Distribution, status and conservation of primates in Monte Alen National Park, Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea has a new network of protected areas, but only Monte Alen National Park has any effective protection. As a contribution to the knowledge of this area, a survey of primate populations teas carried out during it 7-month period in 1994. The results showed that there is a high primate diversity (15-16 distinct. species) in Monte Alen. The three most commonly sighted monkey species were Cercopithecus nictitans (35.9-40.8 per cent of sightings), Cercopithecus cephus (28.9-43.5 per cent) and Cercopithecus pogonias (17.4-22.4 per cent). Mean distance covered to find any group of these guenons varied from 1.1 km in open primary forest to 2.7 km in dense primary forest. Gorilla nests were more abundant in secondary forest near villages (5.15 nests/km), while chimpanzee nests were mostly found in primary forest (5.35 nests/km). Hunting pressure appeals to be low but shifting agriculture has a significant impact on the conservation of the area. The degree of threat varies between species. Alternatives for better management of the area, such as educational programmes and sustainable use of natural resources, are suggested.