Assessing the Impact of Development Projects on Wildlife Abundance in Campo-Ma’an National Park, Southern Cameroon, from 2008 to 2020

The concentration of development projects near protected areas can undermine their conservation objectives. This study examines the impact of such projects on wildlife abundance in Campo-Ma'an National Park (CMNP). Information from the CMNP Conservation Department was analysed to investigate the link between development projects around the park and changes in wildlife populations, and analysis was conducted using statistical tools, including Excel 2020 and SPSS. Pearson's correlation coefficient was employed to assess the relationship between wildlife abundance indicators and the number of development projects surrounding the park. The findings reveal a significant decline in the abundance of key species, including elephants, great apes (such as gorillas and chimpanzees), and mandrills, over the past decade. Although a brief period of improvement was observed in the early 2010s, these gains were quickly reversed. Overall, the pattern shows that as development activities increased, wildlife numbers tended to decrease. These results underscore the urgent need for stricter regulation of development near the park and for comprehensive environmental and social impact assessments to be conducted before projects commencement. This process must receive greater attention from authorities and stakeholders to regulate activities around national parks and foster conservation efforts. Strengthening this oversight will help to maintain the park's ecological integrity and promote sustainable conservation.