Conservation of Great Apes on the Periphery of the Dja Reserve
The southern part of the Republic of Cameroon is still covered by about
200,000 km² of forest, most of which is potential habitat for the
western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and the central
chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes troglodytes). Currently, less than
10% is gazetted as Reserve or National Park, whereas by 1999 the cumulative
number of logging concessions since 1959 covered 76% of the total forest
area. At the same time, the effect of logging activities on hunting pressure
is widely accepted and the hunting pressure on fauna in general and great
apes in particular in Cameroon has been well documented (Bowen Jones 1998;
WSPA 2001). Hence, if no action is taken for the protection of the surviving
gorilla and chimpanzee population in the non-protected areas, reserves
and national parks will soon harbour island populations.
In the beginning of 2000, I was appointed by the Royal Zoological Society
of Antwerp (RZSA) to conduct a great ape survey at two sites in the Republic
of Cameroon, situated north of the Dja Wildlife Reserve and south of the
Lobeke National Park respectively. At both sites, great ape densities
were estimated for an area of about 50 km². Densities were similar
to the ones within the protected areas, indicating the importance of these
populations for further conservation activities.
We decided to set up a long-term project on the periphery of the Dja Wildlife
Reserve. The aim of the project is to enhance the protection of vulnerable
great ape populations by setting up "great ape socio-ecology research
sites" in collaboration with local people. This is done in collaboration
with the NGO Nature+ (P. Auzel/W. Delvingt, FUSAGx, University of Gembloux,
Belgium), who has many years of experience in the area. This NGO seeks
to promote the sustainable use of natural resources, especially in tropical
forests, and tries to work out new strategies for the management of these
resources taking into account both ecological and social factors.
In this way, the RZSA undertakes scientific research in collaboration
with the local population as a tool for conservation, which can become
part of management plans in great ape habitat.
Dja Wildlife Reserve
The Dja Wildlife Reserve (5,260 km²) was listed as a World Heritage
Site in 1987. The Reserve contains important populations of chimpanzees,
gorillas, elephants and buffalos (Nzooh Dongmo 2001). The most extensive
survey (Nzooh Dongmo 2001) describes the spatial distribution of all large
mammals throughout the reserve. This survey (1,478 km of transects) also
reveals the presence of 71 hunting camps within the reserve. Hunting pressure
is alarming (WSPA 2001). Although ecoguards are present, the human pressure
is too important to
be controlled. Moamosse refers to 5,000-7,000 people living within or
at the edge of the reserve, and the population is still growing.
The Dja and Surrounding Areas
In 1994, the Government promulgated new forest legislation according
to which a land use planning system was implemented. The forest was divided
into a permanent and a non-permanent forest sector. Different types of
exploitation permits are defined. The legislation also gives a number
of opportunities to local communities to acquire control of the management
of their forest, e.g. through the creation of "community forests".
Yet the procedures are complex, as is the legislation in general. "community
hunting zone", communal forests, community forests, forest management
units, "vente de coupes" – these are just a few elements
of the land use planning system.
The result is a mosaic of activities, some exclusive, others overlapping,
faced by the local population, who find it almost impossible assess the
pro's and con's of the different alternatives. Making decisions for their
future is not easy. Meanwhile, the human population is growing, one of
the reasons being the concentration of logging company workers on the
edge of the reserve. In this area, bushmeat is cheaper than domestic meat,
and the bushmeat trade is thriving; the depletion of the fauna in large
areas surrounding the reserve is ongoing. Finding solutions for the unsustainable
exploitation of the fauna will not be easy. This was confirmed at the
workshop organised by IUCN, FAO and TRAFFIC: "Links between Biodiversity
Conservation, Livelihoods and Food Security: the sustainable use of wild
meat" (17-20 September 2001, Yaounde, Cameroon). Different complementary
approaches at all levels will be necessary.
With regard to the Dja Wildlife Reserve and the future of its fauna, Nzooh-Dongmo
(2001) stressed the need for more surveys and research activities on the
periphery of the reserve, to be complementary to the work done by ECOFAC
(Conservation et utilisation rationelle des ECOsystèmes Forestiers
en Afrique Centrale) within the reserve. Our grant proposal "Great
apes ecology, bushmeat hunting, logging and community based management
around the Dja Faunal Reserve, Cameroon" was approved by the Wildlife
Conservation Society. The main goal is to achieve protection of the fauna
in collaboration with local people, by setting up great ape research sites:
"Great apes ecology, bushmeat hunting, logging and community based
management around the Dja Wildlife Reserve: rethinking conservation issues
in non-protected areas".
