Wildlife of Cameroon - Protected Areas

Protected Areas

Many protected areas are still in "pristine" condition, mostly because there is less tourism in Cameroon than other regions of Africa. According to reported statistics, there were ten protected areas from 1932 to 1960. 6 protected areas were added between 1960 and 1980, 5 more were added between 1980 and 2004, and 8 protected areas are under consideration within a final approval process.

The protected areas cover 28,104 square kilometres (10,851 sq mi) of which 22,784 square kilometres (8,797 sq mi) (81 percent) is part of the border protected area. The distribution of this protected area within Cameroon covers: The Lowland forest zones of Dja (5,260 square kilometres (2,030 sq mi)) with corridors connecting to the Nki and Minkébé protected areas, the Nki National Park covering 1,950 square kilometres (750 sq mi) with ecological corridors to Dja and Boumba–Bek, the Boumba Bek National Park covering 2,330 square kilometres (900 sq mi), and the Lobéké National Park covering 2,100 square kilometres (810 sq mi) (integrated with the Trinational Park of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and the Republic of Congo and linked with a Eco-corridor to Boumba–Bek Reserve; the Campo Ma’an National Park of 3,000 square kilometres (1,200 sq mi), which borders with the Rio de Campo of Equatorial Guinea; and the Savanna Zone comprising the Waza National Park of 1,700 square kilometres (660 sq mi) near Chad border, Faro National Park of 3,300 square kilometres (1,300 sq mi) area with common boundary with Nigeria, and the Kalamaloué National Park of 45 square kilometres (17 sq mi) on the Chad border.

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. 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 155,000 hectares (380,000 acres) which was extended in 1935 to cover 165,000 hectares (410,000 acres); 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 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.