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Abstract: This study aimed to investigate community perceptions of the economic impact of ecotourism in Cameroon. Using a mixed-method research approach, based on two case study areas (the Mount Cameroon National Park and the Douala Edéa Wildlife Reserve), community surveys were administered to 442 households. In addition, in-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with relevant key informants. Key findings suggest that, while respondents generally agreed that ecotourism has many positive economic benefits, such benefits are often concentrated at government level, or contained within privately owned businesses. The lack of benefit sharing can be attributed to the low level of involvement of locals in the sector, unsuitable management practices that promote neither inclusiveness, nor the nomination of locals as economic beneficiaries of the sector, and an absence of dedicated ecotourism policy to guide the overall development and management of the sector. The study recommends that policies and strategies that encourage local economic development from ecotourism be established in the country, to ensure that the appropriate structures are put in place for the equitable distribution of the economic benefits to locals. © 2020. AJHTL /Author(s) | Open Access – Online @ www.ajhtl.com. All Rights Reserved.
Source title: African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure
DOI: 10.46222/ajhtl.19770720-62
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85099927697&doi=10.46222%2fajhtl.19770720-62&partnerID=40&md5=269870f09529e680c0d36ce1817c04ad
Correspondence Address: Harilal, V.; School of Tourism & Hospitality, South Africa; email: vyahsah@uj.ac.za
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Mont Cameroun ; Douala Edéa
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Perceptions / Behaviors ; Tourism ; Income-generating activities ; Governance / Policy ; Periphery / Management

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Abstract: Monitoring trends in the occurrence of species over time is important for informing conservation plans and concurrent management actions. Understanding the effectiveness of field methodologies for collecting accurate and precise data is crucial for optimizing allocation of sampling effort and resources. In this study, we compared mammalian species richness and detection probabilities between three field methodologies: line transects, ground camera traps and arboreal camera traps in Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda. Arboreal camera traps may be suitable for monitoring mammal communities with arboreal species, but their relative effectiveness compared to the more common field methods, line transects and ground camera traps, is relatively unknown. Using single-season occupancy models with multi-species data and single-species multi-method occupancy models, we estimated mammalian species richness and detection probability for each method and combination of methods. In addition, we estimated single-species occupancy and detection probability by method for six diurnal primate species. And, we tested for the effect of height on a tree on estimated occupancy probability and detection probability for arboreal camera traps. Overall, for all species the combination of ground and arboreal cameras was the most effective methodology in terms of highest estimates of occupancy and detection coupled with highest precision. However, for the six primate species the most effective method differed between species. The height of the arboreal camera trap in the tree did not significantly affect estimates of occupancy or detection. We suggest using all three field methods concurrently to maximize detection of all species; however, if only two methods can be deployed combining arboreal and ground cameras provided the highest and most precise estimates of occupancy and detection. The addition of arboreal camera traps could improve detection of species and improve future species monitoring programs. © 2020 The Zoological Society of London
Source title: Animal Conservation
DOI: 10.1111/acv.12569
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85080937973&doi=10.1111%2facv.12569&partnerID=40&md5=e720bcb1184993fa05d335b7c9862508
Correspondence Address: Moore, J.F.; Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Department of BioSciences, Rice UniversityUnited States; email: jenn.f.moore@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Rwanda ;
Protected area: Nyungwe
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Primates ; Survey / Monitoring ; Diversity ; Abundance

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Abstract: The Congo Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus has experienced a severe population breakdown in recent decades. The rainforests of the Korup region in Southwest Cameroon may harbour a large population of this species, but density and population estimates from this area remain controversial. Before the 2016 breeding season, we surveyed Grey Parrots along transects (621.1 km survey effort) in three adjacent landscape types: primary forest in Korup National Park (KNP), smallholder agroforestry matrix (AFM), and industrial oil palm plantation (OPP). We also collected information on the trees used for nesting, feeding and roosting. Using Distance analysis, we estimated relatively low densities of stationary flocks, ranging from 0.30 ind./km2 in KNP, over 0.82 ind./km2 in OPP to 2.70 ind./km2 in the AFM. Parrots were observed feeding or roosting in 17 tree species, of which 15 were located in AFM alone. Feeding was most often observed on cultivated Elaeis guineensis and Dacryodes edulis, but never in maize. The detected parrot densities probably reflect declines within the period 2008-2016, suggesting that the species' recent IUCN uplisting to 'Endangered' and transfer to CITES Appendix I was indeed justified. Our results also suggest that traditional smallholder agroforestry may play a role in habitat conservation strategies, since these forms of cultivation may maintain important breeding and feeding opportunities for Congo Grey Parrots. © BirdLife International 2019.
Source title: Bird Conservation International
DOI: 10.1017/S0959270919000194
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85067848573&doi=10.1017%2fS0959270919000194&partnerID=40&md5=d5efad7560f0cc7a5c6eca077b0296e7
Correspondence Address: Kupsch, D.; Conservation Biology/Workgroup on Endangered Species, University of Goettingen, Buergerstrasse 50, Germany; email: dkupsch@gwdg.de
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Review
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Korup
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Birds ; Abundance ; Survey / Monitoring ; Biology / Ecology

