Mbam et Djerem National Park
Summary
- Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes ellioti) & central chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) are present in Mbam et Djerem National Park.
- It has been estimated that at least 1,244 Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees occur in the site.
- The Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee population trend is stable.
- The site has a total size of 4,165.2 km².
- Key threats to chimpanzees are poaching, transhumance, uncontrolled fires, and gathering terrestrial plants.
- Conservation activities are not documented.
Site characteristics
Mbam et Djerem National Park was established in 2000. The park is situated in central Cameroon, within the Guinea-Congolia/Sudania regional transition zone, between the Sudanian regional center of endemism in the north, and the Guinea-Congolian forest block in the south. The vegetation at Mbam et Djerem National Park grades from savanna in the northwest to forest-savanna mosaic, to the closed-canopy humid forest in the southwest. It is the most biologically diverse protected area in the country due to its exceptional habitat diversity (WCS). Mbam et Djerem National Park is home to two subspecies of chimpanzees, (central and Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees), De Brazza's monkeys, elephants, buffalos, hippopotamus, leopards, and over 65 reptile and 365 bird species (BirdLife International 2020, WCS).
Table 1. Basic site information for Mbam et Djerem National Park
| Area | 4,165.2 km² |
| Coordinates | 5.858082 N, 12.773937 E |
| Designation | National Park |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical dry forest, savanna |
Ape status
Table 2. Ape population estimates in Mbam et Djerem National Park
| Species | Year | Abundance estimate (95% CI) | Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI) | Encounter rate (nests/km) | Area | Method | Source | Comments | A.P.E.S. database ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pan troglodytes ellioti | 2016 | 449 (150–1343) | 0.59 (0.19–1.76) | Mbam et Djerem National Park, forest-savanna mosaic area (900.84 sq. km) | standing crop nest count | Kamgang et al. 2018 | |||
| Pan troglodytes ellioti | 2016 | 795 (496–1272) | 0.88 (0.55–1.41) | Mbam et Djerem National Park, dense forest area (761.5 sq. km) | standing crop nest count | Kamgang et al. 2018 | |||
| Pan troglodytes ellioti | 2016 | 0.33 (0.12-0.86 | 1.77 | 1662.34, core area of the park | Line transects (Distance) | Kamgang et al. 2018 |
Threats
Table 3. Threats to apes in Mbam et Djerem National Park
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Quantified severity | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Unknown | ||||
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.3 Livestock farming & ranching | Medium | Transhumance (Dadem, Tchamba & Tsi 2018). | Ongoing (2018) | |
| 3. Energy production & mining | Unknown | ||||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Unknown | ||||
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | High | Poaching is the main threat to wildlife at the site (Dadem, Tchamba & Tsi 2018). | Ongoing (2018) | |
| 5.2 Gathering terrestrial plants | Low | Bark collection and plant gathering (Dadem, Tchamba & Tsi 2018). | Ongoing (2018) | ||
| 6. Human intrusion & disturbance | Unknown | ||||
| 7. Natural system modifications | 7.1 Fire & fire suppression | Low | Uncontrolled bushfires (Dadem, Tchamba & Tsi 2018). | Ongoing (2018) | |
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Unknown | ||||
| 9. Pollution | Unknown | ||||
| 10. Geological Events | Absent | ||||
| 11. Climate change & severe weather | Unknown | ||||
| 12. Other options | Absent |
Conservation activities
WCS has been responsible for the management of the site since 2003.
Table 4. Conservation activities in Mbam et Djerem National Park
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Not reported | ||
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | Not reported | ||
| 3. Energy production & mining | Not reported | ||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Not reported | ||
| 5. Biological resource use | Not reported | ||
| 6. Human intrusion & disturbance | Not reported | ||
| 7. Natural system modifications | Not reported | ||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Not reported | ||
| 9. Pollution | Not reported | ||
| 10. Education & Awareness | Not reported | ||
| 11. Habitat Protection | Not reported | ||
| 12. Species Management | Not reported | ||
| 13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives | Not reported |
Challenges
Lack of connectivity, lack of community and private sector awareness and conservation constituencies (WCS).
Table 5. Challenges reported for Mbam et Djerem National Park
| Challenge | Source |
|---|---|
| Lack of law enforcement | WCS |
| Lack of capacity/training | WCS |
Research activities
Documented behaviours
Table 6. Ape behaviors reported for Mbam et Djerem National Park
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
External links
Relevant datasets
References
Kamgang, S.A., Bobo, K.S., Maisels, F. et al. The relationship between the abundance of the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) and its habitat: a conservation concern in Mbam-Djerem National Park, Cameroon. BMC Ecol 18, 40 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12898-018-0199-3
BirdLife International (2020) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Mbam Djerem National Park. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 27/11/2020.
Dadem, G. C., Tchamba, N. M., & Tsi, E. A. (2018). Impacts of anthropogenic pressures on wildlife in the northern sector of the National Park of Mbam and Djerem, Adamaoua Cameroon. International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation, 10(3), 145-153.
Page completed by: Serge Kamgang & A.P.E.S. Wiki team Date: 14/01/2021