Simon Awafor Tamungang

The wild meat trade remains a significant ecological and socio‐economic issue across sub‐Saharan Africa. In Cameroon's West Region, urban markets play a central role in the commercialization of wild animal products; however, information on the species composition, utilization patterns, market‐level variation and economic characteristics of this trade remains limited. This study investigated the diversity, utilization patterns, spatial variation and economic value of wild terrestrial vertebrate species sold in 16 markets across the region. A total of 476 wild animal specimens were recorded, representing 46 species from 33 families, 18 orders and three vertebrate classes (Mammalia, Reptilia, Aves). Meat was the most frequently recorded body part and was primarily associated with food use, whereas skins, feathers and snake oil were recorded mainly for cultural and medicinal purposes. Most records involved species that were classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, although Near Threatened, Vulnerable, endangered and Critically Endangered species were also recorded, including yellow‐backed duiker ( Cephalophus silvicultur ), African leopard ( Panthera pardus ) and gorilla ( Gorilla gorilla ). Generalized linear models indicated an association between market price and IUCN category, national wildlife protection level, purpose of utilization and taxonomic class. Near Threatened and Class A species had higher observed prices in the study dataset. Threatened and protected species were particularly represented in the Bangangte and Santchou markets. These findings identify market‐level patterns that can inform wildlife monitoring and enforcement while highlighting the need to consider species availability, market access and other unmeasured factors when interpreting price differences. Because this study did not measure population abundance, hunting effort, consumer demand, or disease transmission, the findings should be interpreted as associations observed within the surveyed markets rather than estimates of population‐level impacts or causal effects.

Understanding local perceptions of wildlife and conservation is essential for effective biodiversity management, particularly in human‐modified landscapes such as Bénoué National Park (BNP) in Cameroon. This study examines how socio‐demographic characteristics influence community knowledge, perceptions and engagement in conservation, with a specific focus on the Eastern Derby eland ( Taurotragus derbianus gigas ) classified as Vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List. Semi‐structured questionnaire surveys were administered to 203 respondents from six villages, selected using snowball sampling. Multivariate analyses, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Principal Coordinates of Neighbour Matrices (PCNM), were used to assess the influence of socio‐demographic and spatial factors on conservation perceptions. The results revealed clear socio‐demographic gradients associated with age, education level, occupation, marital status and religion. Older respondents and individuals from larger households demonstrated deeper ecological knowledge, shaped by traditional land‐use practices and a strong reliance on natural resources. Farmers and temporary workers expressed positive attitudes towards Eastern Derby eland conservation, whereas students and administrative staff tended to hold more negative perceptions. Although formal education was negatively correlated with traditional ecological knowledge, respondents without formal schooling exhibited a strong place‐based understanding of the local environment. Overall, respondents expressed mixed but generally positive perceptions of conservation, acknowledging the benefits of the park while highlighting weak law enforcement and ongoing wildlife decline. Although most respondents were familiar with the Eastern Derby eland and reported frequent sightings, 87% perceived a decline in its population, attributing this trend primarily to poaching and habitat degradation. Spatial variation in perceptions was also evident among villages. These findings underscore the importance of integrating local ecological knowledge and socio‐economic contexts into conservation planning. Strengthening participatory governance, improving benefit‐sharing mechanisms and tailoring environmental education programs are crucial for aligning conservation objectives with community well‐being in BNP.

Bénoué National Park in Northern Cameroon represents one of the last remaining strongholds for large savannah mammals in the Sudano Sahelian zone of West‐Central Africa, yet intensifying anthropogenic pressures threaten its ecological integrity. Despite its conservation importance, spatial drivers of mammal assemblages in the park remain poorly quantified. We conducted dry‐season guided reconnaissance surveys from 20 systematically distributed sampling points covering 43% of the park. A total of 528 detections (58% direct sightings, 42% indirect signs) were recorded, representing 20 medium and large size mammal species across four taxonomic orders. Species diversity, calculated using presence‐based metrics, was highest in peripheral zones where habitat heterogeneity was greater but where human activities were also more prevalent. Using variation partitioning based on principal coordinates of neighbour matrices (PCNM), we quantified the relative contributions of environmental and spatial predictors to mammal community structure. Habitat characteristics explained 64.4% of variation, spatial predictors 17.9% and their shared fraction 17.1%, demonstrating a strong interaction between environmental gradients and spatial configuration. Vegetation structure, NDVI and distance from settlements emerged as key determinants of species distribution. Vulnerable species, including Giant eland ( Taurotragus derbianus ) and Giraffe ( Giraffa camelopardalis ), were predominantly associated with structurally complex habitats distant from human settlements, whereas several widespread species occurred more frequently in open and human‐influenced areas. Our findings reveal a spatial overlap between biodiversity concentrations and anthropogenic pressure in park peripheries, highlighting the urgent need for targeted protection of structurally complex habitats and reinforced law enforcement in edge zones. These results provide an empirical basis for adaptive, spatially explicit conservation planning in Sudano–Sahelian protected areas.