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Abstract: Protected areas located in areas of violent conflict are often conceived as spaces where the state has lost its control and parks are ‘dissolved’, to the point where poaching and violent extraction of resources run free. Our analysis of conservation in Garamba National Park, in eastern DRC, shows that forms of regulation of (anti-)poaching activities continue to exist within such spaces through the persistence of social contracts that bind different actors in and around the park around conservation. We show that these contracts have long histories and change substantially over time, and yet continue to function as reference points for populations and authorities with regards to (anti-) poaching activities, and the organization of social life in and around the park more broadly. Faced with insecurity, poverty and uncertainty, the population living close to Garamba National Park continues to refer to these social contracts, or seeks to devise new ones in search for predictability, livelihoods, security and the provision of basic social services. By focusing on the ‘contractual layer’ of conservation in a violent frontier, we aim to contribute to the understanding of the re-configuration of public authority in these spaces, and demonstrate the conceptual and empirical relevance of analysing social contracts for geographers. We do so by drawing a conceptual and empirical bridge between the literature that has conceived conservation as enclosures, and the literature that has focused more on the contractual dimension of conservation. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd
Source title: Political Geography
DOI: 10.1016/j.polgeo.2019.102116
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85076040973&doi=10.1016%2fj.polgeo.2019.102116&partnerID=40&md5=c67b4ff017502dba006c423279c7bfa2
Correspondence Address: Titeca, K.; Institute of Development Policy, University of AntwerpBelgium; email: kristof.titeca@uantwerp.be
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Garamba
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Governance / Policy ; Armed conflicts ; Conservation initiatives ; Perceptions / Behaviors ; Periphery / Management ; Hunting / Poaching

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Abstract: The Albertine Rift is one of Africa's most biodiverse regions, but is threatened by habitat loss as a result of agricultural expansion and human development. Previous studies estimated that 30% of the region has been lost to agricultural conversion and we estimate here that 33% is allocated for mining concessions. For conservation planning, we used niche models for species endemic to the Albertine Rift and those that are globally threatened. We assessed where to conserve these species using three scenarios: (1) a baseline assuming equal conservation costs across all grid cells in the study area, (2) a scenario locking in existing protected areas (i.e. always selecting them by default) and assessing which unprotected areas require conservation, and (3) a scenario considering mining planned across the region. Marxan analyses produced similar results for the three scenarios, highlighting the importance of existing protected areas and the value of several community-managed or provincial protected areas in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The current protected area network covers 134,246 km2 and an additional 64,586 km2 would be required to ensure the conservation of all threatened and endemic species outside the parks and wildlife reserves. However, if trying to avoid mining concessions this increases to 145,704 km2, an area larger than the existing protected areas. Some mining concessions harbour species with a restricted range and would thus need to be protected to ensure the persistence of threatened and endemic fauna and flora. These mining concessions should be challenged by the conservation community. Copyright © Fauna & Flora International 2020.
Source title: ORYX
DOI: 10.1017/S0030605319000218
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85078405828&doi=10.1017%2fS0030605319000218&partnerID=40&md5=b0b395d4b2353f12fbd960bff67be145
Correspondence Address: Plumptre, A.J.; Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, United States; email: aplumptre@keybiodiversityareas.org
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Kahuzi-Biega ; Virunga
Main topic: Biodiversity ; Humans
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Plants ; Agriculture ; Demography ; Mining ; Conservation initiatives

