The wildlife of

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

is composed of its

flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''. E ...

and

fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. Zoo ...

. Bordering

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, it is considered one of the wettest parts of Africa and records Africa's second highest concentration of biodiversity. To preserve its wildlife, Cameroon has more than 20 protected reserves comprising national parks, zoos, forest reserves and sanctuaries. The protected areas were first created in the northern region under the colonial administration in 1932; the first two reserves established were Mozogo Gokoro Reserve and the Bénoué Reserve, which was followed by the Waza Reserve on 24 March 1934. The coverage of reserves was initially about 4 percent of the country's area, rising to 12 percent; the administration proposes to cover 30 percent of the land area. The rich wildlife consists of 8,260 recorded plant species including 156

endemic species Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

, 409 species of

mammals Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

of which 14 are endemic, 690 species of

birds Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

which includes 8 endemic species, 250 species of

reptiles Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the Class (biology), class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsid, sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, Squamata, squamates (lizar ...

, and 200 species of

amphibians Amphibians are four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terrestrial, fossorial, arbore ...

. The habitats of these species include the southern region comprising tropical lowland, coastline on the

Gulf of Guinea The Gulf of Guinea is the northeasternmost part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean from Cape Lopez in Gabon, north and west to Cape Palmas in Liberia. The intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian (zero degrees latitude and longitude) is in the ...

Mangrove A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evoluti ...

forests, in size, are along the coast line.

Montane forests Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...

and savannahs are in the northern region of the country. Important protected areas for these species are the

Mbam Djerem National Park The Mbam Djerem National Park is found in Cameroon. It was established in 2000 and covers . Overview A protected area was created in January 2000 in this ecosystem in the centre of Cameroon, and named the Mbam Djerem National Park. It covers 420 ...

, Benoue National Park,

Korup National Park Korup National Park is in the Southwest Province of Cameroon and extends over 1,260 km2 of mostly undisturbed primary forest. It is reputedly one of Africa’s oldest and richest tropical forests in terms of floral and faunal diversity. It is ...

Takamanda National Park The Takamanda National Park is a protected area in Cameroon, set up in 2008 to help protect the endangered Cross River gorilla The Cross River gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla diehli'') is a critically endangered subspecies of the western gorilla ( ...

, and the

Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary The Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary was proclaimed by the Cameroonian government on April 3, 2008. It protects 19.44 km2 of land, and is located between the Mbulu and Nijikwa forests in western Cameroon. It consists of rugged, mountainous terrain and repr ...

. Cameroon is an important breeding area for marine and freshwater species such as

crustacean Crustaceans (Crustacea, ) form a large, diverse arthropod taxon which includes such animals as decapods, seed shrimp, branchiopods, fish lice, krill, remipedes, isopods, barnacles, copepods, amphipods and mantis shrimp. The crustacean group ...

mollusks Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is esti ...

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...

, and birds.

Geography

The topography of the country extends from the coastline to hill regions with elevations of up to . The habitat consists of three regions. These are: The dense rainforests in the southern region in the hot and humid climatic conditions; the central region of semi-deciduous forests; and the northern region consisting of semi-deciduous forests of wooded savanna with scattered trees. The climatic conditions are of low to highland with equatorial to tropical climate. Initial coverage of protected areas was in savanna region but it now covers all the ten provinces of the country with all the diversity of its topographic, climatic, hydrological biological features. Mont-Cameroun

The highest mountain in the country is the

Mount Cameroon Mount Cameroon is an active volcano in the South West region of Cameroon next to the city of Buea near the Gulf of Guinea. Mount Cameroon is also known as Cameroon Mountain or Fako (the name of the higher of its two peaks) or by its indigenous n ...

with an elevation of . It is located in southwestern Cameroon in the coastal zone close to the

n border. The total forest area coverage is reported to be of which of closed forest and is fragmented forest or degraded forests accounting for 27 percent of the total forest area. The forests are also categorized as part of the "Congolian Coastal Forests, Western Congo Basin Forests, Sudanian Savannas, Sahelian Flooded Savannas, Gulf of Guinea Rivers and Crater Lakes, Guinean-Congolian Coast Mangroves, and Gulf of Guinea

Marine Ecosystems Marine ecosystems are the largest of Earth's aquatic ecosystems and exist in waters that have a high salt content. These systems contrast with freshwater ecosystems, which have a lower salt content. Marine waters cover more than 70% of the surf ...

." One of the important regions is the

Cameroonian Highlands forests The Cameroonian Highlands forests, also known as the Cameroon Highlands forests, are a montane tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion located on the range of mountains that runs inland from the Gulf of Guinea and forms the border between Camero ...

which extends across the

Cameroon Highlands The Western High Plateau, Western Highlands or Bamenda Grassfields is a region of Cameroon characterised by high relief, cool temperatures, heavy rainfall and savanna vegetation. The region lies along the Cameroon line and consists of mounta ...

