Community management and great ape conservation in south-western Cameroon

The NGO ERuDeF works in south-western Cameroon on ecosystem conservation and the preservation of endemic and threatened species, such as Cross River gorillas and chimpanzees.

Although, in the Lebialem-Mone region where this PPI project takes place, the highland forests of Lebialem, and more broadly the forest ecosystem, do not yet enjoy official protection status, they host significant biodiversity, particularly in terms of wildlife. The area is home to two threatened primate species: the Cross River gorilla (Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with an estimated population of just 350 individuals) and the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (Endangered), as well as more than 355 bird species, 50 of which are endemic and 15 of which are threatened.

The various threats facing this ecosystem include poaching, habitat destruction, the conversion of forest into farmland, and the resulting habitat fragmentation.

The project’s objective is to conserve the endangered species of the Lebialem-Mone region and to formally establish a community wildlife sanctuary covering around 15,000 ha there. The project must involve local populations in the conservation process and support their economic and social development.

In the long term, the project should also help connect this ecosystem to the Takamanda-Mone forest ecosystem, in order to create a series of interconnected protected areas.

By the end of the project, expected results include improved scientific knowledge of the area’s great primates, a significant reduction in pressure from natural resource extraction, and a complete halt to primate poaching. Strengthening local populations’ capacities, needed to achieve better forest management and improved incomes, is also an expected outcome.

Finally, the project aims to secure official recognition of the Sanctuary by decree, which will significantly improve its effective protection.