Mbam Minkom - Kala (6131)
Cameroon, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Mbam Minkom - Kala
Central coordinates: Latitude: 3.9397, Longitude: 11.3268
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 700 to 1295
Area of KBA (km2): 505.63093
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site comprises a discontinuous arc of forested hills to the north and west of Yaoundé, situated 10–35 km from the city centre. Four main hills are included; Mbam Minkom, the largest, to the north-west, Nkol Yéyé due north of Yaoundé, Eloumden to the south-west and, beyond it, Kala, furthest from the city. Some good forest remains, but it is fragmented and highly threatened. The vegetation includes degraded, drier semi-evergreen and mixed moist semi-evergreen rainforest with some mid-altitude elements. Average annual rainfall is between 1,600–1,700 mm.
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. The avifauna of the region as a whole, including non-forest forms, totals about 360 species. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry | hunting
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 95 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The Cameroon Ornithological Club is considering the possibility of developing a conservation project in the area. The local forests are fragmented and highly threatened by local timber extraction, farming and hunting; most of the large mammal populations have already been lost.
Additional information
References: Achoundong (1985, 1996), Amiet (1983, 1987), Amiet and Perret (1969), Decoux and Fotso (1988), Fotso (1990, 1994), Thompson and Fotso (1996).