SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

FLORA & FAUNA ON MOUNT CAMEROON

            A selection of important plant and animal species is indicating the high Biodiversity in mount Cameroon region including additional information about their use or habit. Out of the numerous existing plant and animal species in this region, only a very small part could be chosen and the kind of information given to each species differs and should not be regarded as complete. More can still be asked from guides.

A Sustainable Means Of Generating Income and Conservation of Biodiversity

1.      Relying on Ecotourism

The outcome cautious thinking to conserve biodiversity in the area, as supported by the Mount Cameroon Project, have revealed the high touristic potential of the area, as an opportunity to be enhanced as part of a strategy for sustainable resource management, that shares benefits with all stake holders who are actively contributing to biodiversity conservation.  

Through our institution and its activities, we wish to add value to the culture, the enlarge and dens ever green equatorial rain forest and other natural resources like animals by using them in a non-consumptive purposes. Ecotourism also serves as an alternative source of income for major resource users like hunters, Students, the Mt. Cameroon National Park, Fast Food and fruit sellers, traveling agencies and the like. In this light, it is realized and recommended by the entire communities around Mt. Cameroon to promote Ecotourism since it has a wide positive effect on the communities. As such, using hunters/students as guides and porters favor an exchange in ideas between both parties especially the hunters whose huge knowledge is now used in conservation efforts through their participation and most importantly, doesn’t threatens the wild life in the region.

2.      The structures

Within the framework of biodiversity conservation and the promotion of tourism in the region there by creating a means of sustainable income generation and thereby conserving and multiplying the available natural resources we realized that this can only effective with through community involvement. That is, we chose to work using a participatory analysis between Legalized State Institutions, Civil Society Organization and community effort. The activities of the organization to ensures a sustainable and safe tourism, we carry out other tasks like implementing and coordinating a sensitization program on waste management and to develop a system for monitoring and evaluating the social, cultural and ecological impact of tourism by creating partnership with some stakeholders like the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and a Community Radio (Bonakanda Rural Radio).  

3.      Our Partners And Services

Stakeholders concerned are:

v The hunters; serve as guides and porters

v Students; serve as guides, porters also assist in educating and sensitization.

v Ecotourism Organization; receives tourist fee of 3000 (three thousand) FCFA per tourist and per day as stake holder fund. As such each tourist directly contributes to the maintenance of the rich biodiversity. This is in addition to what is paid to guides and porters. The organization shares the money to the stake holders according to their inputs.

v Ministry of Tourism and Leisure: maintain the Guinness Track, huts and provide other relevant information.

v The Mt. Cameroon National Park; reinforce the conservation and multiplication of resource in the area. They also receive 5000 (five thousand) FCFA from tourist per day which is directed to state coffers to facilitate their activities.

v Ministry of Agriculture; they assist us to provide capacity building to the rural population whose 80% rely of agriculture.

v GIZ and WWF; they strive to protect, multiply and identify the different resources in the region.

v Other Partners like Donor Organizations who wish to promote and advance development process especially in the rural areas and in the domain of tourism are highly welcome.  

4.      Our Activities

v Ecotourism

v Waste management

v Education and Sensitization

5.      Challenges

v We rate of fuel wood consumption is increasing drastically.

v Despite all effort made the forest is still over exploited with important trees and animals endangered.

v The number of participants (porters and Guides) is increasing more than the opportunities open to them.

6.      Our Fear

v The effect of climate change will affect the rural population who depend only on agriculture than those in urban centers with white collar jobs. This can also affect government effort to ensure food security.

v We may also turn to loss some important plant species which food and medicinal value like the Prunus Africana etc.

v We also fear that the number of hunters who had diverted from hunting might have to return back to their old habit.

7.      Way Forward

To reinforce every effort by the organization and other stakeholders, we pray that the government and other donor organization also find interest to assist us.

