EFFECTS OF ELEPHANT BROWSING ON THE VEGETATION IN KALAMALOUE-NATIONAL-PARK, CAMEROON

The Kalamaloue National Park was sampled by means of line transects to assess damage to trees caused by elephants in the dry season. A total of 2602 trees was examined of which 53 % were damaged (less than three-quarters browsed) and 44 % were dead (three-quarters browsed or more). Most mature trees were dead (77 %). Ninety-five per cent of trees in the regeneration class were damaged. Of all trees browsed the majority (57 %) come from the recruitment class. It is concluded that elephant damage to vegetation is serious enough to warrant management intervention.