Set-up and Research. After the initial surveys in 2000, and discussions
with the villagers, a research site was set up within the forest of Mboumo.
Logistical help and infrastructure has been offered by a logging company,
R. Pallisco. This company logged the research site about 15 years ago.
Since mid-2001, research has been carried out by European and Cameroonian
volunteers and students. About 15 villagers from Mboumo are involved.
The research focuses on ranging/nesting patterns, habitat use and the
distribution of different vegetation types and food of great apes in an
area of about 70 km². Authorisations have kindly been provided by
the Ministry of Research and Technology. The first scientific results
have been published. At the same time, the spatial exploitation of the
"communal forest" to which the research site belongs is being
studied and the procedure to initiate the creation of a "community
hunting zone" has been started. Once created, the villagers will
be authorised to manage the exploitation of the fauna. Part of the management
plan will be the existence of a research zone in which no hunting will
take place. This combination of scientific research and the creation of
management plans for the exploitation of fauna is subject to collaboration
between the RZSA and Nature+ (FUSAGx, Belgium).
Anti-poaching Patrols and Logging. During the first year of collaboration
with the local people and partnership with R. Pallisco, two successes
were achieved in terms of conservation:
- The research area suffered from a high degree of hunting pressure by external hunters, especially those coming from Abong Mban where forests are already depleted. Since mid-2000, the villagers of Mboumo have organised routine anti-poaching patrols. Several guns have been confiscated, hundreds of snares have been collected. Unfortunately, one of the "eco-guards" ended up in hospital after a "discussion" with poachers. However, since this incident, and the official reaction by the Cameroonian authorities, intrusion by hunters has been very limited.
- R. Pallisco has been allocated a logging concession on the northern boundary of the study site. For the most effective access, the company would have had to re-open an old logging road that crosses the study area; because of the ongoing project, however, R. Pallisco decided to opt for a less efficient, more costly alternative. The company also invited us to propose an approach that would minimise the effect of their activities in this area.
Perspectives
- As a consequence of the approach in Mboumo, other villages invited the RZSA to set up great ape research within their forest. At the time of writing, surveys are being carried out in the forest of Malen V, Doumo and Mimpala. Gorillas and chimpanzees seem to be present at relatively high densities. The area under survey is part of Forest Management Unit 10 047, allocated to a logging company called Fipcam, which has already welcomed the setting up of great ape research within their concession. Interestingly, the potential research area borders the Dja Wildlife Reserve.
- A collaboration will possibly be set up with ECOFAC for research within the Dja Wildlife Reserve. Preferably, the study site should adjoin the area mentioned above. This will allow both comparative reserach and collaborative protection of a larger area.
- R. Pallisco put forward the possibility of setting up research within their Forest Management Unit. For this, we will discuss the possibilities with Nature+, who will be in charge of the management plan of the Forest Management Units of the logging company.
Conclusion
From this, it is evident that a good deal of great ape activity is going
on, and more is planned. Collaboration between all the different sites
will make larger-scale comparative research possible. Conservation of
great ape populations is the ultimate goal.
Although our efforts seem to be succeeding in small-scale protection,
we emphasise the need to continue efforts that aim at long-term conservation
of nation-wide biodiversity and the absolute need for law enforcement.
At this moment, it is no problem to contact gorilla hunters and chimpanzee
pet traders, and market prices for "CITES A meat" are publicly
known. The legislation exists, but as long as people can make money out
of great ape meat, gorillas and chimpanzees will continue being victims
of commercial hunters.
References
Bowen-Jones, E. (1998) A review of the commercial bushmeat trade with
emphasis on Central/West Africa and the great apes. Report for the Ape
Alliance. c/o Fauna & Flora International, Cambridge.
Nzooh Dongmo, Z.-L. (2001) Dynamique de la faune sauvage et des activités
anthropiques dans la Reserve de Biosphere du Dja et ses environs. MINEF/ECOFAC.
75 pp.
WSPA (2001) Bushmeat – Africa conservation crisis. Hunting our heritage:
an inside perspective on bushmeat and corruption in the Dja World Heritage
Reserve. Website
Jef Dupain
Jef Dupain established the bonobo research site Mpako (1994) and Iyema (1995) for the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp. He was active in Zaire/D. R. Congo until the end of 1998, and is still trying to continue in the bonobo area. In 2000, he expanded his activities in Cameroon. He is currently Coordinator of RZSA for in situ projects in Central Africa.
