Central chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) and western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) populations are declining; the majority live in non-protected areas. In the Dja landscape (southeast Cameroon), great apes are vulnerable to extinction through habitat loss and poaching. Projet Grands Singes (PGS) of Antwerp Zoo invests in great ape research and conservation just outside the Dja with an aim to understanding the drivers of great ape abundance and of maintaining their coexistence with people.
Research questions: What trends in great ape abundance do we see between 2001 and 2016? Can we explain these trends? What does this mean for PGS conservation efforts?