Bakossi Mountains (6125)
Cameroon, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B2
Year of last assessment: 2024
National site name: Bakossi Mountains
Central coordinates: Latitude: 4.9834, Longitude: 9.6023
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 150 to 1895
Area of KBA (km2): 755.81132
Protected area coverage (%): 37.80
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This is a very large area of forested hills situated a short way to the west of Mont Manengouba and Mount Kupe, across the Jide valley. The site includes c.20,000 ha of mid-altitude and montane rainforest (above 1,000 m) and nearly twice that amount of lowland rainforest in ‘Western Bakossi’. There are three peaks between 1,800–1,900 m in the north (one of them an inselberg), the ‘Edib Hills’ in the centre are mostly between 1,100–1,450 m while the south-west is lower-lying (down to 150–200 m on the Mungo river); the terrain, however, remains precipitous almost throughout. The hills are dotted with a few small settlements, more populated at low altitudes, where some cash-crops (especially cocoa) are grown. No rainfall data are available, but there is little doubt that the wettest and coolest section is in the centre around Lake Edib (a small crater lake and swamp surrounded by cliffs and forest) and a striking feature of the forest in this region is the abundance of epiphytic moss. Away from settlements, the forest cover is usually continuous, but very locally, mainly near Kodmin (1,320–1,450 m) on the eastern side, the vegetation consists of a mosaic of bracken clearings and forest patches; the origin of these clearings is probably secondary, but the forest seems unable to regrow. As for the area between Kupe and Manengouba, there was evidently a forest corridor in the recent past between these two massifs and Bakossi, at altitudes varying from 200–1,200 m, thus high enough for a number of montane species. A management plan is in preparation with the aim of designating most of the Bakossi mountains as Protection Forest (54,983 ha). The human settlements in the uplands are so few and so little populated that they have minimal impact on the forest ecology (except for the hunting of large mammals); in Western Bakossi on the other hand, cocoa farms are extending south of Bangone in an area of pristine forest. Unfortunately, an old, abandoned road along the south-eastern edge of Bakossi is being reopened with European funds and, inevitably, the good-looking lowland forest around Mahole and southwards will suffer as villages will be encouraged to develop along the new road.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site contains the entire known population of Leptodactylodon wildi. An additional ten birds meet B2 and one amphibian, 184 birds, and two mammals meet legacy KBA criteria and are in need of reassessment.
Manageability of the site: This site was identified as an IBA/KBA in 2001. An original manageability rationale is not available, however 38% of the site corresponds to Bakossi National Park.
Delineation rationale: This site was identified as an IBA/KBA in 2001. An original delineation rationale is not available.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 100 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |