When the local meets the global: models and challenges of primate conservation in the Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, Togo

Résumé

Protected areas are created to serve two major objectives, which include the securing of ecosystem services and the conservation of biodiversity. However, the status of primates around the Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, which is the last refuge for threatened primates in Togo, is a call for concern. Using a questionnaire survey with a semi-structured interview protocol, this study examines primate diversity and its relationship with surrounding communities. Of the 12 primate species identified through community interviews, Erythrocebus patas was the most frequently cited (23.18% of citations), followed by Cercopithecus mona (14.29%). The species assemblage included the endangered Colobus vellerosus and the locally extinct or extremely rare Pan troglodytes verus . Analysis of human-primate relationships revealed that local communities utilize primates primarily as a food source (45.45% of respondents), for cultural representations (31.82%), and for religious purposes (18.18%) (percentages calculated from multiple-response questionnaires). The study also found three endogenous primate conservation and management principles that focus on the control of crop destruction and adherence to local cultural and religious norms. Due to this complex relationship between local populations and primates, it is necessary to adapt integrated approaches that combine monitoring efforts, awareness campaigns, law enforcement, and ecotourism development while prioritizing primate conservation and ecosystem functions.

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