Sightings of Red Colobus monkeys and encounters with Elephants increase
Increased wildlife sightings
There is anecdotal evidence in Korup that, since the outset of the socio-political crisis in our country, the population of Red Colobus monkey (Piliocolobus preussi) may have significantly increased. This may also hold true for the African forest Elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) as community members have reported numerous encounters close to Mundemba town and villages.
Sightings of the endemic, critically endangered and IUCN Red-listed R. colobus have been made in Ngenye, Mufako, and around Mana foot-bridge in the southern section of the park. Encounters with groups of 2 - 5 elephants have also been reported on Fabe Road and near to the former Korup Project Office in Mundemba (the main town in the area).
Possible reasons for increased sightings
The reasons for the increased sightings will be investigated. However, the hazard of carrying guns for hunting has dramatically increased following the crisis, as hunters stand the risk of being mistaken for armed non-state actors. The theory that the increase in R. colobus may be due to reduction in predators like Chimps and Drills has also been floated, but this is unlikely as these primates are often hunted with guns, although trapping is common.
The increased encounters with elephants is less open to conjecture, although it is also possible that absolute populations may have increased as no credible inventory has been carried-out for some time now. The incidence of marauding elephants has also been widely reported in the Mount Cameroon area, although that has been attributed to obstructions to their migratory routes caused by solidified lava.
The renewed importance of Korup
Although no wildlife inventory is foreseen in the immediate future due to the crisis, the primary vocation of park management remains protection and maintaining the integrity of the resource - especially for a park like Korup. Korup was the first rainforest national park created in Cameroon and the first case of full-blown integrated conservation and development.
It should also be noted that in July this year, 2023 Korup became a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve and therefore, every effort should be made to protect and secure this unique heritage for people, biodiversity conservation and posterity.
Supporting a renewed Korup national park
In addition to continuing state support through the PSMNR SWR, plans are underway by independent experts to use non-intrusive, community-based approaches to better monitor group sizes, the distribution, feeding and habitats of R. colobus.
To ensure a bounce-back, Korup should borrow a leaf from the Lobeke National Park in the domain of inter-sectorial collaboration, especially to provide security to eco-guards for critical park management and law enforcement activities. In Lobeke, eco-guard patrols are systematically supported by elements of the national army. This practice was adopted in Lobeke, as an added security measure following the fear of spillover of the civil conflict into Cameroon from neighboring Central Africa Republic. Such measures are therefore urgently required in Korup given the ongoing crisis.
Need for a sustainable financing mechanism for Korup.
Increased security will require increased financial resources. It is no secret that, since its heydays of1993 thanks to EU and other funding sources such as WWF, GTZ, ODA, US DoD, etc, supplementing Government, Korup is today critically underfunded . In the case of the Lobeke National Park, thanks to the TRI National Sangha Foundation (FTNS) and MINFOF, financial resources to support collaboration with the army to provide added security for eco-guards is provided through the FTNS - secretariat. The FTNS is one of only two Conservation Trust Funds (CTF) in Cameroon and its financial resources have been critical to the conservation of Lobeke, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Is support by the army for conservation controversial?
Support of eco-guards by the national army may appear controversial on paper. However, Safeguards Frameworks by some of the world's leading international conservation organizations actually endorse support by the regular army for conservation and provides clear guidelines that can be followed to achieve best results for conservation, security and human rights.
For more information on this subject and on Korup contact us at www.moneytreeslight.com
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