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Abstract: Tropical forests in Central Africa host unique biodiversity threatened by human degradation of habitats and defaunation. Forests allocated to conservation, production and community management are expected to have different conservation values. Here, we aimed to identify the determinants of the conservation value of tropical forests in southeastern Cameroon, by disentangling the effects of forest allocations, proximity to human settlements, and local habitat. We inventoried two taxonomical groups: mammal species with camera traps (3464 independent detection events) and dung beetle species with pitfall traps (4475 individuals). We used an integrated analytical approach, examining both species richness and composition. For both mammals and dung beetles, species richness decreased from the protected area to the community forests, and the logging concession showed intermediate richness. Species richness of both groups was negatively correlated to the proximity to human settlements and disturbance, with a decreasing gradient of body mass and the loss of the most threatened species. The replacement (i.e., spatial turnover) of both mammal and dung beetle species among forest allocations suggest an integration of conservation initiatives to a large number of different sites, with a priority on protected and remote areas of high biodiversity. These results confirm the high conservation value of protected areas and their essential role in conservation strategies, ecologically connected with well-managed production forests with variable conservation value mainly depending on accessibility. Community forests located close to villages are much more degraded but not totally defaunated and still provide bushmeat to local populations. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd
Source title: Biological Conservation
DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108351
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85075854355&doi=10.1016%2fj.biocon.2019.108351&partnerID=40&md5=a5e1517568a18cfcda60c3a1224347d3
Correspondence Address: Lhoest, S.; Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage des Déportés 2, Belgium; email: simon.lhoest@uliege.be
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Dja
Main topic: Biodiversity ; Environment ; Humans
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Invertebrates ; Survey / Monitoring ; Diversity ; Abundance ; Biology / Ecology ; Land use / cover ; Forests ; Roads ; Periphery / Management ; Conservation initiatives ; Hunting / Poaching

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Abstract: A large community of scientists has demonstrated that millions of people located in tropical zones derive a significant proportion of their livelihoods from the extraction of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). Despite these results, questions remain as to whether the valorisation of NTFPs can sustainably contribute to the improvement of the livelihood assets of the extractors. This study therefore evaluated the contribution of NTFP valorisation to the livelihood assets of local people around the northern periphery of the Dja Faunal Reserve (DFR), East Cameroon. To achieve this objective, data collected from 215 households in 32 villages were analyzed using factor analysis, Mann-Whitney U tests, and structural equation modelling. The results suggest that NTFP valorisation significantly contributes to the livelihood assets of local people at the periphery of the DFR. However, NTFP revenue was not significant in predicting their livelihood assets. Moreover, the local conservation management practices were not significant in predicting the livelihood assets in the long run. The results also revealed that individuals who received training and capacity building on good practices such as efficient collection techniques, effective drying techniques, and good conservation techniques earned better revenues and the impact on their livelihood was more significant than for those who did not. These results therefore recommend that the way forward for NTFP valorisation lies at the level of improving its quality and the market. © 2020 by the authors.
Source title: Forests
DOI: 10.3390/F11091019
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85092525822&doi=10.3390%2fF11091019&partnerID=40&md5=526c6356ba84a49528f933cbda80eae1
Correspondence Address: Epanda, M.A.; African Wildlife Foundation, P.O Box 5333, Cameroon; email: mepanda@awf.org
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Dja
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Non-timber forest products ; Income-generating activities ; Anthropology / Ethnoscience ; Perceptions / Behaviors ; Periphery / Management ; Governance / Policy

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Abstract: Article title: Heritage Protection as Stabilization, the Emergence of a New ‘Mandated Task’ for UN Peace Operations Author: Mathilde Leloup Journal:International PeacekeepingDOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/13533312.2019.1613894 When this article was first published online, several factual errors are discovered in the text. The corrected version of the text are as follows: 1) p. 414: Replacement of Footnote 45 by "Confidential interviews with officials from MONUSCO, interviews conducted by the author, New York, Paris or by phone, 2016–2019." 2) p. 415: « Because of the commitment of MONUSCO’s peacekeepers to heritage protection, this operation appears more ‘proactive’ than MINUSMA in this field. The reality is quite the opposite. According to Verweijen and Marijnen, the heritage management tasks of the park were achieved through ‘strict law-enforcement operations confronting armed groups and other offenders (hard counterinsurgency), but also through facilitating private investment schemes aiming to promote “development” in the Virunga area and generate thousands of jobs (soft counterinsurgency)’. 51 3) p. 415: « In this case, however, the protection of the park by peacekeepers did not help to ‘win hearts and minds’ of the local population, but served to tarnish the peacekeepers’ image in their eyes (removal of your names) + Relocation of footnote 52 after ‘draw boundaries between legitimate and illegitimate forest dwellers, legitimate and illegitimate resource and land use, and legitimate and illegitimate forms of violence’52, but also between ‘wilderness/ nature and civilisation/ agriculture’53. 4) Footnote 52. The Counterinsurgency/Conservation Nexus: Guerrillas Livehoods and the Dynamics of Conflicts and Violence in the Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo,” 303. 5) Footnote 53. Ibid., p. 304. The online version of this article has been corrected. © 2020, © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Source title: International Peacekeeping
DOI: 10.1080/13533312.2020.1778284
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85087130405&doi=10.1080%2f13533312.2020.1778284&partnerID=40&md5=0dbe47ae2dedf4dddd90233ee5aa310c
Correspondence Address:
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Erratum
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Virunga
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Armed conflicts ; Conservation initiatives ; Governance / Policy