This study investigates the drivers of mammalian functional diversity in Benoué National Park, Cameroon, focusing on the relative roles of environmental filtering, spatial structure, and plant–animal interactions. Using trait‐based approaches, we partitioned the effect of local environmental variables (plant species or land use) and spatial predictors on mammalian functional traits' structure. Based on the first analysis, the presence of tree species as environmental variables highlighted the dual role of vegetation structure as well as the importance of the spatial pattern. Key plant species such as Burkea africana , Gardenia aqualla , and Annona senegalensis were significantly associated with specific functional traits (carnivores, herbivores, and migratory species). According to the second analysis, with land use proportions as environmental variables, the results highlighted strong trait–environment correlations, particularly in response to anthropogenic disturbance and habitat heterogeneity. Species less frequently observed in areas affected by human activities included Lion Panthera leo , Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis , and Giant eland Taurotragus derbianus gigas . On the other hand, some species did not avoid the areas with increased human activity (Kob Kobus kob or Olive baboon Papio anubis ). Conservation strategies should integrate vegetation management, landscape‐scale planning, and spatial connectivity to preserve both taxonomic and functional diversity. Our study emphasizes the ecological importance of plant–mammal interactions in tropical savannah.

Illegal bushmeat trade is a significant driver of the decline in wildlife populations within the tropics. Despite the intense trade of bushmeat in Cameroon, there is dearth or no official statistics on the kind of animals sold in the markets in most parts of Cameroon. To abridge this knowledge gap, an inventory of wild animals sold in local markets was carried out. The animal taxa sold within the markets were identified, and their abundance, class diversity and conservation status according to the IUCN Red List of threatened species and Cameroon wildlife classification were assessed. Semi‐structured questionnaires were randomly administered to 200 traders randomly selected in 16 markets. Multivariate analyses were used to compare the proportions of sold taxa among the markets and the proportions of taxa based on their conservation status. Results were summarized as shown below: (1) 476 individuals of animals were recorded, covering 47 taxa, 41 genera, 33 families, 18 orders and 3 classes from bushmeat vendors. (2) Mammals dominated the trade in all markets (by a mean of 74.3% per market), followed by reptiles (16.1%) and birds (9.5%) in terms of both abundance and diversity. (3) Cane rats (Thryonomyidae) and primates (Cercopithecidae) represented the highest proportions of animal specimens recorded. (4) The diversity of mammals sold was highest in Foumbot, followed by Bangangte, Bafousam and Bangoua as the main local markets, and lowest mammalian diversity was found in Batcham and Baham village markets. (5) The most often traded animal species belonged to the least concern category, followed by vulnerable, near threatened, endangered, and critically endangered. In general, we observed that less protected species by the IUCN Red List and Cameroon wildlife classification were often found in village markets and species with higher conservation value were often sold in city markets. Similarly, the main markets hosted the highest diversity of sold animals, especially mammals. The size of the human settlement together with its location nearby protected area and/or placement of the market by the main road are the main drivers determining numbers and diversity of sold animals, and further attention to government conservation activities should be focused on these markets.

The distribution of birds in the tropical mountains is important not only for testing fundamental scientific hypotheses, but also for bird conservation. In order to obtain knowledge on bird community structure within the tropical highland ecosystem, we used ground-to-canopy mist nets to assess bird species distribution along a vertical ground-to-canopy gradient for two elevational bands on Mount Cameroon. The study area included lowland forest (Drink Garri, 650 m a.s.l.) and montane forest (Mann’s Spring, 2200 m a.s.l.). We mist netted a total of 2658 individuals, including recaptures, belonging to 118 species from 50 genera. NLAG (net location above the ground), vegetation cover and locality significantly affected the bird communities. The composition of avian communities strongly differed between the two elevational bands. Species diversity considerably decreased with NLAG in both localities and increased with increased vegetation cover at the low elevation site. Species dietary guilds were significantly influenced by the seasonality, elevation, NLAG and vegetation cover. For most of the feeding guilds included in the study (frugivores, omnivores, insectivores, granivores and nectarivores), we found a negative correlation between the abundances and vegetation cover. Meanwhile, percentages of abundance of frugivores, nectarivores and omnivores showed a positive correlation with NLAG. We discuss the substantial changes in feeding guild structure along a vertical gradient and between two elevational bands. In conclusion, Mount Cameroon’s forest vegetation structure differs between two elevational bands and along vertical gradients from ground to canopy, considerably affecting the bird community structure.

