Environment
Cameroon has 18 national parks and equivalent protected areas covering about 2 million hectares (6 million acres), about 4.4% of the country.
The Cameroonian Highlands forestsextend across the Cameroon Highlands, covering an area of 38,000 square kilometers (14,700 square miles) in eastern Nigeria and western Cameroon. The ecoregion lies above 900 meters elevation, and is surrounded at lower elevations by the Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests at the southern end of the range, and by forest-savanna mosaic along the central and northern ends of the range; the Cameroon Highlands form the boundary between the Guinean and Northern Congolian forest-savanna mosaic ecoregions
The vegetation varies with elevation. Submontane forests extend from 900 to 1800 meters elevation. Above 1800 meters elevation are distinct montane forests and patches of montane grassland, bamboo forest, and subalpine grasslands and shrublands. The ecoregion is characterized by the presence of afromontane species, which have an archipelago-like distribution across the highlands of Africa. Typical afromontane species are Nuxia congesta, Podocarpus latifolius, Prunus africana, Rapanea melanophloeos, and Syzygium guineense bamendae.
FAUNA
The ecoregion is home to a number of endemic species, along with several more that are also found in the nearby Mount Cameroon and Bioko montane forests ecoregion.
Seven species of birds are strictly endemic: the Bamenda apalis (Apalis bamendae), Bangwa forest warbler (Bradypterus bangwaensis), white-throated mountain-babbler (Kupeornis gilberti), banded wattle-eye (Platysteira laticincta), Bannerman’s weaver (Ploceus bannermani), Bannerman’s turaco (Tauraco bannermani), and Mt. Kupe bushshrike (Telophorus kupeensis).
Fourteen species are endemic to the Cameroon Highlands forests and Mt. Cameroon: Andropadus montanus, Phyllastrephus poliocephalus, Laniarius atroflavus, Malaconotus gladiator, Cossypha isabellae and the subspecies Cisticola chubbi discolor (sometimes considered a separate species C. discolor).
Nine more montane endemic species are shared with Mt. Cameroon and Bioko: Psalidoprocne fuliginosa, Andropadus tephrolaemus, Phyllastrephus poensis, Phylloscopus herberti, Urolais epichlora, Poliolais lopezi, Nectarinia oritis, Nectarinia ursulae, and Nesocharis shelleyi.
Eleven small mammal species are endemic to the ecoregion: Eisentraut’s striped mouse (Hybomys eisentrauti), the African wood mouse Hylomyscus grandis, Mount Oku mouse (Lamottemys okuensis), Mittendorf’s striped grass mouse (Lemniscomys mittendorfi), two brush-furred mouse species (Lophuromys dieterleni and L. eisentrauti), Oku mouse shrew (Myosorex okuensis), Rumpi mouse shrew (M. rumpii), western vlei rat (Otomys occidentalis), Hartwig’s soft-furred mouse (Praomys hartwigi), and Isabella’s shrew (Sylvisorex isabellae).
RESERVES
Below are just the main three of 18 National parks and Reserves found in Cameroon.
●Dja Faunal Reserve
●Korup National Park
●Waza National Park etc
ENDANGERED SPECIES
The ecoregion is home to several endangered primates, including the Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli), an endemic subspecies of Western Gorilla, Mainland Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus leucophaeus), Preuss’s Red Colobus (Pilocolobus preussi), and Common Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes).Nine species of reptiles and 40 species of amphibians are endemic to the ecoregion.
LIST OF BIRDS
Below is a list of the bird species recorded in Cameroon. The avifauna of Cameroon includes a total of 929 species, of which 11 are endemic and 8 are rare or accidental.
Non-passerines: Ostriches . Grebes . Shearwaters and Petrels . Storm-Petrels . Tropicbirds . Pelicans . Boobies and Gannets . Cormorants . Darters . Frigatebirds . Bitterns, Herons and Egrets . Hammerkop . Storks . Shoebill . Ibises and Spoonbills . Flamingos . Ducks, Geese and Swans . Osprey . Hawks, Kites and Eagles . Secretary-bird . Caracaras and Falcons . Pheasants and Partridges . Guineafowl . Buttonquails . Cranes . Rails, Crakes, Gallinules, and Coots . Sungrebe and Finfoots . Bustards . Jacanas . Painted snipe . Oystercatchers . Avocets and Stilts . Thick-knees . Pratincoles and Coursers . Plovers and Lapwings . Sandpipers and allies . Skuas and Jaegers . Gulls . Terns . Skimmers . Sandgrouse . Pigeons and Doves . Parrots, Macaws and allies . Turacos . Cuckoos and Anis . Barn owls . Typical owls . Nightjars . Swifts . Mousebirds . Trogons and Quetzals . Kingfishers . Bee-eaters . Typical Rollers . Hoopoes . Woodhoopoes . Hornbills . Barbets . Honeyguides . Woodpeckers and allies.
Passerines: Broadbills . Pittas . Larks . Swallows and Martins . Wagtails and Pipits . Cuckoo-shrikes . Bulbuls . Thrushes and allies . Cisticolas and allies . Old World warblers . Old World flycatchers . Wattle-eyes . Monarch flycatchers . Rockfowl . Babblers . Chickadees and Titmice . Treecreepers . Penduline tits . Sunbirds and Spiderhunters . White-eyes . Old World Orioles . Shrikes . Bushshrikes and allies . Helmetshrikes . Drongos . Crows, Jays, Ravens and Magpies . Starlings . Weavers and allies . Waxbills and allies . Indigobirds . Weavers and allies . Buntings, Sparrows, Seedeaters and allies . Siskins, Crossbills and allies . Sparrows .
