TITLE:
Anthropogenic Impact on Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) Habitat Use: Case Study: Douala-Edea National Park, Littoral-Cameroon
AUTHORS:
Sime Tchuenche Winny Laeticia, Mvo Denis Chuo, Jean Pascal Koh Dimbot, Dief Danael Gatchou Koukeu, Theodore B. Mayaka
KEYWORDS:
Chimpanzees, Anthropogenic Impact, Habitat Preferences, Douala-Edéa National Park, Poaching Pressure, Community-Based Conservation
JOURNAL NAME:
Natural Resources,
Vol.17 No.9,
September
23,
2026
ABSTRACT: Anthropogenic activities increasingly threaten the ecological integrity of tropical forests and the survival of great apes. Understanding how these pressures influence chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) habitat use is therefore essential for effective conservation planning in coastal Cameroon. This study investigates the impact of human disturbance on chimpanzee habitat use in the Douala-Edéa National Park (DENP). Field surveys were conducted using reconnaissance-transects, during which chimpanzee signs (nests, feeding traces, vocalizations) and anthropogenic indicators (snares, farms, logging, settlements) were systematically recorded and georeferenced. Habitat types were classified according to vegetation structure and canopy cover. Data analysis involved calculating encounter rates of chimpanzee and anthropogenic signs in Microsoft Excel (2013), while Kendall’s rank correlation in R (version 4.1.0) was used to assess the relationship between chimpanzee presence indices and altitude gradients. Georeferenced maps were produced using QGIS (version 3.20) and Landsat 8 - 9 OLI/TIRS imagery. Results indicate that chimpanzee signs were more frequent in undisturbed forest patches (liana and primary forests) characterized by high canopy cover and greater food availability. Hunting pressure and habitat fragmentation emerged as the most critical threats, reducing access to key feeding and nesting sites. Although the sample size was relatively small, the findings suggest that human activity intensity negatively influences chimpanzee habitat use. This study provides baseline evidence to inform adaptive management strategies aimed at mitigating anthropogenic impacts, thereby supporting the longterm persistence of chimpanzee populations and the ecosystem services they sustain in Douala-Edéa National Park.