Why should you choose Cameroon???
Cameroon is the destination to go to!
Strategic location: Cameroon is a country strategically located at the crossroads between Western and Central Africa, slightly above the Equator. This strategic position makes of Cameroon a country with a very rich natural diversity and cultures. In such a way that you need to go to many African countries before you have climates, vegetation and other biodiversities and cultures found only in Cameroon. That is the reason why Cameroon is qualified deservedly as "Africa in Miniature".
Strange diversity of people and languages: The country covers a total area of about 475,440 km2 with an estimated population of about 21, 180, 885 (July, 2012). The political capital is Yaounde and the economical capital is Douala. There are two official national languages (French and English) with an additional approximately 275 different African dialects spoken in the country by about 250 ethnic groups.
Special topography: The highest point of the country is “Fako", situated on Mount Cameroon which is also the tallest peak in West Africa, with an altitude of 4,095 meters. This peak is located at the southwestern part of the country and is a part of the Cameroon Highlands comprising the Rumpi Hills, Mt Kupé, & Bamenda Highlands (which penetrate into Nigeria and forms the Obodu Plateau). Geographically, these highlands are connected to offshore Bioko and are part of a continuous volcanic intrusion that extends inland as far as the Adamawa plateau and the Mandara Mountains in the northwest at 11°N. The remainder of the country comprises mostly flat lowlands undulating between 800m and sea-level.
Diversity of habitats: This beautiful country supports a large variety of birding landscape (habitats), ranging from lowland tropical rainforests in the southern part of the country to the arid woodlands and grasslands savannah (sahel biome) in the North and Extreme-North, through the Afro-montane forests in the West and wetlands at the coast.
Marvelous National park: Many National park and sanctuaries has been erected throughout the country to preserve and protect the precious and abundant wildlife and birds found in Cameroon. Some of these parks are Waza, Benoué, Faro, Bouba-Ndjidda in the North, Dja and Campo Ma’an in the South, Lobeke at the Est, Korup, Mount-Cameroon and Kilum in the West and more.
Cameroon holds a very rich natural beautiful landscapes and is extremely rich in birds and wildlife, with a very high level of endemism.
Cameroon is a bird’s paradise
Cameroon is a marvelous destination, where any ornithologist who visited many other country in the world would love to return!
The large diversity of habitats makes of Cameroon the richest country in terms of birds in West African, with about 930 bird species of which 35 endemics and near-endemics (29 endemics bird species are confined to Cameroon highlands and a tiny part of Nigeria, while 06 bird species are restricted in Cameroon lowlands rain forests). Six bird species are found only in Cameroon and nowhere else all over the world (There are strictly endemics to Cameroon).
Cameroon also holds 35 threatened bird species…. In the highlands of Bamenda alone, 30 species of birds are either near
threatened, vulnerable or endangered.
Bird’s migratory in Cameroon
With regard to the migratory status of the birds of Cameroon:
· 704 bird species are resident,
· 218 are seasonal migrants among which 145 Palaearctic migrants and 73 intra-African migrants
bird distribution according to the biomes
Concerning bird distribution according to the biomes, it is necessary to know that Cameroon is divided into four main biomes to which some species are restricted (Fishpool & Evans 2001):
|
N°
|
Biomes
|
Number of species restricted to
|
|
1
|
Sahel biome
|
10
|
|
2
|
the Sudan-Guinea Savanna biome
|
45
|
|
3
|
the Guinea-Congo Forests biome
|
215
|
|
4
|
the Afrotropical Highlands biome
|
44
|
Cameroon is also a precious home of Mammals, Reptiles and Butterflies
The numerous habitats encountered in Cameroon are home of many variety of animals among which several are endemic to Cameroon…
The country contains excellent wildlife Sanctuaries, National Parks and nature reserves.
The Korup National Park is regarded as Africa’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforest with a wide variety of primates, birds, plant life, including dozens of species that have only been discovered recently. Dja Faunal Reserve, bordered by the Dja River, is one of Africa’s biggest and best-protected rainforests known for its biodiversity and primates. In Lobeke National Park you can visit lowland gorillas as well as elephant, buffalo, giant forest hog, red river hog, yellow-backed duiker and bongo antelope. There are watchtowers where you can spend the night to view wildlife.
In the far north of the country there are black rhinoceroses, elan, buffalo, elephants and lions in Bouba Ndjidah National Park on the banks of Mayo Lidi River. Also in the north is the excellent Waza National Park where large herds of elephants gather at water holes in the dry season. There is abundant birdlife here including eagles, crested cranes, maribous, pelicans, ducks, geese and guinea fowl. Animals including elephants, giraffes, antelopes, hartebeest, lions, cheetahs and warthogs also roam the forest and a vast expanse of grassy and wet plains
The large Benoue National Park has buffalo, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, hyena, giraffes, while the small Kalamaloue Reserve has several species of antelopes, monkeys and warthogs, and some elephants cross the reserve. Buffalo, lions and elephants roam the virgin forests inland in the Campo Game Reserve region.
About one hour from the center of Yaoundé is the forested Mefou National Park which has a primate rehabilitation center with electrified enclosures housing Chimps, Gorillas, Baboons, and various species of monkeys. The primates are cared for by volunteers and this is a great place to visit.
The country’s riverbanks are also popular areas to see the natural beauty of the country. The main rivers in Cameroon are the Benue, Nyong, and Sanaga. These waters have rich estuaries that are home to prawns and many fish.
Wildlife Biodiversity p25
The table of wildlife biodiversity (Table 22.4) shows that there is a high degree of endemism
within species of different forms of wildlife in Cameroon
In the Korup and Obang Hills of the South West Province there
are 1050 species of butterflies
the highest recorded in Africa so far).
Cultural richness of Cameroon
Out of the Cameroon’s natural diversity, the country is a home of a rich cultural tradition, favored by the ethnic diversity. In the western part of the country (Semi Bantu populations), you will discover picturesque traditional chiefdoms and Bamoun sultanate; palaces of the Fons are found in the Bamenda Highlands; mysterious natural traditional medicine with the Pygmies in the southern forest (Bantu population). You will also find all around the country many African traditional dances, handicrafts traditional industries, museum, typical African local markets, traditional habitations and of course special African food!!
Conclusion : Cette grande richesse culturelle, faunique et avifaunique fait du Cameroun une dstination touristique par excellence.
HABITATS CLES PAR REGION
· Waza: a superb area of arid savanna, bushland and marshes
· Benoue region: more wooded terrain… The sandy riverbeds are home to the exquisite Egyptian Plover and the enormous Pel’s Fishing Owl is sometimes seen along its banks. The dry woodland is home to White-throated Francolin, Dorst’s Cisticola,..
· the verdant Adamawa Plateau with its mosaic of woodland, rivers and grassland.
. The diversity of habitats is staggering and is replicated no-where else in West Africa. Far north Cameroon comprises the low sparse thorn-dominated woodlands and grasslands of the Sahel biome. This extends from just north of Benoue. There are many characteristic species of this dry woodland-grassland mosaic, although they are shared with many other West African nations.
