Mount Cameroon National Park
Summary
- Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes ellioti) & Cross river gorillas (Gorilla gorilla diehli) are present in Mount Cameroon National Park.
- It has been estimated that 130 (79-215) chimpanzees occur in the site; the gorilla population size is unknown.
- The chimpanzee population trend is stable.
- The site has a total size of 581.78 km².
- Key threats to great apes are hunting and logging.
- Conservation activities have focused on community-based projects, eco-tourism and biomonitoring.
- At 4,070 m in altitude, Mount Cameroon is the highest peak in sub-Saharan western and central Africa.
Site characteristics
Established in 2009, Mt. Cameroon National Park lies near the coast, in western Cameroon (Eno-Nku 2013). Harboring a very rich and diverse flora and fauna, the site is part of a biodiversity hotspot in the Gulf of Guinea Forests (MNCP). Reaching 4,070 m in altitude, Mount Cameroon, also known as Mount Fako, is an active volcano and the highest peak in West and Central Africa, as well as the fourth most prominent peak in Africa (MNCP). The western slope of the park is one of the wettest places in the world, with 10,000 mm rainfall (MNCP). The park is home to forest elephants, chimpanzees, drills, and over 330 bird species, including two endemic species, the Mt. Cameroon francolin, Pternistis camerunensis and Mt. Cameroon speirops, Zosterops melanocephalus (WWF).
Table 1. Basic site information for Mount Cameroon National Park
| Area | 581.78 km² |
| Coordinates | 4.218726 N, 9.146500 E |
| Designation | National Park |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical dry forest, subtropical/tropical dry grassland,subtropical/tropical moist montane forest, subtropical/tropical high altitude grassland |
Ape status
A survey in 2013 estimated an abundance of 130 (95% CI: 79-215) chimpanzees; nests and signs of gorillas were not found (Eno-Nku 2013). Based on the 2013 estimates together with results from a 2007 survey, the chimpanzee population appears to be stable (Eno-Nku 2013).
Table 2. Ape population estimates in Mount Cameroon 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 | 2007 | 0.47 (0.17-0.136) | Mt. Cameroon proposed National Park | Line transects (Distance) | Eno-Nku 2013 | ||||
| Pan troglodytes ellioti | 2013 | 130 (79-215) | 0.67 (0.41-1.11) | 1.21 | Mt. Cameroon National Park, excluding southwest block | Line transects (Distance) | Eno-Nku 2013 |
Threats
Main threats to great apes include hunting and logging. Encounter rates of human pressure threats within the park decreased between 2007 and 2013 (Eno-Nku 2013).
Table 3. Threats to apes in Mount Cameroon National Park
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Quantified severity | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Unknown | ||||
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Present, but threat severity is unknown | Agricultural encroachment (Eno-Nku 2013). | Ongoing (2013) | |
| 3. Energy production & mining | Unknown | ||||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Unknown | ||||
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | High | Signs of snares, gun shells, gun shots, hunting trails had the highest encounter rate for human activities (Eno-Nku 2013). | Ongoing (2013) | |
| 5.3 Logging & wood harvesting | High | Ongoing (2013) | |||
| 6. Human intrusion & disturbance | Unknown | ||||
| 7. Natural system modifications | Unknown | ||||
| 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
The National park is working with Village Forest Management Committees (VFMCs) of the 41 communities around the park. These communities have been regrouped into clusters. Each cluster has a cluster facilitator, a person who maintains communication between the park and the cluster. Inside the National Park territory each cluster is co-responsible for the management of a “Cluster Conservation Zone” (MNCP). On half-yearly cluster platform meetings representatives of the VFMCs plan and agree on co-management activities (e.g. boundary opening and monitoring activities), and evaluate past performance (MCNP). The communities equally receive a conservation bonus, depending on their performance in co-management activities and the occurrence of illegal activities in their cluster conservation zone. The conservation bonus is used to sponsor small community projects. The National park is managing the Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) of ``Prunus Africana`` bark in a sustainable way. Local communities insisted on further exploitation of the Prunus Resource as a user right during the process leading to the creation of Mt. Cameroon National Park. Mount Cameroon hosts one of the largest populations of ``Prunus africana`` in Cameroon. The tree is occurring mainly in the mountain forest close to the border of the savannah. The Prunus bark is used as traditional medicine and since the 1970s in the pharmaceutical industry in Europe to treat benign prostate (MNCP).
Table 4. Conservation activities in Mount Cameroon 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 | 5.6. Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols | Eco-guards patrol park (MCNP). | Ongoing |
| 5.15. Implement monitoring surveillance strategies (e.g. SMART) or use monitoring data to improve effectiveness of wildlife law enforcement patrols | Regular wildlife surveys are conducted (MCNP). | Ongoing | |
| 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 | 11.2. Legally protect primate habitat | The park was established in 2009. | Ongoing |
| 12. Species Management | Not reported | ||
| 13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives | 13.4. Run tourist projects and ensure permanent human presence at site | The park has authorized local tour operators and activities such as trekking, bird watching and viewing wildlife (MCNP). | Ongoing |
Challenges
Table 5. Challenges reported for Mount Cameroon National Park
| Challenge | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
Research activities
Documented behaviours
Table 6. Ape behaviors reported for Mount Cameroon National Park
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
External links
Mount Cameroon National Park - Official Website)
Relevant datasets
References
Mount Cameroon National Park. (n.d.). Mount Cameroon National Park. https://www.mtcameroonnationalpark.org/
Mt Cameroon National Park (58,154 ha). (n.d.). WWF. https://cameroon.panda.org/places_landscapes/coastal_forests_programme/mt_cameroon_national_park/
Eno-Nku, M. (2013). Large mammal surveys of the Mt. Cameroon National Park, SW Region. WWF CCPO Coastal Forest Programme, Limbe, Cameroon.
Page completed by: A.P.E.S. Wiki team Date: 28/09/2021