Njinsing - Tabenken (6114)
Cameroon, Africa

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2001

National site name: Njinsing - Tabenken

Central coordinates: Latitude: 6.5162, Longitude: 10.7442

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 1600 to 2200

Area of KBA (km²): 3.90081

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: This montane forest, known as Njinsing, is located west of the road between Kumbo and Nkambe, north-east of Mount Oku (CM012). The site comprises a small stand of submontane and montane forest mostly between 1,800 m and 2,200 m, but which descends to Tabenken village at 1,600 m. It is completely surrounded by farmland or degraded savanna among montane pastures of Sporobolus africanus. The vegetation is typically montane with emergent species including Croton macrostachyus, Podocarpus latifolius, Polyscias fulva, Albizia gummifera, Schefflera abyssinica and Prunus africana. The forest is greatly disturbed, as it is the main source of fuelwood for the surrounding villages.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)

Additional biodiversity: See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. A total of 80 species have so far been recorded, the result of a single day’s visit. Afrotropical Highland biome species are well represented and the site is particularly important for Tauraco bannermani and Platysteira laticincta, for both of which this is the northernmost site known. Three species of the Guinea–Congo Forests biome (A05) also occur (see Table 3). Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.

Habitats

Land use: agriculture | forestry

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: This is the only remaining patch of montane forest in the area and its unprotected status means that it is heavily exploited for agriculture, timber, fuelwood and medicinal purposes. Some parts of the forest remain, however, largely intact which may be attributable to local taboo. However, this tradition is certainly under threat due to pressure for more agricultural land.

Additional information