, covering an area of in western Cameroon and eastern Nigeria. The

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...

lies above elevation, and is surrounded at lower elevations by the Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests at the southern end of the range, and by forest-savanna mosaic along the central and northern ends of the range; the Cameroon Highlands form the boundary between the

Guinean Guinea ( ),, fuf, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫, italic=no, Gine, wo, Gine, nqo, ߖߌ߬ߣߍ߫, bm, Gine officially the Republic of Guinea (french: République de Guinée), is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the we ...

and

Northern Congolian forest-savanna mosaic Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ...

ecoregions, consisting of sub-montane to montane forests and finally sub alpine grasslands. The region is categorized as critical/endangered, but the area under full protection is not great. The area is subject to intense population pressure and conversion of forest lands into agricultural areas. Dja River and pirogue

As part of the

Congo Basin The Congo Basin (french: Bassin du Congo) is the sedimentary basin of the Congo River. The Congo Basin is located in Central Africa, in a region known as west equatorial Africa. The Congo Basin region is sometimes known simply as the Congo. It con ...

, the

Sangha River The Sangha River, a tributary of the Congo River, is located in Central Africa. Geography The Sangha River is formed at the confluence of the Mambéré River and the Kadéï River at Nola in the western Central African Republic. () The Sangha fl ...

, drained by the tributaries rising in the northern humid region, and flowing into the southern region of the country, is the main water catchment. At the swampy

estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environment ...

it forms several branches, and is also joined by the

Likouala-aux-Herbes The Likouala-aux-Herbes is a river in the Republic of the Congo. It is a tributary of the Sangha River, which in turn is a tributary of the Congo River. It gives its name to the Likouala Department. Location The Likouala-aux-Herbes is almost lo ...

Likouala-Mossaka The Likouala-Mossaka (or Likouala River) is a river in the Republic of the Congo. It is a tributary of the Congo River, which it enters to the east of the town of Mossaka. Location The Likouala-Mossaka is a right tributary of the Congo into wh ...

, and Ubangi (Oubangui) rivers. Another major river, which joins the Sangha River, is the

Dja River The Dja River (also known as the Ngoko River) is a stream in west-central Africa. It forms part of Cameroon–Republic of Congo border and has a course of roughly . Rising southeast of the southeastern Cameroon town of Abong-Mbang, the Dja Fauna ...

, which rises in west-central Africa and flows forming the border between Cameroon and the Republic of the Congo, and through the

Dja Faunal Reserve Dja Faunal Reserve (Réserve de faune du Dja, also known as Réserve de Biosphère Dja), located in south eastern Cameroon, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1987. Causes of inscription include diversity of species present in the park, ...

, a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

. The major river drainage is the Chari subbasin of the Congo Basin, which covers Cameroon and the

Central African Republic The Central African Republic (CAR; ; , RCA; , or , ) is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad to the north, Sudan to the northeast, South Sudan to the southeast, the DR Congo to the south, the Republic of th ...

. It drains into the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

Protected areas

Many protected areas are still in "pristine" condition, mostly because there is less tourism in Cameroon than other regions of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

. According to reported statistics, there were ten protected areas from 1932 to 1960. Six protected areas were added between 1960 and 1980, five more were added between 1980 and 2004, and eight protected areas are under consideration within a final approval process. Mana suspension bridge over Mana river

The protected areas cover of which (81 percent) is part of the border protected area. The distribution of this protected area within Cameroon covers: The Lowland forest zones of Dja () with corridors connecting to the Nki and Minkébé protected areas, the

Nki National Park Nki National Park (Parc national de Nki, also Réserve de Nki) is a national park in southeastern Cameroon, located in its East Province. The closest towns to Nki are Yokadouma, Moloundou and Lomie, beyond which are rural lands. Due to its remo ...

covering with ecological corridors to Dja and Boumba–Bek, the

Boumba Bek National Park Boumba Bek National Park is a List of national parks of Cameroon, national park in extreme southeastern Cameroon, located in its East Province (Cameroon), East Province. History The park was never logged; according to the World Wildlife Fund's sc ...

covering , and the

Lobéké National Park Lobéké National Park (alternate: Lake Lobake National Park) is a national park of southeastern Cameroon within the Moloundou Arrondissement of East Province. Located in the Congo Basin, it is bounded on the east by the Sangha River which serve ...

covering (integrated with the Trinational Park of Cameroon, the

, and the

Republic of Congo The Republic of the Congo (french: République du Congo, ln, Republíki ya Kongó), also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic or simply either Congo or the Congo, is a country located in the western coast of Central Africa to the w ...

and linked with an Eco-corridor to Boumba–Bek Reserve; the

Campo Ma'an National Park Campo Ma'an National Park is a 2,680 square kilometer List of national parks of Cameroon, National Park in Cameroon, located in the South Region (Cameroon), South Region in the Océan division. It borders with Equatorial Guinea on the south, the ...

of , which borders with the Rio de Campo of

Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea ( es, Guinea Ecuatorial; french: Guinée équatoriale; pt, Guiné Equatorial), officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( es, link=no, República de Guinea Ecuatorial, french: link=no, République de Guinée équatoria ...

