Tsetagho Guilain
Other projects
23 Jun 2020
Conservation Status of the Iconic Grey-Necked Picathartes (Picathartes oreas) and Initiation of Community-Based Conservation Outreach in Cameroon
Most Cameroon’s Important Bird Areas (IBAs), such as Mount Manengouba have been considered Keys Biodiversity Areas (KBAs); despite this attention, they have no legal protection. Mount Manengouba harbors species of global conservation concern including Grey-necked Picathartes, Green-breasted Bush-shrike, and Bannerman’s weaver. Nevertheless, increasing evidence suggests that it is in danger of losing its biodiversity. This project intends to assess bird populations and conservation status in Mount Manengouba, identify key threats and develop practical solutions in order to raise the awareness at various levels about the importance of this site for biodiversity conservation, a contribution to the site’s management plan elaboration.
Bannerman’s weaver, Ploceus bannermani.
Mount Manengouba is a volcanic mountain with forest harbouring exceptional endemic biodiversity, leading it to be ranked among the highest conservation priorities in Central Africa. According to Fotso et al. (2001), Mount Manengouba forest is a Cameroon’s IBA (CM021) holding a mosaic of forest, a bastion for many species whose populations are of global conservation concern including Grey-necked Picathartes (VU) and Bannerman’s weaver (VU) endemic to Cameroon-Nigeria mountain chain; Green-breasted Bush-shrike (VU) and Mount Kupe Bush-shrike (EN) endemic to Cameroon mountains EBA. Despite being a global priority, this site is unprotected and is at risk from deforestation due to increasing pressures for agricultural land through shifting cultivation, fire, tree extraction, livestock pasture and illegal harvesting of bark of Prunus africana (Gonwouo, 2012). Aside from studies undertaken almost 20 years ago to establish Cameroon’s IBAs, no studies of the area’s avifauna have been undertaken in this site. As an IBA with no legal status harbouring species of global conservation concern, there is an urgent need to update data on avifaunal populations and their conservation status at this site, a contribution to the site’s management plan elaboration.
This project will help to:
- Determine the density, abundance and distribution of Mount Manengouba’s avifauna,
- Determine the distribution and preferred habitats of threatened birds of global conservation concern occurring in the area,
- Identify threats on birds and associated habitat, and assess their effects on birds community,
- Raise the level of awareness and knowledge of the local community on the importance of the Mount Manengouba forest and its associated exceptional biodiversity, by sensitizing at least 75% of the people living around the site trough Community workshops and school lectures.
To achieve these objectives, Points count and habitats survey will be carry out in different census stations, positioned across different habitat/vegetation types as well as the altitudinal gradient using a random stratified sampling method.
This study will provide up to date information about the diversity of the avifauna of Mount Manengouba IBA. The distribution and abundance of birds of global conservation concern will be Know. Results obtained will be made available to the authority in charge of forestry and wildlife in Cameroon, on which basis they can make an informed decision on whether to designate Mount Manengouba as Protected Area, and also to assist the authorities in designing a management plan.