island Biodiversity Race: http://islandbiodiversityrace.wildlifedirect.org/ In 2010, this blog was named among the top three biodiversity blogs in the world by the Pimm Group of Duke University. This

popular/educational account is duplicated on the California Academy of Sciences website under

the title: The Gulf of Guinea Expeditions: Academy Adventures in Island Evolution:

http://www.calacademy.org/medialibrary/blogs/gulfofguinea/

Dr. Drewes has presented at least 36 formal scientific and public lectures of the Gulf of Guinea Islands biodiversity since the beginning of the project at scientific meetings in the US, South Africa, and Europe.

Expedition members have appeared on in–country national television and radio on at least seven

occasions since 2001 and we have delivered five major public lectures on biodiversity on São

Tomé (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012) and one on biodiversity in Santo Antonio, Príncipe Island

(2010). Our Science Education specialist on GG IV, Ms Ayres, lectured to local schools on our

ideas for a Gulf of Guinea Biodiversity Center (see below).

http://islandbiodiversityrace.wildlifedirect.org/

http://www.calacademy.org/medialibrary/blogs/gulfofguinea/



Island Biodiversity presentation to students at the International High School. Sao Tome

Drewes’ team at the Teacher Training Institute

in São Tomê.

Meeting with biologists representing the

Brazilian Embassy.



GGV (2011) EDUCATION OUTREACH POSTER PROJECT

As part of a larger public awareness campaign we created a poster series along with an educational guide for teachers and are working with local radio stations to create novellas focused on preservation and conservation of STP (see GG V, above).

Nowhere else in the World!

Drewes and Velma Schnoll presenting a set of posters to President

Tosé Cassandra, Regional President of Principe.



A Different Kind of Expedition

GGV gave the team firsthand experience in the classrooms on Sao Tome and Principe. The posters were very well received and in virtually all cases the teachers asked our team for more species specific information. The style of teaching was observed and the severe lack of school supplies and teaching tools made it clear that continuing with our educational outreach is a vitally important component of meeting the Gulf of Guinea Expedition’s goal of raising awareness of the truly unique nature of the Gulf of Guinea biota among the citizens of São Tomê & Principe.

The school visits gave the expedition team critical insight into the appropriate level of instruction that would be best suited to the current curriculum in São Tomé and Príncipe. Their schools are not well funded and few have computers or an internet connection. These observations will be combined with those made by Ms. Ayres on GGIV so that future educational outreach projects will have a similar impact.

Continuation of the biodiversity education outreach project based on the research completed by Dr. Drewes and his colleagues at the California Academy of Sciences is fundable and critical to the establishment of The Gulf of Guinea Biodiversity Center in São Tomé and Principe..



The citizens of São Tomé and Principe deserve to know how special their islands are to the world. Our decision to begin this project at the local level with primary and secondary aged school children was made after Ms. Ayres (GGIV) had many conversations with educators on the islands and learned that the children teach their parents what they learn at school because many of the parents were not able to attend school. Based on the age structure taken from the 2011 CIA World Factbook below, we can see that we will be reaching almost half the population on the islands by teaching biodiversity awareness to young children.

0-14 years: 44.7% (male 40,777/female 39,386)

15-64 years: 52.2% (male 46,114/female 47,509)

65 years and over: 3.2% (male 2,634/female 3,086) (2011 est.)



GG VI (2012) ENDEMIC SPECIES COLORING BOOK PROJECT The plant and animal species featured in the biodiversity coloring books were based on the endemic species illustrated in the posters from the GGV expedition. A coloring book was chosen as the vehicle to introduce the plants and animals to the students at the third grade level because of the tactile process of coloring the pictures and the uneven levels of literacy. Each illustration was accompanied by a short informative description and several plants and animals were combined on each page where appropriate. The front and back inside covers of the book contained color photographs of each species illustrated. The coloring book was designed according to the third grade curriculum standards, which focused on the environment, plants and animals.

. Meetings with the ministry of education directors of primary schools on both islands led to introductions to the 3rd grade teachers and the principals at the schools in São Tomé and Príncipe. The number of coloring books we brought was limited by project funds. Only 2000 could be printed for the expedition so care was taken to choose schools distributed throughout the islands in order to reach as wide an audience as possible. Of the seven districts in Sao Tome, we visited five, and we went to every third grade class on Príncipe. Individual packages of colored pencils were purchased in São Tomé and were passed out with each coloring book.



Planning meeting with Director of Primary Schools, Sao Tome, Helena Costa

Fieldwork Goes Inside the Classrooms

The in-class presentations all followed a similar format: After checking in with the teachers or head masters at the schools we would be introduced to the third grade classrooms. The coloring books and pencils were passed out to each student individually. Roberta Ayres outlined who we were, why we were bringing them this coloring book, and presented an introduction to the coloring book in Portuguese to the students. This was followed by a page-by-page exploration of the book. Bob would join in near the end of the presentation to encourage the students to take pride in their islands and protect the special plants and animals by learning more about them and protecting their habitat. The students would engage with Roberta and Velma during a brief question and answer period with an often-lively discussion of what animals the students were familiar with. They would be encouraged to take the books home to share with their families and friends.



