Nature Conservation 1/2012 — 13. 6. 2012 — International Nature Conservation — Print article in pdf
Farkač J.: Nature Conservation as Done in Cameroon or Tracing Gerald Durrell
The author presents some issues in current nature conservation in Cameroon which is based particularly on protected areas.
In this West African country, primary forests have been harbouring important wildlife populations, e.g. primates or elephants. The Mount Cameroon National Park established in 2010 is famous due to one of the biggest active volcanoes in Africa. The Lake Oku is a crater lake on the Bamenda Plateau in the Northwest Region of Cameroon located at 2,219 metres and completely surrounded by cloud forests. Many endemic invertebrate and vertebrate species occur there, inter alia, three bird species, the Lake Oku Clawed Frog (Xenopus longipes) described only in 1991 or the Peacock Chameleon, also known as the Mount Lefo Chameleon (Chamaeleo wiedersheimi). Continuing widespread poaching has been a main threat to wild animals in Cameroon. Thus, nature conservation should not be effective without involving local people applying reasonable and sensitive communication, education and public awareness.