; and the Savanna Zone comprising the Waza National Park of near

Chad Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...

border,

Faro National Park Faro National Park is a national park in Cameroon's North Province. It covers an area of and is close to the Nigerian border, surrounded on the eastern side by several hunting reserves. It is home to cheetahs, black rhinoceros, elephants, and i ...

of area with common boundary with

, and the Kalamaloué National Park of on the Chad border. Falling Waters in KORUP National park

Cameroon's first protected area in the northern part of the country was established in 1932 under the French colonial administration of the black

francophone Africa African French (french: français africain) is the generic name of the varieties of the French language spoken by an estimated 141 million people in Africa in 2018, spread across 34 countries and territories.29 full members of the Organisa ...

. The first forest reserve created was the Mozogo Gokoro Reserve 12 June 1932 and the second in the same year was the Benue Reserve on 19 November 1932. The third reserve, the Waza Reserve was established on 24 March 1934, initially covering an area of which was extended in 1935 to cover ; this is one of the most popular reserves in the country. Until 1975, there were 9 protected areas with greater focus on the north than the south. Following the Earth Summit of Rio de Janeiro in

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

in 1992, the number of protected areas increased substantially and were well distributed covering all the ten provinces of the country in widely differing topographic, climatic, hydrological and biological conditions. There are 20 protected reserves which include national parks, zoos, forest reserves and sanctuaries.

Flora

Gymnosiphon bekensis Korup National Park Cameroon IMG 1736 2

The vegetation varies with elevation. Submontane forests extend from 900 to 1800 meters (3000 to 6000 ft) elevation. Above 1800 meters (6000 ft) elevation are distinct montane forests and patches of

montane grassland Montane grasslands and shrublands is a biome defined by the World Wildlife Fund. The biome includes high elevation grasslands and shrublands around the world. The term "montane" in the name of the biome refers to "high elevation", rather than th ...

bamboo forest Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin ...

, and subalpine

grasslands A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur natural ...

and shrub lands. The ecoregion is characterized by the presence of

afromontane The Afromontane regions are subregions of the Afrotropical realm, one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms, covering the plant and animal species found in the mountains of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. The Afromontane regions ...

species, which have an archipelago-like distribution across the highlands of Africa. Typical afromontane species are ''

Nuxia congesta ''Nuxia congesta'', commonly known as brittle-wood, is a species of tree in the Stilbaceae family, with an extensive range in the Afrotropics. The species is named ''congesta'' for its dense inflorescences. Range The species is native to Eswa ...

Podocarpus milanjianus ''Podocarpus milanjianus'' is a species of conifer in the family Podocarpaceae. It is native to the highlands and mountains of tropical Africa. Description ''Podocarpus milanjianus'' is an evergreen tree which can grow slowly up to 35 meters in ...

Prunus africana ''Prunus africana'', the African cherry, has a wide distribution in Africa, occurring in montane regions of central and southern Africa and on the islands of Bioko, São-Tomé, Grande Comore, and Madagascar. It can be found at above sea level. I ...

Rapanea melanophloeos ''Rapanea melanophloeos'', commonly known as Cape beech, Kaapse boekenhout or isiCalabi, is a dense evergreen tree that is native to the afromontane forests of Southern Africa. Outside forests they are also commonly encountered along stream banks ...

,'' and '' Syzygium guineense bamendae''. The evergreen trees found in the rainforests are

mahogany Mahogany is a straight-grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Unive ...

ebony Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus ''Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when pol ...

obeche ''Triplochiton scleroxylon'' is a tree of the genus '' Triplochiton'' of the family ''Malvaceae''. The timber is known by the common names African whitewood, abachi, obeche (in Nigeria), wawa (in Ghana), ayous (in Cameroon) and sambawawa (in Ivo ...

, dibetu, and sapelli; the trees grow to heights of 200 feet. The trees are also covered with

moss Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and hor ...

es,

lichens A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among hypha, filaments of multiple fungus, fungi species in a mutualism (biology), mutualistic relationship.epiphytes An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

. In the drier woodlands above the rain forests are the tall grasslands and also some areas covered with mountain

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...

. In elevations between 2,400 m and 3,000 m, short grasses are the dominant species, particularly in the region of

Fauna

The most endangered species is the

Cross River gorilla The Cross River gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla diehli'') is a critically endangered subspecies of the western gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla''). It was named a new species in 1904 by Paul Matschie, a mammalian taxonomist working at the Humboldt Univer ...

