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Fuelwood Gathering Was the Most Frequently Reported Encroachment Pressure in Cameroon Hippo Habitat

Common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) in Bénoué National Park, Cameroon
Conservation · Threats

A 2026 study in Mbam et Djerem National Park, Cameroon, examined how human encroachment is associated with vegetation quality and habitat conditions used by the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius). The researchers combined field observations, botanical surveys and interviews with local communities, park rangers and conservation personnel.

Fuelwood gathering accounted for half of reported pressures

The park lies in a transition zone between forest and savanna in central Cameroon and contains rivers, wetlands and grasslands used by hippos. The study recorded several forms of human activity affecting these habitats. Fuelwood gathering was the most frequently reported encroachment pressure, accounting for 50% of the recorded threats, followed by poaching at 38% and crop farming at 12%.

Vegetation quality was linked to habitat and hippo behaviour

The researchers found statistical associations between vegetation quality and several habitat variables, including hippo habitat, river-water quality and animal behaviour. Human encroachment was also associated with food resources and hippo behaviour. The authors interpret these patterns as evidence that pressure on riparian vegetation and other habitat components can affect the quality of areas available to hippos.

Field observations were used to record hippopotamus activity at different times of day, while questionnaires and interviews provided information on land use and local perceptions. The researchers argue that loss or degradation of vegetation along rivers can reduce forage and weaken the buffer that riparian vegetation provides against erosion and runoff.

The authors conclude that conservation in Mbam et Djerem should address habitat pressure together with local socioeconomic needs. They highlight land-use management, protection of riverbank vegetation and measures that reduce unsustainable resource extraction as important parts of maintaining suitable hippo habitat.

Sources and image credit

  1. Maurice, M. E., Ayamba, A. J., Akuh, E. B., Ebong, N. E., Nadine, E. K., Rebecca, Y. B. D., Tendong, E. T., Ngole, E. C., Godswill, A., & Mbi, M. A. (2026). The impact of human encroachment in the habitat of hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious) in Mbam et Djerem National Park, Cameroon. International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, 11(1), 35–43. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20261101.14

Image: Ndijose / Wikimedia Commons — common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) in Bénoué National Park, Cameroon, photographed 13 July 2017; representative Cameroon photograph, not from the Mbam et Djerem study · CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ · Source

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