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Abstract: Increasing population density can increase infectious disease risk and thus reduce population growth and size. Host-parasite interactions of threatened animals that remain in small protected forest fragments therefore need to be monitored carefully. Due to extreme conservation efforts, the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) population in the 450-km2 Virunga Massif has more than doubled since 1973, reaching 604 individuals in 2016. To better understand changes in the transmission risks of soil-borne and other enteric pathogens for mountain gorillas, we determined defecation outputs of different age-sex classes and the diurnal variation in feces deposition. We weighed 399 wet fecal samples deposited at nest sites and on trails between nest sites by gorillas of varying age and sex, determined by lobe diameter, from five social groups (n = 58 gorillas) that range in the Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. We found increasing daily average defecation outputs with increasing age-sex class (infants, 435 g; juveniles, 1346 g; medium-sized gorillas, 2446 g; silverbacks, 3609 g). Gorillas deposited two– to threefold the amount of feces at nest sites compared to on trails, suggesting that nest sites may function as hotspots for enteric pathogen infections through direct contact or when gorillas ingest foods contaminated with infectious larvae during site revisits in intervals matching the maturation period of environmentally transmitted gastrointestinal parasites. In combination with ranging and demographic data, these findings will enable the modeling of spatiotemporal variation in soil contamination and infectious disease risk for Virunga gorillas as their population density continues to increase. © 2020, Japan Monkey Centre and Springer Japan KK, part of Springer Nature.
Source title: Primates
DOI: 10.1007/s10329-020-00874-7
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85096383042&doi=10.1007%2fs10329-020-00874-7&partnerID=40&md5=d47a2372514041c7c5dac0c8d4f15e01
Correspondence Address: Sinayitutse, E.; The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, 800 Cherokee Ave SE, United States; email: eliesinay@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Rwanda ;
Protected area: Volcans
Main topic: Health ; Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animal health ; Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Primates ; Biology / Ecology ; Survey / Monitoring

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Abstract: Synodontis denticulatus sp. nov. is an endemic from the middle Lufira Basin and its associated tributaries and lakes. The species shows close morphological resemblance to Synodontis greshoffi and Synodontis unicolor, which are widespread Congo Basin and Bangweulu-Mweru endemic species, respectively. However, it differs from both S. greshoffi and S. unicolor by its non-villous skin (v. villous skin), strong and numerous serrations on the posterior margin of the dorsal spine (v. weak and fewer serrations), weak and few serrations on the posterior margin of the pectoral spine (v. strong and numerous serrations), relatively short maxillary barbels (v. long) and its small maximum standard length (89.1 mm LS v. 148.0 and 190.7 mm LS respectively). A DNA barcoding study (coI, mtDNA) revealed that S. denticulatus forms a distinct genetic clade with a genetic distance of 2.18% with S. greshoffi and 0.84% with S. unicolor. Synodontis denticulatus is caught regularly and abundantly as a by-catch in the gillnet fisheries in the middle Lufira lakes. Owing to its small overall size and large bony head, the species has usually no real commercial value but is an important food fish for the fishermen's families. © 2019 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles
Source title: Journal of Fish Biology
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14076
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85084783024&doi=10.1111%2fjfb.14076&partnerID=40&md5=4b9bde67066b4ddc98eb4ead2033b1a4
Correspondence Address: Vreven, E.; Royal Museum for Central Africa, Vertebrate Section, IchthyologyBelgium; email: emmanuel.vreven@africamuseum.be
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Kundelungu ; Upemba
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Fish ; Taxonomy ; Biology / Ecology ; Genetics