, a great ape, whose last reported count was 300, spread over 11 scattered sites both in Cameroon and Nigeria. For preservation of this species of ape, the

and the

have been specifically established in Cameroon.

Elephants Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae and ...

migrate between the

Lake Chad Lake Chad (french: Lac Tchad) is a historically large, shallow, endorheic lake in Central Africa, which has varied in size over the centuries. According to the ''Global Resource Information Database'' of the United Nations Environment Programme, ...

region in Chad and Cameroon; 300 to 400 elephants are reported to live here. In the dense forest areas of the rainforest ecoregion the fauna commonly reported are; red and green monkeys,

chimpanzee The chimpanzee (''Pan troglodytes''), also known as simply the chimp, is a species of great ape native to the forest and savannah of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed subspecies. When its close relative th ...

s, mandrills, rodents, bats, and large number of birds like the small sunbirds, giant hawks and eagles. Elephants are also reported in small numbers. The grassy woodlands have baboons and many species of antelope. ;Reptiles Albertus Seba Python sebae

Prominent reptiles reported include the

African rock python The Central African rock python (''Python sebae'') is a species of large constrictor snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of 11 living species in the genus ''Python''. Africa's largest snake and ...

(''Python sebae''), the green bush viper (''

Atheris squamigera ''Atheris squamigera'' (common names: green bush viper,David Mallow, Mallow D, David Ludwig (herpetologist), Ludwig D, Göran Nilson, Nilson G (2003). ''True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers''. Malabar, Florida: Krieger ...

'') and the African slender-snouted crocodile (''

Mecistops cataphractus The West African slender-snouted crocodile (''Mecistops cataphractus''), or slender-snouted crocodile, is a critically endangered species of African crocodile. It is one of five species of crocodile in Africa, the other four being the Central A ...

''). Marine turtles reported near the coasts of Cameroon in the Atlantic Ocean are the loggerhead (''Caretta caretta''), Atlantic green (''Chelonias mydas''),

leatherback The leatherback sea turtle (''Dermochelys coriacea''), sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to and weights ...

(''Dermochelys coriacea''),

hawksbill The hawksbill sea turtle (''Eretmochelys imbricata'') is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Eretmochelys''. The species has a global distribution, that is large ...

(''Eretmochelys imbricata''), and the

olive ridley The olive ridley sea turtle (''Lepidochelys olivacea''), also known commonly as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae. The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in th ...

(''Lepidochelys olivacea''). Cameroon has enacted legislation to protect all these species of turtles. Olive ridley, leatherback, and green turtles are reported to nest on the sandy shoreline between Equatorial Guinea and the Wouri Estuary in Cameroon during November to January. ;Mammals Cross-River-Gorilla-Gorilla-gorilla-diehli)

Cross-River-Gorilla-Gorilla-gorilla-diehli)

Primates reported are: De Brazza's monkey (''

Cercopithecus neglectus De Brazza's monkey (''Cercopithecus neglectus'') is an Old World monkey endemic to the riverine and swamp forests of central Africa. The largest species in the guenon family, it is one of the most widespread arboreal African primates. Aside from ...

''), the black colobus ('' Colobus satanas''); the patas monkey (''

Erythrocebus patas The common patas monkey (''Erythrocebus patas''), also known as the wadi monkey or hussar monkey, is a ground-dwelling monkey distributed over semi-arid areas of West Africa, and into East Africa. Taxonomy There is some confusion surrounding ...

''); the

western gorilla The western gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla'') is a great ape found in Africa, one of two species of the hominid genus ''Gorilla''. Large and robust with males weighing around , the hair is significantly lighter in color than the eastern gorilla, ''G ...

(''

Gorilla gorilla The western gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla'') is a great ape found in Africa, one of two species of the hominid genus ''Gorilla''. Large and robust with males weighing around , the hair is significantly lighter in color than the eastern gorilla, '' ...

''); the Angolan colobus ('' Colobus angolensis''); the moustached monkey ('' Cercopithecus cephus''); the Gabon bushbaby ('' Galago gabonensis''); the mona monkey (''

Cercopithecus mona The mona monkey (''Cercopithecus mona'') is an Old World monkey that lives in western Africa between Ghana and Cameroon. The mona monkey can also be found on the island of Grenada as it was transported to the island aboard slave ships headed to ...

''); and the western needle-clawed galago (''

Euoticus elegantulus The needle-clawed bushbabies are the two species in the genus ''Euoticus'', which is in the family Galagidae. Galagidae is sometimes included as a subfamily within the Lorisidae (or Loridae). * Genus ''Euoticus'' ** Southern needle-clawed bush ...

