ESTIMATED MIMINUM AND MAXIMUM SUSTAINABLE EXPLIOTATION 

 VALUES FOR DERBY ELAND AND OTHER BIG GAME IN BENOUE 



NATIONAL PARK CAMEROON 



Tsi Evaristus Angwafo, Ajaga Nji, Mpoame Mbida and Gehard Wiegleb" 



Summary 



Bio-indicators (density, encounter rate and abundance rate) and monetary valuation were used to 

 determine quantitative and qualitative information of Derby Eland (Taurotragus derbianus gigas) and 

 other big games in the Benoué National Park (BNP) in Cameroon. This information is needed in the 

 design of useful proposals to safeguard and sustain the Derby Eland for conservation and management. 

 Dry season inventory was carried out using the line transect method and direct and indirect 

 observations. The density of Derby Eland was 0.85 animals/ hn in BNP. The total biomass of the 

 animals (big games), percentage contribution of the Derby Eland and the biomass per hectare for Derby 

 Eland is 22860 kg, 6. 65% and 12.7 kg/ha in BNP. The estimated value of Derby Eland in monetary terms 

 was US $ 10 7590. 95 in BNP. Big games particularly species of major interest to tourist are still present 

 in BNP with great financial potential even though appropriate action needs to be taken at the legal, 

 ecological, economic and social levels to safeguard sustainability of resources. 



Keywords 



Bio-indicators, Derby Eland, Big games, Threshold values 



INTRODUCTION 



Protected areas like the Benoué National Park (BNP) in Cameroon with its available big games can aid 

 the consumptive utilization (protein source and socio-culturally), sustainable tourism (sport hunting, 

 game watching, and trophies), and contributes immensely to the economy of the country at the 

 community and national levels. Exploitation of these animals therefore needs to be sustainable and 

 requires adequate survey information 



Despite the fact that the concept of sustainable use and incentive-based conservation were promoted by 

 International Union for the Conservation of Nature (lUCN) and many other organizations, there is a lack 

 of detailed quantitative information on Derby Eland and other big games in the Benoué National Parks 

 Cameroon. The objective of this study is threefold: (i) to identify and quantify the Derby Eland and other 

 big games found in Benoué National Park; (ii) to determine their financial potential vis a vis tourism; and 

 (iii) to establish the maximum and minimum exploitation values for these big games. 



STUDYAREA 



Benoué National Park (longitudel3° 34'-14° Ol'and 7° 55'-8° 55') has a surface area of 18km', and lies in 

 the savannah belt. BNP was created by the decision order No 1 20 of 5'" November 1 968 by the Secretary 

 of State for Rural Development of the Republic of Cameroon. It was formally a game reserve created by 

 decision orders No 35 1 of 1 8th November, 1 932 by the French Commissioner in Cameroon. Benoué was 

 designated a biosphere reserve by the department for ecological sciences of UNESCO in 1981 

 (UNESCO, 1989). 



Department of Forestry , Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences , University of Dschang, 

 Cameroon. P. O. Box 222 Dschang, Tel: (+237) 74 52 94 12 . E-mail: tsievaristus@yahoo.co.nz 



Department of Rural Sociology, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, 

 Cameroon. P. O. Box 222 Dschang, Tel: (+237) 96 29 93 32. E -mail: ajaganji@yahoo.com 



Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Cameroon . 

 P. O. Box 222 Dschang, Tel: (+237) 96 29 93 36. E -mail:mpoambida@yahoo.fr 



Chair of General Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Resource Management, Brandenburg University of 

 Technology. Postfach 101344, 03013 Cottbus, Germany. Tel: (+49) 355 69 2291. Fax : (+49) 355 69 2225 

 E-mail: wiegleb(^tu -cottbus.de 



Nature & Faune Vol. 23, Issue 1 27 