Most of the tropical rainforests are subject to both anthropogenic and natural disturbances. Forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) cause forest clearings within the tropics. This study was conducted at mid-elevations (1100–1700 m a.s.l.) in Mount Cameroon National Park. We assessed the difference in the structure of bird communities in the forest and areas located nearby affected by elephant activities. We used the point-count method; 22 points were established within each habitat. The vegetation was visually estimated within a 50 m radius surrounding each counting point. In total, 1603 birds from 85 species were recorded. The vegetation cover from 3 to 5 m at points with elephant activity was significantly lower compared to points without elephant activity. Bird species richness was significantly higher around points in pasture compared to points in intact forest. Habitat type and the percentage of vegetation layer from 3 to 5 m significantly impacted the bird community structure. The points in the pasture were especially characterized by the increased abundance of some open habitat species (e.g., Chubb’s Cisticola chubbi). Few studies have documented the effects of elephant activity on other species, although the effects are widely stated as important drivers of habitat diversity in tropical forests. In conclusion, disturbance caused by elephants leads to increased bird community diversity due to the increased heterogeneity of the environment, which documents the high importance of elephants as ecosystem engineers.

Avian ecology and behaviour data provides crucial information for bird conservation and management, but are still missing for many species, particularly in developing countries. This study examines habitat utilisation, nesting behaviour, anthropogenic disturbances and impacts on agricultural crops of Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus and Vieillot’s Black Weaver Ploceus nigerrimus in Mbalmayo District, Cameroon. Abundance was estimated by nest counts and point counts of birds at 40 previously located colonies, where also tree metrics and anthropogenic disturbances were measured. In total, more than 1 700 birds of the two species were estimated within a 9 km2 study area, divided into two blocks and five different habitat types. Village Weavers were generally more abundant, especially in the urban habitat, whereas Vieillot’s Black Weavers were most numerous in the rural habitat. Among the tree species used for nesting, mango Mangifera indica and African border tree Newbouldia laevis had the highest nest coun... L’utilisation de l’habitat et le comportement de nidification de deux sympatrique Tisserins dans le district de Mbalmayo, au CameroonLes données concernant l’écologie et le comportement des oiseaux fournissent de cruciales informations pour la gestion et la conservation des oiseaux. Cependant, elles sont toujours absentes pour de nombreuses espèces, en particulier dans les pays en développement. Cette étude examine l’utilisation de l’habitat, le comportement de nidification, les perturbations anthropique ainsi que les impacts sur les cultures agricoles, des Tisserins Gendarmes Ploceus cucullatus et des Tisserins Noir Ploceus nigerrimus au sein du district Mbalmayo, au Cameroon. L’abondance a été estimée par le dénombrement de nid ainsi que le recensement des oiseaux à 40 emplacements où des colonies ont été précédemment localisées et où l’on a également relevé les mesures des arbres ainsi que des perturbations anthropique. Au total, le nombre d’oiseaux de ces deux espèces, vivant dans l’espace étudié, est...

Challenges and conservation implications of the parrot trade in Cameroon

The study was initiated to gather data on nest preferences of the Grey Parrot in Cameroon. Knowledge on nesting preferences of the parrot can be implemented in the field and captivity to improve on the breeding of Grey Parrots. The Kom National Park-Mengame Gorilla Sanctuary complex was chosen as a representative site in the country. A total of 40 sample plots of size 200 m x 200 m were randomly established and distributed to represent major vegetation types in the area. Line transects were established in each sample plot and data on nest characteristics were collected along them. Results revealed that nests were found in 14 tree species belonging to 12 families with high preferences for Terminalia superba (84%). Nest density varied between 0.23 to 0.45 nests/ha in various vegetation types and the highest density was recorded in the secondary forest. Nests entrance varied with a mean length of 13.2 ± 6.0 cm and a majority of them were rounded (85.42%) in shape. Nest concealment varied with tree height, 35.4 ± 6.1 m); trunk diameter, 90.8 ± 23,6 cm; height of nest from the ground 22.1 ± 6.4 m and canopy diameter,18.0 ± 6.1 m. Most nests of Grey Parrots were found in secondary forest (32.72%). The Grey Parrots tolerated degraded vegetation with suitable nests in nearby villages and were not, threatened through hunting and poaching activities from villagers. It strongly recommended that, villagers should learn to co-habitat with the Grey Parrot in their villages to enhance long-term survival of the bird species in the wild. Key words: Grey Parrot, Psittacus erithacus, grey parrot nest, nest site, nest characteristics, parrot conservation.