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Abstract: When preferred foods are scarce, one strategy employed by primates is to switch to an alternative food item of lower quality or preferability, i.e., a fallback food. In the montane rainforest of Nyungwe National Park in southwestern Rwanda, Rwenzori black-and-white colobus (Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii) (hereafter Rwenzori colobus) form a supergroup comprising hundreds of individuals. Over 13 mo we investigated how this supergroup uses resources in periods of resource abundance vs. periods of resource scarcity. Based on 5603 feeding records we first identified preferred foods and then identified fallback foods as those food categories or species whose consumption increases when preferred foods, or preferred food categories, are less available. When the availability of 19 preferred food items was low, fruticose lichens (Usnea sp.) contributed >50% of the monthly diet for the Rwenzori colobus. Moreover, consumption of lichens was significantly negatively related to the availability of preferred foods. Fruticose lichens can therefore be considered a fallback food for Rwenzori colobus that sustains the supergroup during periods of reduced food availability. This result, in combination with previous findings that mature foliage in Nyungwe is of high quality and does not elicit feeding competition, points to the importance of resources in facilitating supergroup formation. However, several other montane forests in Eastern Africa also harbor fruticose lichens and yet support only small groups of Angolan colobus, suggesting that additional factors such as sufficient forest size and limited fragmentation and hunting pressure by humans are required for supergroups to form. © 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Source title: International Journal of Primatology
DOI: 10.1007/s10764-020-00143-w
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85082743104&doi=10.1007%2fs10764-020-00143-w&partnerID=40&md5=010494d1a5e306b716e373e14dc32305
Correspondence Address: Miller, A.; School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, United States; email: alexandra.miller@research.uwa.edu.au
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Rwanda ;
Protected area: Nyungwe
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Primates ; Survey / Monitoring ; Biology / Ecology

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Abstract: Examining the diets of primate populations inhabiting different habitat types could be useful in understanding local adaptation and divergence between these populations. In Cameroon, the Nigeria–Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) is subdivided into two genetically distinct populations that occupy different habitat types; one occurs in forests to the west and the other in a forest–woodland–savanna mosaic (ecotone) in the center of the country. We used macroscopic fecal sample assessment to investigate dietary differences in relation to monthly fruit availability among P. t. ellioti communities in both habitat types: at Ebo Forest (rainforest) and Mbam and Djerem National Park (ecotone). We collected data simultaneously across three sites: Bekob and Njuma (rainforest) and Ganga (ecotone) from January 2016 to December 2017. In the dry season, fruits were the most important dietary component at Bekob and Njuma, while nonfruit plant material (leaves, pith, and bark) were most important at Ganga. In the wet season, the proportion of fruits in the diet was greatest at Ganga, while nonfruit plant material dominated chimpanzee diets at Bekob and Njuma. Chimpanzees at Bekob ate more fruits from introduced and secondary forest plant species than those at Njuma and Ganga, especially during periods of fruit scarcity. Animal consumption was higher at Ganga and was inversely associated with fruit consumption. These observations link habitat diversity to differences in feeding ecology among genetically distinct populations of P. t. ellioti. We speculate that dietary differences reflect broader socioecological variation between these populations, and collectively, that these factors promote intraspecific divergence. © 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Source title: International Journal of Primatology
DOI: 10.1007/s10764-020-00138-7
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85080886532&doi=10.1007%2fs10764-020-00138-7&partnerID=40&md5=ad12e53fa279c7a3dbeca18d9440be10
Correspondence Address: Abwe, E.E.; Department of Biology, Drexel UniversityUnited States; email: ekwoge@eboforest.org
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Ebo ; Mbam Djerem
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Primates ; Biology / Ecology ; Genetics ; Plants ; Abundance ; Diversity

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Abstract: Examining the diets of primate populations inhabiting different habitat types could be useful in understanding local adaptation and divergence between these populations. In Cameroon, the Nigeria–Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) is subdivided into two genetically distinct populations that occupy different habitat types; one occurs in forests to the west and the other in a forest–woodland–savanna mosaic (ecotone) in the center of the country. We used macroscopic fecal sample assessment to investigate dietary differences in relation to monthly fruit availability among P. t. ellioti communities in both habitat types: at Ebo Forest (rainforest) and Mbam and Djerem National Park (ecotone). We collected data simultaneously across three sites: Bekob and Njuma (rainforest) and Ganga (ecotone) from January 2016 to December 2017. In the dry season, fruits were the most important dietary component at Bekob and Njuma, while nonfruit plant material (leaves, pith, and bark) were most important at Ganga. In the wet season, the proportion of fruits in the diet was greatest at Ganga, while nonfruit plant material dominated chimpanzee diets at Bekob and Njuma. Chimpanzees at Bekob ate more fruits from introduced and secondary forest plant species than those at Njuma and Ganga, especially during periods of fruit scarcity. Animal consumption was higher at Ganga and was inversely associated with fruit consumption. These observations link habitat diversity to differences in feeding ecology among genetically distinct populations of P. t. ellioti. We speculate that dietary differences reflect broader socioecological variation between these populations, and collectively, that these factors promote intraspecific divergence. © 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Source title: International Journal of Primatology
DOI: 10.1007/s10764-020-00138-7
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85080886532&doi=10.1007%2fs10764-020-00138-7&partnerID=40&md5=ad12e53fa279c7a3dbeca18d9440be10
Correspondence Address: Abwe, E.E.; Department of Biology, Drexel UniversityUnited States; email: ekwoge@eboforest.org
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Ebo ; Mbam Djerem
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Primates ; Biology / Ecology ; Genetics ; Plants ; Abundance ; Diversity

