Importantly, these forests are a conservation priority due to their endangered primate populations. The Drill, an Endangered baboon-like monkey found only in Cameroon and Nigeria, depends on these forests for its survival, as well as two of the most threatened great apes in Africa: the Critically Endangered Cross River Gorilla and Endangered Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee. Restricted to the Southern Nigeria-Cameroon border, the Cross River Gorilla is Africa’s most threatened great ape with less than 300 individuals left in the wild. Found roughly in the same area, the Nigerian-Cameroon Chimpanzee is the most endangered of the world’s four subspecies of chimpanzee.
In addition to primates, the Vulnerable Forest Elephant and a great variety of birdlife call this area home. Considered one of the most important bird areas in Cameroon, hundreds of species have been documented throughout the area, including the Bannerman’s Turaco. Rare reptiles and amphibians also abound in these forests, including the Endangered Goliath Frog that weighs over seven pounds; these aptly named amphibians are the largest frogs on Earth. Additionally, the region is a center for an enormous variety of West African flora, some of which is found nowhere else.
Our objectives here is to protect forest biodiversity hotspots from Agro investors and to end Poaching while through thorough sensitization in communities especially children about the dangers of poaching and bushmeat trade and educating and empowering communities with alternative sources of protein.
