Increased human activities such as commodity-led deforestation, extension of agriculture, urbanization, and wildfires are major drivers of forest loss worldwide. In Cameroon, these activities cause a loss of suitable primate habitat and could ultimately threaten the survival of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). We derived independent estimates of the population size of the Endangered Nigeria–Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) in Kom-Wum Forest Reserve, Cameroon, and surrounding unprotected forest areas through 1) direct observations, 2) camera trapping, 3) distance sampling, 4) marked nest counts, and 5) standing crop nest counts. In addition, we georeferenced signs of chimpanzee and human activity along line transects. We used a generalized linear mixed model to predict the occurrence of chimpanzees in response to edge length (measured as the perimeter of core forest patches), core area of forest patches (measured as area of forest patches beyond an edge width of 100 m), habitat perforation (measured as the perimeter of nonforested landscape within core forest patches), patch size(measured as area of forest patches), and forest cover. Chimpanzee density estimates ranged from 0.1 (direct observation) to 0.9 (distance sampling) individuals km⁻² depending on estimation method with a mean nest group size of 7 ± 5.4 (SD). The mean encounter rate for signs of chimpanzee activity was significantly higher in mature forests (2.3 signs km⁻¹) than in secondary forests (0.3 signs km⁻¹) and above 1000 m elevation (4.0 signs km⁻¹) than below 1000 m (1.0 signs km⁻¹). The mean encounter rate for signs of human activity was significantly higher in secondary (8.0 signs km⁻¹) than in mature forests (0.9 signs km⁻¹). Secondary forests, habitat perforation, and edge length had a significant negative effect on the occurrence of chimpanzee signs. Overall, human activity and forest degradation affected the number of observed chimpanzee signs negatively. Regular antipoaching patrols and reforestation programs in degraded areas could potentially reduce threats to populations of endangered species and may increase suitable habitat area.

以人类为主导的森林砍伐，农业扩张，城市化和野火等人类活动的增加是造成全球森林损失的主要驱动力。在喀麦隆，这些活动导致丧失合适的灵长类动物栖息地，并最终威胁到黑猩猩（Pan troglodytes）的生存。我们得出了濒临灭绝的尼日利亚-喀麦隆黑猩猩（Pan troglodytes ellioti）通过1）直接观察，2）相机诱捕，3）距离采样，4）带标记的巢数和5）站立的作物巢数，在喀麦隆的Kom-Wum森林保护区及周围的未保护森林地区。此外，我们沿线样面对黑猩猩和人类活动的迹象进行了地理定位。我们使用广义线性混合模型来预测黑猩猩对边长（以核心森林斑块的周长度量），林地核心区域（以边长超过100 m的森林斑块面积为度量）的响应，生境穿孔（以核心森林斑块内非森林景观的周长度量），斑块大小（以森林斑块面积为度量）和森林覆盖率。黑猩猩的密度估计值范围从0.1（直接观察）到0.9（距离采样）个人km⁻²取决于估计方法，平均嵌套组大小为7±5.4（SD）。在成熟的森林中，黑猩猩活动迹象的平均遭遇率（2.3个迹象km ^-1）比在次生森林中（0.3个迹象km ^-1）要高，而海拔1000 m以上（4.0个迹象km ^-1）要高于1000 m以下（ 1.0个符号km ^-1）。次生人类活动迹象的平均遭遇率（8.0迹象公里^-1）显着高于成熟森林（0.9迹象公里^-1））。次生林，生境穿孔和边长对黑猩猩体征的发生具有显着的负面影响。总体而言，人类活动和森林退化对观察到的黑猩猩体征产生了负面影响。在退化地区定期进行反偷猎巡逻和重新造林计划可能会减少对濒危物种种群的威胁，并可能增加适当的栖息地面积。