Influence of Traditional Beliefs on the Conservation of Pan troglodytes ellioti: Case Study, Kimbi-Fungom National Park and Kom-Wum Forest Reserve, NW Region, Cameroon

The influence of traditional beliefs associated to the conservation of Pan troglodytes ellioti in the Kimbi-Fungom National Park and Kom-Wum Forest Reserve (K-WFR), NW Region of Cameroon, was undertaken to explore respondent’s knowledge of chimpanzee and investigate their awareness of, and attitudes toward, traditional beliefs, taboos and cultural laws associated with them. To investigate the power and influence of traditional beliefs and practices on the conservation of Pan troglodytes ellioti in the study areas. Methodology of study involves the use of intervieweradministered questionnaire survey, personal interview, group discussion and through simple observations. From the result, (99%) of respondents were aware of the presence of chimpanzee. An overall, 69 % of respondents “agreed” that “there exist traditional beliefs relating to Pan troglodytes ellioti. More than half (55%) of the respondents were aware of the existence of taboos that prohibit the hunting and eating of chimpanzee in their villages. Less than half of the interviewees 43% reported that they are hunters who still hunt chimpanzees but in hidings. Increasing population, high poverty rate and modern hunting equipments, likewise, the introduction of new cultural practices that demands the used of chimpanzee’s body part/meat for rituals/medicinal remains greater threat to chimpanzee in the study areas. As such, traditional beliefs, taboos/cultural laws both old and new should be revive and encourage through traditional council and effective social organizations as valuable conservation tool for the remaining Pan troglodytes ellioti in the study areas. Keywords— Traditional beliefs, conservation, Pan troglodyte ellioti, K-FNP, K-WFR.