Status of diurnal primate populations at the former settlement of a displaced village in Cameroon

Abstract

To understand whether or not primate populations recover in areas of abandoned human settlements, data are required that allow for site-specific comparison over time. Here, we present baseline information on the presence/absence and relative abundance of primate species at the abandoned settlement of the Ekundukundu village, relocated out of the Korup National Park in 2000. Between July 2007 and March 2008, 62 km of transects was surveyed for sightings and calls of primates. All eight species of diurnal primates reported in the KNP were confirmed: Cercopithecus nictitans ludio, C. mona, C. erythrotis camerunensis, C. pogonias, Procolobus pennantii preussi, Cercocebus torquatus, Mandrillus leucophaeus leucophaeus, and Pan troglodytes vellerosus. At old Ekundukundu, C. nictitans accounted for 65% of all primate group sightings. Overall, sighting frequency of primates (0.55 groups/km) was not significantly different from other park sectors surveyed by a previous observer (J. Linder) in 2004-2005. The data reported here will be useful in the long-term monitoring of primate populations in regenerating forest habitats of earlier human settlements.