Neba Luise Ngwa
The Bannerman Turaco (listed as Endangered under the IUCN Red List) inhabits the remaining fragile gallery forests of the North Western Highland of Cameroon, which are heavily exploited for socio-economic reasons. The overriding purpose of this project is to evaluate the current population trend of Turaco bannermani in the Bali-Ngemba forest reserve, outline the factors that are contributing to dwindling drifts in numbers and seek ways towards mitigating such factors. An estimation of the contemporary population dynamics of Turaco bannermani will help validate speculations on its dwindling status, suggest a species management blueprint for the continued protection of Turaco habitats, encourage enrichment planting of indigenous trees in deforested parts of the reserve, build capacity and create public awareness not just in the Bamenda Highlands but the entire Cameroon nation on the eco-touristic values and other ecosystem services rendered by the species and the need for its protection.
Background and Justification:
The Bannerman turaco which is one of Cameroon’s endemic avifauna is facing serious peril. There are speculations that the population of this species is under rapid decline, of which such decline is assumed to be caused by factors such as hunting, habitat loss and other human farming and bush burning. The role of Bannerman turaco in forest restoration cannot be neglected. They render important ecosystem services to the forest in terms of dispersal and this helps in forest re-growth and restoration.
Purpose:
The central drive of this project is to judge the current population trend of Turaco bannermani in the Bali-Ngemba forest reserve. Likewise, it will outline the factors that are contributing to dwindling drifts in numbers and seek ways towards mitigating such factors.
Objectives:
Gage the current distribution and population of the Bannerman turaco in the Reserve
Evaluate the degree of human impacts in the Reserve
Carry out conservation outreach around bordering communities
Capacity building of team members, ministry staff and community inhabitants on the conservation benefits of the species
Long term goal:
The Bali-Ngemba forest reserve is a veritable biodiversity heaven which deserves greater attention and timeliness in the management of the natural resources therein. We therefore have a passion to use the Bannerman turaco as flagship or ambassador species for the conservation of the remaining biodiversity of the reserve. Our long term enticing dream is to make the reserve an absolute Turaco Sanctuary. The project will also provide measures by which the Bannerman turaco and other biodiversity in the forest reserve will be sustainably managed.