''). The

is the most endangered African ape subspecies. Eleven small mammal species are endemic to the ecoregion: Eisentraut's striped mouse (''Hybomys eisentrauti''), the African wood mouse ('' Hylomyscus grandis''), the Mount Oku rat (''Lamottemys okuensis''), Mittendorf's striped grass mouse (''Lemniscomys mittendorfi''), two brush-furred mouse species ('' Lophuromys dieterleni'') and ('' Lophuromys eisentrauti''), the Oku mouse shrew (''Myosorex okuensis''), the

Rumpi mouse shrew The Rumpi mouse shrew (''Myosorex rumpii'') is a Myosoricinae shrew found only on the Rumpi Hills, Cameroon. It is listed as a critically endangered species due to habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat redu ...

(''M. rumpii''), the

western vlei rat The western vlei rat (''Otomys occidentalis'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Cameroon and Nigeria. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland and swamps. It is threatened by habitat los ...

(''Otomys occidentalis''), Hartwig's soft-furred mouse (''Praomys hartwigi''), and Isabella's shrew (''

Sylvisorex isabellae The Bioko forest shrew or Isabella's shrew (''Sylvisorex isabellae'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae found in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forest and subtropical ...

''). Other small mammals present include Stuhlmann's golden mole ('' Chrysochloris stuhlmanni''); the long-tailed pangolin (''

Manis tetradactyla The long-tailed pangolin (''Phataginus tetradactyla''), also called the African black-bellied pangolin, or ''ipi'', is a diurnal, arboreal pangolin species belonging to the family Manidae, in the order Pholidota. They feed on ants rather than te ...

'') and the African clawless otter ('' Aonyx capensis''). Rodents include the lesser cane rat ('' Thryonomys gregorianus'');

Dendromurinae Dendromurinae is a subfamily of rodents in the family Nesomyidae and superfamily Muroidea. The dendromurines are currently restricted to Africa, as is the case for all extant members of the family Nesomyidae. The authorship of the subfamily has ...

(

African climbing mice Mice in the genus ''Dendromus'' are commonly referred to as African climbing mice or tree mice, although these terms are often used to describe all members of the subfamily Dendromurinae. The genus is currently restricted to sub-Saharan Africa, ...

fat mice ''Steatomys'' is a genus of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It contains the following species: * Bocage's African fat mouse (''Steatomys bocagei'') * Northwestern fat mouse (''Steatomys caurinus'') * Dainty fat mouse (''Steatomys cuppedius'') ...

, tree mice, and relatives), and

Otomyinae Otomyini is an Old World tribe of muroid rodents in the subfamily Murinae. Musser and Carleton (2005) granted it subfamily status (Otomyinae), but molecular studies consistently show that the otomyines evolved from within the Murinae, leading thes ...

( vlei rats and whistling rats). Bats include the lesser woolly bat ('' Kerivoula lanosa'') and Franquet's epauletted bat (''

Epomops franqueti Franquet's epauletted fruit bat (''Epomops franqueti'') is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae, and is one of three different species of epauletted bats. Franquet's epauletted fruit bat has a range of habitats, varying from Subsaharan ...

''). In Cameroon, a range of

cetacea Cetacea (; , ) is an infraorder of aquatic mammals that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Key characteristics are their fully aquatic lifestyle, streamlined body shape, often large size and exclusively carnivorous diet. They propel them ...

n species such as

humpback whale The humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae'') is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the only species in the genus ''Megaptera''. Adults range in length from and weigh up to . The hump ...

right whale Right whales are three species of large baleen whales of the genus ''Eubalaena'': the North Atlantic right whale (''E. glacialis''), the North Pacific right whale (''E. japonica'') and the Southern right whale (''E. australis''). They are clas ...

sperm whale The sperm whale or cachalot (''Physeter macrocephalus'') is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of the genus ''Physeter'' and one of three extant species in the sperm whale famil ...

fin whale The fin whale (''Balaenoptera physalus''), also known as finback whale or common rorqual and formerly known as herring whale or razorback whale, is a cetacean belonging to the parvorder of baleen whales. It is the second-longest species of cet ...

sei whale The sei whale ( , ; ''Balaenoptera borealis'') is a baleen whale, the third-largest rorqual after the blue whale and the fin whale. It inhabits most oceans and adjoining seas, and prefers deep offshore waters. It avoids polar and tropical ...

killer whale The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black-and-white pa ...

, and

dolphins A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (t ...

are reported on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The African manatee (''

Trichechus senegalensis The African manatee (''Trichechus senegalensis''), also known as the West African manatee, is a species of manatee that inhabits much of the western region of Africa – from Senegal to Angola. It is the only manatee species to be found in the ...