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Abstract: This article demonstrates how 3-D vegetation structure can be approximated by interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) backscatter-height histograms. Single-look backscatter measurements are plotted against the InSAR phase height and are aggregated spatially over a forest patch to form a 3-D histogram, referred to as InSAR backscatter-height histogram or simply InSAR histogram. InSAR histograms resemble LiDAR waveforms, suggesting that existing algorithms used to retrieve canopy height and ground topography from radar tomograms or LiDAR waveforms can be applied to InSAR histograms. Three algorithms are evaluated to generate maps of digital terrain, surface, and canopy height models: Gaussian decomposition, quantile, and backscatter threshold. Full-polarimetric L-band uninhabited aerial vehicle synthetic aperture radar (UAVSAR) data collected over the Gabonese Lopé National Park during the 2016 AfriSAR campaign are used to illustrate and compare the performance of the algorithms for the HH, HV, VV, HH+VV, and HH-VV polarimetric channels. Results show that radar-derived maps using the InSAR histograms differ by 4 m (top-canopy), 5 m (terrain), and 6 m (forest height) in terms of average root-mean-square errors (RMSEs) from standard maps derived from full-waveform laser, vegetation, and ice sensor (LVIS) LiDAR measurements. © 1980-2012 IEEE.
Source title: IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing
DOI: 10.1109/TGRS.2019.2956989
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85085620430&doi=10.1109%2fTGRS.2019.2956989&partnerID=40&md5=d77fb29150aa4fd47fc35cfbd521c3f3
Correspondence Address: Lavalle, M.; Radar Science and Engineering Section, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of TechnologyUnited States; email: marco.lavalle@jpl.nasa.gov
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Gabon ;
Protected area: Lopé
Main topic: Environment
Subtopic: Land use / cover ; Forests

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Abstract: Bushmeat is a major source of protein and income in tropical regions but is often over-harvested. A better monitoring of bushmeat stocks could help achieve sustainability. We used a combination of simulations and transect survey data collected from blue duikers (Philantomba monticola) in the Lomako wildlife reserve, Democratic Republic of the Congo, to investigate the use of transect-based distance sampling to monitor bushmeat stocks. The comparison of dung piles and direct observations of duikers evidenced that animals avoided both the transects in the absence of observers, and the observers themselves. This type of behavioural response appeared common in a literature survey. It causes a negative bias in the estimates of population densities from the standard distance sampling methodology. This negative bias would lead to over-pessimistic predictions of population viability, especially if the behavioural response is more intense in the locations where the animals are hunted. In turn, this would lead to excessively conservative management recommendations. To correct for the effect of the behavioural response of the animals to either the transects or the observers, we recommend recording both the forward and perpendicular distances to the observers (2D distance sampling), not just the perpendicular distance. We also recommend multiple-observer protocols. As a cautionary note, we also demonstrate a scenario where the intensity of the behavioural response is too high to reliably estimate the abundance of the population. As a perspective, we outline the general principles of a local stakeholder-based program combining distance sampling with less intensive types of ecological indicators to monitor wildlife populations. Copyright: © 2020 Elenga et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Source title: PLoS ONE
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240049
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85092671420&doi=10.1371%2fjournal.pone.0240049&partnerID=40&md5=41e922906675381c42afd68d4d75f87f
Correspondence Address: Bonenfant, C.; Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive UMR5558, France; email: christophe.bonenfant@univ-lyon1.fr
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Lomako-Yokokala
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Ungulates ; Survey / Monitoring ; Abundance ; Biology / Ecology