8.      Requirements

v A detail feasibility study of the above issues

v Sensitization base on findings

v Capacity buildings to the rural population and the organization base on the need to expand the sector.

9.      Turn Out

v More farmers, farming without cutting down of trees or better still agro farming.

v Communities relying on non-timber products

v The conservation and multiplication of biodiversity will increase if more hunters find opportunity in the tourism sector.

(mtcameroonecotour@gmail.com)

 PLANT SPECIES

S/n	Scientific Name	Cameroon English Name	Bakweri Name
1	Musa acuminata	Plantain	Liko
2	Blaeria spicata manii	-	Liwulwulu
3	Colocasia	Coco yam	Likawo
4	Pipper umbrellatum	-	Ngoni
5	Prunus africana	Kanda stick	Wotangu
6	Ciatheaceae	Tree fern	Litutu-la-nakamba
7	Ficus kamerunesis	-	Ngongi
8	Aguaria salicefolia	-	Mbwele-a-kaelo
9	Afromumum flavum	-	Litutu-ndo
10	Rubus pinnata	Bush berries	Wa-nye-nyege
11	Renealmia polypus		Mebwe
12	Helichrysum mannii	-	-
13	Coctus albus		Mondandwani
14	Musanga secropeoides		Lisengi
15	Seadoscus cinnabarinus	-	-

ANIMALS, INSECTS, SNAKES AND BIRD SPECIES

S/N	Common name	Scientific Name	Bakweri Name
1	White-faced-owl	Ptilopsis leucotis	Ezu
2	Allied hornbill	Lophoseros semifisciatus	-
3	Migratory locust	Locusta migratoria	-
4	Pigmy kingfisher	Ispidina picta	-
5	Grey woodpecker	Mesopicos goertae	Mboke mboke
6	Pin-tailed whydah	Vidua macroura	-
7	Splendid sunbird	Cinnyris coccinigaster	Izoli
8	Goliath-beetle	Family scarabaeidae	Nganga a singe
9	Black kite	Milvus milgrans	Wombe
10	African civet	Vierra civetta	Njuwe
11	Water cherotain	Hymoschus aquaticus	Njombe
12	House rat	Rattu rattus	Eto
13	Puff adder	Bitis arietans	ngu
14	Black legged mangoose	Bdeogale nigripes	izembe
15	Hammer headed bat	Hypsiganatus monstrosus	nmweme
16	Brush-tailed porcupine	Atherurus africanus	ngomba
17	Large spotted genet	Genetta tigrina	ezo
18	Greater white nosed monkey	Cercopithecus nictitans	lindo
19	Butter fly	Graphium antheus	Ekolo-kolo- la- ngando
20	Moth	Aurivillius aratus	Ekolo-kolo
21	Straw- colored fruit bat	Eidolon helvum	Mboa-mweme
22	Mt. Cameroon Francolin	Francolinus camerunnesis	kwai
23	Green mamba	Dendroaspis jamesonii	Mooto
24	Preuss monkey	cercopithecuspreussi	lingote
25	Blue duiker	Cephalophus monticola	Mbweya
26	Tree dessie	Dendrohyrax arboreus	Loka
27	Giant pangolin	Manis gigantia	Iijah
28	Giant forest squirrel	Protoxerus stanger	Fai
29	Drill	Papio leucuphaeus	sumbo
30	White colored mangabey	Cercocebus torquatus	Musako
31	Cane rat	thryonomys
32	Allen’s galago	Galago alleni	jambo
33	Beecroft’s flying squirrel	Anomalurops beecrofti	ngu
34	Western bushbuck	Tragelaphus scriptus	kave
35	Chimpanzee	Pan troglodytes	ewaki
36	Two-spotted palm civet	Nandinia binotata	mbenge
37	Western bush pig	Potamochoerus porcus	Ngwa wanga
38	African python	Python sebac	mohzo
39	Forest elephant	Loxodonta cyclotis	njiku