'') is also present. The Central African cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii'') and

West African wild dog The African wild dog (''Lycaon pictus''), also called the painted dog or Cape hunting dog, is a wild canine which is a native species to sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest wild canine in Africa, and the only extant member of the genus '' L ...

(''Lycaon pictus manguensis'') were declared extinct from Cameroon in 2010. ;Avifauna LaniariusAtroflavusSmit

Cameroon has more than 900 bird species which belong to 76 families. Of these 7 are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

and 20 are specialty species. With this rich reporting of birds, they are categorized as resident birds (found throughout the year), breeding birds (which breed during the season), and migrants birds found only during specific the seasons and wintering birds which resided here during winter away from the colder regions of the north. Though the ecoregion is rich in bird species, birdwatching is a very limited activity here. The nearby

Mount Cameroon and Bioko montane forests The Mount Cameroon and Bioko montane forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in central Africa. It occupies the upper slopes of coastal Mount Cameroon in Cameroon, and the mountains of nearby Bioko island in Equatorial Guinea. Ge ...

ecoregion is also known for the endemic species. The seven endemic species are: the Bamenda apalis (''Apalis bamendae''),

Bangwa forest warbler The Bangwa forest warbler or Bangwa scrub warbler (''Bradypterus bangwaensis'') is a species of Old World warbler in the family Locustellidae. It is found in Cameroon and Nigeria. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane for ...

(''Bradypterus bangwaensis''), white-throated mountain-babbler (''Kupeornis gilberti''),

banded wattle-eye The banded wattle-eye (''Platysteira laticincta'') is a species of bird in the family Platysteiridae. It is endemic to the Bamenda Highlands in western Cameroon. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threaten ...

(''Platysteira laticincta''),

Bannerman's weaver Bannerman's weaver (''Ploceus bannermani'') is a species of bird in the weaver family, Ploceidae. It is found in Cameroon and Nigeria. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. It ...

(''Ploceus bannermani''),

Bannerman's turaco Bannerman's turaco (''Tauraco bannermani'') is a species of bird in the family Musophagidae. It is endemic to Cameroon. In French it is known as ''touraco de Bannerman'' or ''touraco doré''. Its scientific and common names honour the ornitholog ...

(''Tauraco bannermani''), and Mt. Kupe bushshrike (''Telophorus kupeensis''). Fourteen species are endemic to the Cameroon Highlands forests and Mt. Cameroon: '' Andropadus montanus'', '' Phyllastrephus poliocephalus'', '' Laniarius atroflavus'', ''

Malaconotus gladiator The green-breasted bushshrike or gladiator bushshrike (''Malaconotus gladiator'') is a species of bird in the family Malaconotidae. It is found in the Cameroonian Highlands forests. With a total length of and a body mass of around this may be t ...

'', '' Cossypha isabellae'' and the subspecies '' Cisticola chubbi discolor'' (sometimes considered a separate species ''C. discolor''). Nine more montane endemic species are shared with Mt. Cameroon and Bioko: '' Psalidoprocne fuliginosa'', '' Andropadus tephrolaemus'', '' Phyllastrephus poensis'', '' Phylloscopus herberti'', '' Urolais epichlora'', '' Poliolais lopezi'', '' Nectarinia oritis'', '' Nectarinia ursulae'' and '' Nesocharis shelleyi''. ;Molluscs Radix natalensis shell

Some of the non-marine molluscs species found in the wild in Cameroon are: '' Bulinus camerunensis'', an endangered species found in western Cameroon from Barombi Koto and Debundsha, both crater lakes; '' Lymnaea natalensis'', a species of least concern; and '' Sinistrexcisa'', a new genus of

land snail A land snail is any of the numerous species of snail that live on land, as opposed to the sea snails and freshwater snails. ''Land snail'' is the common name for terrestrial gastropod mollusks that have shells (those without shells are known as ...

with four new species.

Endangered species

The ecoregion is home to several critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable species of animals. These are the following. *The critically endangered species are:

black rhinoceros The black rhinoceros, black rhino or hook-lipped rhinoceros (''Diceros bicornis'') is a species of rhinoceros, native to eastern and southern Africa including Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania ...

(''Diceros bicornis''), Eisentraut's shrew (''Crocidura eisentrauti'') also endemic, pitch shrew (''Crocidura picea'') also endemic, and

(''Myosorex rumpii'') also endemic. Gabon dwarf shrew (''Suncus remyi'') which was earlier rated by IUCN in 2004 as critically endangered is now rated as of least concern. *The endangered species are: arrogant shrew (''Sylvisorex morio'') also endemic,

(''

Pan troglodytes The chimpanzee (''Pan troglodytes''), also known as simply the chimp, is a species of Hominidae, great ape native to the forest and savannah of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed subspecies. When its close r ...