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Abstract: Large carnivore populations have suffered declines worldwide. For the African continent, these have been particularly strong in West and Central Africa. The Bénoué Complex in North Cameroon, located in Central Africa, is a key landscape for their conservation. We determined spatiotemporal trends in lion (Panthera leo), leopard (Panthera pardus) and spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) abundance, using repeated spoor counts on transects from 2007 to 2015. Results of the temporal analysis indicate that lion and spotted hyaena abundance reduced over time across the complex, whereas leopards only declined in the last 2 years and primarily in the Faro Block. From the spatial analysis, it became clear spoor abundances differ between areas within the Bénoué Complex and between management types: Spoor densities were especially higher in Bouba Ndjida National Park and the hunting zones around Faro. This effect is most probably related to a more effective management strategy in these areas. Our fine-scale long-term monitoring technique provides a low-cost, easy to implement, multi-scale and effective tool for the identification of both regional and range-wide carnivore conservation hotspots. © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
Source title: European Journal of Wildlife Research
DOI: 10.1007/s10344-020-01420-y
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85091563888&doi=10.1007%2fs10344-020-01420-y&partnerID=40&md5=c780279e2dc766c78a88355dfc6864bd
Correspondence Address: Bakker, C.E.; Leo Foundation, Roghorst 343, Netherlands; email: cebakker91@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Bénoué ; Faro ; Bénoué ; Bouba Ndjida
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Carnivores ; Survey / Monitoring ; Abundance

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Abstract: Research highlights: This study is one of few detailed analyses of plant diversity and vegetation patterns in African dry forests. We established permanent plots to characterize plant diversity, above-ground biomass, and vegetation patterns in a tropical dry forest in Kimbi-Fungom National Park, Cameroon. Our results contribute to long-term monitoring, predictions, and management of dry forest ecosystems, which are often vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures. Background and objectives: Considerable consensus exists regarding the importance of dry forests in species diversity and carbon storage; however, the relationship between dry forest tree species composition, species richness, and carbon stock is not well established. Also, simple baseline data on plant diversity are scarce for many dry forest ecosystems. This study seeks to characterize floristic diversity, vegetation patterns, and tree diversity in permanent plots in a tropical dry forest in Northwestern Cameroon (Kimbi-Fungom National Park) for the first time. Materials and methods: We studied associations between above-ground biomass and species composition, and how different vegetation types vary in terms of species composition, diversity, and carbon storage, in a dry forest in Kimbi-Fungom National Park, Cameroon. Vegetation was inventoried in 17 permanent 1-ha plots. Allometric equations were used to calculate above-ground biomass and carbon. Results: We found an average of 269.8 tree stems ha?1 and 43.1 species ha?1. Five vegetation types: semi-deciduous, gallery, mixed vegetation, secondary and the grassland/woody savanna forest were classified using TWINSPAN analysis. The five vegetation types had an average above-ground biomass of 149.2 t ha?1 and 74.6 tC ha?1 of carbon in the 17 ha analyzed. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed the importance of semi-deciduous forest over grassland/woody savanna forest. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the forest of the Kimbi-Fungom National Park is poor in plant diversity, biomass, and carbon, highlighting the need to implement efficient management practices. Fine-scale inventory data of species obtained in this study could be useful in developing predictive models for efficient management of tropical dry forests. Ecological restoration; Flora; Environmental assessment; Environmental health; Environmental impact assessment; Dry forest; Bamenda highlands; Kimbi-Fungom National Park; Carbon; Semi-deciduous; Tree composition; Diversity. © 2020 The Author(s)
Source title: Heliyon
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03290
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85078676827&doi=10.1016%2fj.heliyon.2020.e03290&partnerID=40&md5=b4bb7123b8d4dd4fbea9ef5f0c31caf3
Correspondence Address: Sainge, M.N.; Department of Environmental and Occupational Studies, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of TechnologySouth Africa; email: moses.sainge@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Kimbi-Fungom
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Plants ; Diversity ; Structure / Biomass ; Biology / Ecology ; Survey / Monitoring