The Cobra Bobo (Schistometopum thomense) is well known on Sao Tome and feared by many due to an old myth that describes it as a dangerous creature to be killed or avoided at all costs. In an effort to demystify this harmless amphibian the Cobra Bobo was designated as the mascot of the expedition and a colorful patch designed by Mike Murakami and Dashiell Harwood was worn by all education participants during school presentations. The patches were limited in quantity so only a few were given out to each teacher with the suggestion that they be used as incentives for the students.



In addition to the in class presentations for third grade students given by Roberta Ayres, Velma Schnoll and Bob Drewes, Bob gave six biodiversity lectures to adult groups of government officials, college students, high school students, educators, and hotel/ecotourism professionals in both Sao Tome and Principe reaching over 180 people. He has provided photographs and guidance to the emerging ecotourism businesses that share in the vision of sustainable development in the islands; they have aided the group with logistical support in return.



CONTINUATION OF THE BIODIVERSITY EDUCATION PROGRAM The next steps of the education component of the Gulf of Guinea project will be based in part upon an evaluation that has been sent to the third grade teachers in São Tomé and Príncipe. While on the big island, a meeting at the newly established teachers’ training college resulted in an invitation from the director, Jorge Lopes Bom Jesus, for Roberta Ayres, Velma Schnoll and Bob Drewes to return to São Tome in 2013 to participate in a series of workshops focused on teaching methods and tools for environmental science, ecology, and conservation. In order to record the impact of the educational efforts of the Gulf of Guinea project a longitudinal study that follows the 2012 third graders who were given coloring books will be conducted as they advance through school beginning with the teacher evaluations that have already been distributed. Next year the educational outreach project will be based on the fourth grade curriculum and the following year on the fifth grade curriculum and so on until the students reach high school in 2018. This six-year study will serve to support and inform the Academy of the value of educational programs delivered in the places where natural history research is conducted. The impact of this project was brought to our attention during the last week of the expedition. Several teachers and parents of students who had received the coloring books commented that their students had been assigned homework to find plants and animals in their own backyards and write about what they found, and to draw or trace the plants and animals as an art class exercise. It was evident that the coloring books were having a multiplier effect within the classrooms and across grades and subjects including reading, writing, art, and critical thinking. The drawings below were completed by students in a fourth grade class whose teacher borrowed a coloring book from a third grade teacher for their art class period.

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The third goal of the Gulf of Guinea project is to raise awareness of the truly unique nature of the Gulf of Guinea biota among the citizens of the Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe and of the world at large. Building this awareness will not happen overnight. A coordinated, long term program that builds on itself year after year is the most effective way to achieve a lasting increase in knowledge and appreciation of the value of the natural environment. Continuation of the educational component of the Gulf of Guinea project will depend largely on the amount of funding available, but we believe the importance of what we have already accomplished is significant. Educational outreach combined with research activities has become the Academy’s imperative, and it is our hope to continue this good work.



GULF OF GUINEA BIODIVERSITY CENTER

Our biodiversity awareness efforts are of importance to the Republic of Sao Tome and Principe. Major changes to the island biota are already occurring; what remains of the natural environment of the two islands will likely be impacted negatively by the anticipated arrival of oil revenues, proposed construction of a deep-water port facility (São Tomé) and other development projects planned by national and international interests. We feel that the citizens of the Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, along with the rest of the world, should become fully aware of the unique biological nature of their islands so that informed decisions on future development plans can be made.

Left photo: Former hospital in Trindade: possible location for the GGBC

Center photo: Excited Students and teacher on Principe receiving poster for their school

Right photo: Pico Grande, Sao Tome



Functions of a Gulf of Guinea Biodiversity Center

The Gulf of Guinea Biodiversity Center will augment and support the educational efforts of the Academy of Sciences. The GGBC will also provide outreach to, communities and schools that do not have easy access to the center. Programs will emphasize conservation messages about the endemic flora and fauna and biodiversity awareness.

The chart above summarizes our long-term ideas for a centralized location for biodiversity efforts on the islands. It will serve three audiences: Scientific Community, Local Teachers and Students, and Tourists.

The center would provide room/board and workspace for scientists and graduate students doing research and fieldwork in STP. It will have a library, laboratory, auditorium space, and space for processing and storing a teaching collection. Scientist who use the center would be asked to give something back to the community by training local teachers and students, tourists and members of the community about the local fauna and flora and delicate ecosystem.

A portion of the center would be dedicated to public education including space for natural history exhibits and delivery of educational programs. The programs will offer after school science clubs and citizen science opportunities with the goal of igniting and supporting the pursuit of science in young people.

Tourists will be able to understand and support the local efforts to protect the islands’ natural beauty by attending the lectures that will be offered at the center, visiting the museum, participating in restoration projects on the islands, and hiring local guides to go on hikes and wildlife spotting walks.

Currently we are exploring several options. We have been offered a roça located in or near the city of Sao Tome that would require substantial remodeling and additions or we have several sites in mind for new construction. Criteria for choosing a site include close proximity to the town of São Tomé, higher elevation for better climate, popular tourist attractions nearby, and a moderate local population. The city of Trindade has been suggested as a location that fits all of the necessary criteria for new construction.

A similar satellite center would be developed on the island of Príncipe but tailored to that island’s unique, but similar flora and fauna.

Estimate to build new or remodel and operate both locations for 5 years: $2.5M

GULF OF GUINEA EXPEDITIONS

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