''), crested genet (''Genetta cristata''),

drill A drill is a tool used for making round holes or driving fasteners. It is fitted with a bit, either a drill or driverchuck. Hand-operated types are dramatically decreasing in popularity and cordless battery-powered ones proliferating due to ...

(''Mandrillus leucophaeus''),

Eisentraut's mouse shrew Eisentraut's mouse shrew (''Myosorex eisentrauti'') is a Myosoricinae shrew found only on the island of Bioko, Equatorial Guinea. It is listed as a critically endangered species due to habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat l ...

(''Myosorex eisentrauti''). Eisentraut's striped mouse (''Hybomys eisentrauti'') also endemic, giant African water shrew (''Potamogale velox''),

gorilla Gorillas are herbivorous, predominantly ground-dwelling great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. The genus ''Gorilla'' is divided into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, and either four or fi ...

(''

''), Hartwig's soft-furred mouse (''Praomys hartwigi''), Mittendorf's striped grass mouse (''Lemniscomys mittendorfi'') also endemic, Mt. Oku rat (''Lamottemys okuensis'') also endemic,

Preuss's monkey The Preuss's monkey (''Allochrocebus preussi''), also known as Preuss's guenon, is a diurnal primate that lives terrestrially in mountainous (up to 2500 m) forests of eastern Nigeria, western Cameroon and Bioko in Equatorial Guinea. It was form ...

(or Preuss's guenon) (''Cercopithecus preussi''),

(''Otomys occidentalis''),

wild dog A free-ranging dog is a dog that is not confined to a yard or house. Free-ranging dogs include street dogs, village dogs, stray dogs, feral dogs, etc., and may be owned or unowned. The global dog population is estimated to be 900 million, of w ...

(''Lycaon pictus''), and Wimmer's shrew (''Crocidura wimmeri''). *The vulnerable species are: African elephant (''Loxodonta africana''),

African golden cat The African golden cat (''Caracal aurata'') is a wild cat endemic to the rainforests of West and Central Africa. It is threatened due to deforestation and bushmeat hunting and listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. It is a close relative o ...

(''Profelis aurata''),

African pygmy squirrel The African pygmy squirrel (''Myosciurus pumilio'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Myosciurus''. It is found in tropical rainforests in Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, ...

(''Myosciurus pumilio''),

Allen's striped bat Allen's striped bat (''Glauconycteris alboguttata'') is a species of bat in the family Vespertilionidae, the vesper bats. It is native to Africa, where it occurs in Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This species can be found in ...

(''Chalinolobus alboguttatus''),

black colobus The black colobus (''Colobus satanas''), or satanic black colobus, is a species of Old World monkey belonging to the genus ''Colobus''. The species is found in a small area of western central Africa. Black colobuses are large, completely covered ...

(''Colobus satanas''),

Cameroon climbing mouse The Cameroon climbing mouse (''Dendromus oreas'') is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae which is endemic to the montane grasslands on three mountains in Cameroon. Description The Cameroon climbing mouse is a rather small species of mou ...

(''Dendromus oreas'') also endemic,

Cameroon soft-furred mouse The Cameroon soft-furred mouse or Cameroon praomys (''Praomys morio'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is thre ...

(''Praomys morio'') also endemic,

cheetah The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...

(''Acinonyx jubatus''),

Cooper's mountain squirrel Cooper's mountain squirrel (''Paraxerus cooperi'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae found in Cameroon and Nigeria. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. References Paraxerus Mammals described in ...

(''Paraxerus cooperi'') also endemic,

Hun shrew The Hun shrew (''Crocidura attila'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Mali, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nigeria. Its natural habitats are tropical or subtropical moist ...

(''Crocidura attila''), Isabella shrew (S''ylvisorex isabellae''), Ja slit-faced bat (''Nycteris major''),

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...

(''Panthera leo''),

mandrill The mandrill (''Mandrillus sphinx'') is a large Old World monkey native to west central Africa. It is one of the most colorful mammals in the world, with red and blue skin on its face and posterior. The species is sexually dimorphic, as males ...

(''Mandrillus sphinx''), Oku mouse shrew (''Myosorex okuensis'') also endemic,

red-eared guenon The red-eared guenon (''Cercopithecus erythrotis''), also called red-eared monkey, or russet-eared guenon is a primate species in the family Cercopithecidae. It is native to subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests in Cameroon, Equatorial G ...

(''Cercopithecus erythrotis''),

red-fronted gazelle The red-fronted gazelle (''Eudorcas rufifrons'') is widely but unevenly distributed gazelle across the middle of Africa from Senegal to northeastern Ethiopia. It is mainly resident in the Sahel zone, a narrow cross-Africa band south of the Sahara ...

(''Gazella rufifrons''),

spotted-necked otter The spotted-necked otter (''Hydrictis maculicollis''), or speckle-throated otter, is an otter native to sub-Saharan Africa. Description The spotted-necked otter is a relatively small species, with males measuring from nose to rump, and weigh ...