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Abstract: With animal species disappearing at unprecedented rates, we need an efficient monitoring method providing reliable estimates of population density and abundance, critical for the assessment of population status and trend. We deployed 160 camera traps (CTs) systematically over 743 locations covering 17,127 km2 of evergreen lowland rainforest of Salonga National Park, block South, Democratic Republic of the Congo. We evaluated the applicability of CT distance sampling (CTDS) to species different in size and behaviour. To improve precision of estimates, we evaluated two methods estimating species' availability (‘A’) for detection by CTs. We recorded 16,700 video clips, revealing 43 different animal taxa. We estimated densities of 14 species differing in physical, behavioural and ecological traits, and extracted species-specific availability from available video footage using two methods (a) ‘ACa’ (Cappelle et al. [2019] Am. J. Primatol., 81, e22962) and (b) ‘ARo’ (Rowcliffe et al. [2014] Methods Ecol. Evol. 5, 1170). With sample sizes being large enough, we found minor differences between ACa and ARo in estimated densities. In contrast, low detectability and reactivity to the camera were main sources of bias. CTDS proved efficient for estimating density of homogenously rather than patchily distributed species. Synthesis and applications. Our application of camera trap distance sampling (CTDS) to a diverse vertebrate community demonstrates the enormous potential of this methodology for surveys of terrestrial wildlife, allowing rapid assessments of species' status and trends that can translate into effective conservation strategies. By providing the first estimates of understudied species such as the Congo peafowl, the giant ground pangolin and the cusimanses, CTDS may be used as a tool to revise these species' conservation status in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Based on the constraints we encountered, we identify improvements to the current application, enhancing the general applicability of this method. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of Applied Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society
Source title: Journal of Applied Ecology
DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13602
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85082525726&doi=10.1111%2f1365-2664.13602&partnerID=40&md5=c60e26a25f536556294a166687543e41
Correspondence Address: Bessone, M.; School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores UniversityUnited Kingdom; email: M.Bessone@2018.ljmu.ac.uk
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Salonga
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Vertebrates ; Survey / Monitoring ; Abundance

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Abstract: As well as leading to a loss of biodiversity (i.e. species richness and abundance), human activities also affect ecosystem functioning. Documenting how the suite of ecological roles changes following disturbance provides a complementary source of information for conservation management. To this end, we measured mammal diversity in terms of community structure (i.e. abundance, composition and species richness) and functional diversity in three sites differing in conservation effort in a tropical rainforest in Cameroon. Results show that sites without primary or secondary conservation efforts had lower mammal abundances and an altered mammal composition but similar species richness compared to better-protected areas. In terms of functional diversity, we found more variation of traits (i.e. FDis) in the site with primary conservation and higher abundances of functionally unique species (i.e. FOri) in sites with either primary or secondary conservation efforts. We found no overall difference in the abundance of specialist and generalist species between sites (i.e. FSpe). We identified several drivers affecting abundance, species richness and functional diversity of mammal communities, although there did not appear to be a common driver affecting all mammal diversity measures in a similar way. Our results suggest that, in addition to preserving mammal abundance and community composition, conservation efforts (both primary and secondary) are able to contribute to maintaining higher levels of functional diversity compared to areas devoid of conservation. We demonstrate that functional diversity metrics can provide valuable additional information about the status of mammal communities that can be used to better inform conservation management. © 2019 The Zoological Society of London
Source title: Animal Conservation
DOI: 10.1111/acv.12526
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85069882427&doi=10.1111%2facv.12526&partnerID=40&md5=9848e242ab4ce79b46a08d4e90097a01
Correspondence Address: Willie, J.; Centre for Research & Conservation (CRC), Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA)Belgium; email: jacob.fils.willie@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Dja
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Diversity ; Abundance ; Biology / Ecology

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Abstract: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is facing its tenth outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD), in North-Kivu and Ituri provinces. This is the second most deadly EVD outbreak in history, after the one that occurred in West Africa in 2014. The DRC Ministry of Health (MoH), supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and a range of regional and international partners, are implementing EVD response plans in these affected areas such as screening of suspect cases at points of entry, case detection, contact tracing, laboratory testing, case management and infection prevention and control, safe and dignified burials, ring vaccination (this involves vaccination of infected individuals, direct contacts of infected individuals and contacts of their contacts), and therapeutics, community mobilization and free access to healthcare services. Despite these efforts, there has been a sharp rise in the number of confirmed cases within the identified affected areas, and due to a number of challenges unique to DRC, there has been an expansion in the geographical extent of transmission. The significance of the proximity of these regions to wildlife and the Virunga National Park is questionable in the EVD transmission dynamics. The close interaction between human, animal, and environmental factors, in combination with high population movement due to regular rebel attacks in these regions, suggest the need for the integration of the One Health approach in the holistic response plans for control and prevention of EVD. This paper seeks to highlight the implications and importance of a One Health–based approach into the infectious diseases control program implementation in DRC. © 2019 The Authors
Source title: One Health
DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2019.100117
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85078053226&doi=10.1016%2fj.onehlt.2019.100117&partnerID=40&md5=387f335e595fe2ce22851ed9dd22c137
Correspondence Address: Sikakulya, F.K.; Faculty of Medicine, Université Catholique du GrabenCongo; email: francksikakulya@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Virunga
Main topic: Health
Subtopic: Human & animal health