Assessing Illegal Hunting Activities in and Around Deng-Deng National Park, East Region of Cameroon

Abstract

Protected areas in Central Africa face sustained hunting pressure that can affect wildlife populations, local livelihoods, and the functioning of forest ecosystems. This study assessed hunting practices and bushmeat distribution networks in and around Deng-Deng National Park (DDNP), Cameroon, using interviews with 146 respondents from 20 villages, conservation-service records, and spatial observations collected primarily during February-July 2023. Respondents reported subsistence and commercial hunting, with trapping included in 120 of 146 technique profiles (82.19%); firearm use and hunting with dogs were also reported. Survey-derived annualised harvest projections indicated that blue duiker, African brush-tailed porcupine, and bay duiker were among the most frequently reported taxa. Woutchaba ZIC was identified by respondents as the largest reported bushmeat supply basin, while road, rail, and water routes supported movement towards regional markets. Patrol records showed marked differences in several indicators between 2022 and 2023; however, because comparable patrol-effort and detectability metrics were not available, these differences are interpreted descriptively rather than as direct evidence of temporal change in underlying poaching intensity. The findings support strengthened effort-standardised monitoring, targeted protection of access corridors and hunting hotspots, participatory management, and livelihood alternatives that reduce dependence on illegal wildlife harvest.