changes in game harvest composition, southeastern cameroon: a potential indicator of overhunting for...

Hirokazu YASUOKA (Hosei University, Japan)

Kadiri S. Bobo & Towa O. W. Kamgaing (University of Dchang, Cameroon)

ATBC 2014 (21 JUL 2014)

Changes in game harvest composition, southeastern Cameroon: A potential indicator of overhunting for local people

Bounba-Bek NP Nki NP

Lobeke NP

Logging in southeastern Cameroon

Cameroon

Snare hunting

Bay duiker Peter’s duiker

Black-fronted duiker White-bellied duiker

Yellow-backed duiker Blue duiker

National Parks

Cameroon

Main Road

100 km

Yokadouma

Moloundou

Nki NP Bouma-Bek

NP

2nd Road

Lobéké NP

Should the regulations be enforced immediately?

Non-traditional (non-plant) implements are prohibited even outside of protected areas.

Hunting regulations in Cameroon

No. Approaches to hunting emerge from historical, cultural, and ecological contexts. If the regulations are enforced immediately, it will affect not only hunting but also activities that share a common contexts. This will certainly make earning a livelihood more difficult (Yasuoka, in press). Therefore, it is better to integrate hunting practices into a wildlife management.

Zoulabot Ancien

Intensive ethnographical stusy site (2001−)

Baka : 150 Bantu : 20

Main Road

100 km

Yokadouma

Moloundou

2nd Road

Nki NP Bouma-Bek

NP

Study sites

Lobéké NP

Baka Pygmy Bantu

Main Road

100 km

Yokadouma

Moloundou

Nki NP Bouma-Bek

NP

2nd Road

CHZ 14

CHZ 13

700

1750

150

4350

Baka (Pygmy)

Others (Bantu)

Total: 6100

Total: 850

Baka (Pygmy)

Others (Bantu)

People in CHZ 13

People in CHZ 14

Community hunting zones (CHZs 13 & 14)

Lobéké NP

Main Road

100 km

Yokadouma

Moloundou

Nki NP Bouma-Bek

NP

2nd Road

CHZ 14

CHZ 13

Lobéké NP

Census of large- and medium-sized mammals

Compositions of blue and red duikers in harvests with snares

Nki NP (2003)

574

175 37

Nki NP

Bouma-Bek NP

CHZ 14

CHZ 13

Lobéké NP Red duikers

Blue duiker Others

Nki NP

Bouma-Bek NP

CHZ 14

CHZ 13

Nki NP (2003)

Nki NP (2012)

574

175 37

32

13 18

Lobéké NP

Compositions of blue and red duikers in harvests with snares

Nki NP

Bouma-Bek NP

CHZ 14

CHZ 13

Nki NP (2003)

Nki NP (2012)

574

175 37

32

13 18

CHZ 14 (2012)

CHZ 13 (2012)

13

29 47

9

44 33

Lobéké NP

Compositions of blue and red duikers in harvests with snares

Nki NP

B-B NP

CHZ 14

CHZ 13

Lobéké NP

11.0

3.7

Ekobo (1998)

6.3

0.1

Ekobo (1998)

2.3

Compositions of blue and red duikers in densities (ind/km2)

10.0

2.3

Ekobo (1998)

Nki NP

B-B NP

CHZ 14

CHZ 13

Lobéké NP

11.0

3.7

Ekobo (1998)

6.3

0.1

Ekobo (1998)

6.8

2.8

Nzooh (2006)

11.2 10.6

2.3

Bene & Nzooh (2005)

10.0

2.3 Compositions of blue and red duikers in densities (ind/km2)

Ekobo (1998)

Nki NP

B-B NP

CHZ 14

CHZ 13

Lobéké NP

11.0

3.7

Ekobo (1998)

6.3

0.1

Ekobo (1998)

6.8

2.8

Nzooh (2006)

11.2 10.6

7.2 4.9

2012 2012

2.3 1.6

Bene & Nzooh (2005)

10.0

2.3

Ekobo (1998)

33

18

47

486

35

7.2 4.9

2.3 1.6

6.8

2.8

6.3

0.1

9

32

13

Blue duiker vs Red duikers Catch

Nki NP (2012)

CHZ14 (2012)

CHZ13 (2012)

Nki NP (2003)

B/R ratio

>

Density

CHZ14 (2012)

CHZ13 (2012)

Nki NP (Ekobo 1998)

Nki NP (Nzooh et al 2006)

Summary

1. Originally, red duikers’ density was higher than blue duiker’s in SE Cameroon.

2. Under high hunting pressure, B/R both in catch and in density increased.

3. B/R in catch increased much more.

Red duikers (15-20 kg)

Blue duiker (4-5 kg)

Density

Time

Decline of densities of blue and red duikers under high hunting pressure

Catch

Time

Decline of catches of blue and red duikers under high hunting pressure

Red duikers

Blue duiker

1. Snares were set within areas where the density of red duikers was lower (e.g. around villages).

2. The main target of snaring has shifted to blue duiker.

Why has B/R in catch increased much more than B/R in density?

Possibly because…

How did the people react to the decline of duiker densities?

Red duikers decreased.

Finer wires were used for snares, and number of wires increased.

The target shifted to blue duiker, and B/R in catch increased.

B/R in catch…

… is obtained in daily activities of hunters without additional efforts (cf. density, capture rate, hunting area).

… provides a common ground that mediates ecological and indigenous knowledges.

… may detect the overhunting before it severely affects populations of duiker in a larger area.

B/R in catch as an indicator to monitor overhunting

Hunters Ecologists 2. Find the reasons:

why does B/R change?

3. Discuss the management: how to use B/R.

1. Confirm and share the fact: B/R increased.

B/R in catch as an indicator to monitor overhunting

Acknowledgements

Field research was supported by JICA/JST-SATREPS and JSPS-KAKENHI, Japan.

Attending ATBC 2014 was supported

by CIFOR.