(''Lutra maculicollis'') and

West African manatee The African manatee (''Trichechus senegalensis''), also known as the West African manatee, is a species of manatee that inhabits much of the western region of Africa – from Senegal to Angola. It is the only manatee species to be found in the O ...

(''Trichechus senegalensis'').

Threats

The wildlife is under threat due to many factors. These are: conversion of forest land for agricultural use on account of their rich soil derived from volcanic rocks; pressure to meet firewood requirements; forest fires, particularly in grass land areas; the development of industrial complexes hydro-electric power plants and bauxite mining and forest land slotted for the purpose; as well as hunting. Forest loss in the Bamenda-Banso Highlands and also to certain degree in the

Obudu Plateau --> Obudu Plateau is a plateau found on the Oshie Ridge of the Sankwala Mountain range, in Cross River State, in the southeast of Nigeria. The plateau is found in Obanliku local government area of the Cross River State. The plateau extends toward ...

is reported as more than 50% since the 1960s because of conversion to agricultural lands and good rainfall conditions. Hunting is recorded in the cross border regions of Cameroon. Trading in bush meat is common in the Sangha River Region; bush meat trade is reported to be concurrent with the logging operations. Hunting for ivory, skins and other animal parts is also reported in many national park areas in Cameroon, from within the country and also from cross border poachers.

Conservation

Many NGOs are working in Cameroon for the conservation and preservation of wild life. Sangha Tri National Landscape

Conservation efforts in the Sangha River Tri-national Protected Area are in place in a trans-boundary program sponsored by the

World Wide Fund for Nature The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the Wor ...

(WWF) with participation by the Central African Republic, the Congo and the Cameroon. This covers a total area of 2,800,000 ha (6,918,951 acres) encompassing the Dzanga Sangha Special Reserve (the second largest area in the world) in the Central African Republic, which incorporates within its ambit the

Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park is a national park in the Republic of the Congo. Established in 1993, in the northern provinces of Congo, it is home to forest elephants, great apes, including western lowland gorillas and the eastern sub-species of ...

in the

(

Brazzaville Brazzaville (, kg, Kintamo, Nkuna, Kintambo, Ntamo, Mavula, Tandala, Mfwa, Mfua; Teke: ''M'fa'', ''Mfaa'', ''Mfa'', ''Mfoa''Roman Adrian Cybriwsky, ''Capital Cities around the World: An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture'', ABC-CLI ...

) and the

in Cameroon. Appropriate actions are under implementation in respect of anti-poaching, research and the promotion of tourism to the rain forests (the mammal species of particular interest are elephants, apes, ranging from

western lowland gorilla The western lowland gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla gorilla'') is one of two Critically Endangered subspecies of the western gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla'') that lives in Montane ecosystems#Montane forests, montane, Old-growth forest, primary and sec ...

s and bongo). The three park-administrations and the prefects of the three countries meet often to ensure proper monitoring of the conservation activities. Patrolling of the parks is a regular joint effort to prevent poaching, smuggling of

ivory Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks (traditionally from elephants) and teeth of animals, that consists mainly of dentine, one of the physical structures of teeth and tusks. The chemical structure of the teeth and tusks of mammals is ...

and unauthorized fishing and carriage of fire arms in the reserve park The German Cooperation of Technical Collaboration (GTC) in Central African Republic and Cameroon, and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) and

Wildlife Conservation Society The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a non-governmental organization headquartered at the Bronx Zoo in New York City, that aims to conserve the world's largest wild places in 14 priority regions. Founded in 1895 as the New York Zoological ...

(WCS - New York) in the Congo are providing large funds for conservation of the parks. A particular success story of the enabled protection, particularly in the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park is of the special group of 'eco-guards', who operate under the MFEE (Ministry of Forestry Economy and the Environment), unlike the past practice of deploying rangers, which is reported to have stopped illegal human activities taking place in the park such as

poaching Poaching has been defined as the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set a ...

Ape Action Africa Ape Action Africa is a non-profit NGO founded in 1996 dedicated to the conservation of endangered gorillas and chimpanzees, threatened by the bushmeat trade in Central and West Africa. Ape Action Africa manages the rescue and rehabilitation of Gr ...

is one such non-profit NGO which was established in 1996 with the primary objective of conservation of endangered

s and

s, which are threatened by the

bushmeat Bushmeat is meat from wildlife species that are hunted for human consumption, most often referring to the meat of game in Africa. Bushmeat represents a primary source of animal protein and a cash-earning commodity for inhabitants of humid tropi ...

trade in Central and West Africa. The NGO not only helps in the rescue and rehabilitation of great apes but also helps in management of a large sanctuary in the Mefou forest.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wildlife Of Cameroon Biota of Cameroon