Inventory of large and medium-sized mammals in south-western Cameroon

The results of an inventory of large and medium-sized mammals in the Campo and Ma'an Forests in southwestern Cameroon are presented. In 24 months between 1997 and 2000, observations of live animals, tracks, faeces and night nests of apes were recorded on a total of 665.5 km of line transects. The presence of 33 species, including 12 diurnal and three nocturnal primate species, eight ungulates and five carnivores, was confirmed. Hunters confirmed the occurrence of 15 additional species. In the Campo Forest, the species diversity and density of most mammals were higher than in the Ma'an Forest, although a large part of the Campo Forest has been logged. Only three guenon species and chimpanzees were found at the same or even higher densities in the as yet unlogged Ma'an Forest. Gorillas, elephants, buffaloes and mangabeys were extremely rare in the Ma'an Forest. High hunting pressure in the Ma'an Forest seems to have led to a drastic population decline for most species. In the Campo Forest, mammal densities were lower in the northern and western parts of the area subjected to high levels of habitat destruction by logging and hunting than in the less exploited southern and eastern areas of the logging concession and within the National Park.