Campo Ma'an complex (6134)
Cameroon, Africa

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2001

National site name: Campo Ma'an complex

Central coordinates: Latitude: 2.5000, Longitude: 10.2500

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 1097

Area of KBA (km²): 2604.42953

Protected area coverage (%): 88.72

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Campo Ma’an National Park (270,000 ha) lies in the south-western corner of the country, against the international border with Equatorial Guinea and the Atlantic ocean. The western part of the park, which reaches the coast, is generally flat, with altitudes ranging between 0–300 m; more to the east, the topography is more varied, with altitudes ranging between 400–1,097 m. The vegetation is comprised largely of coastal evergreen rainforest. There are, however, areas of intact and secondary mixed evergreen and semi-evergeen rainforest in the Ntem valley in the southern part of the park, which surround extensive Raphia-dominated marshes. The National Park is surrounded by a buffer zone of several UTOs (Unités Techniques Opérationelles), where much commercial logging has taken place. Average annual rainfall is 2,820 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. A total of 200 species have been recorded from the National Park, and more than another 100 from adjacent buffer zones (including a number of old records of which some may have been from outside the limits of the site). Hirundo fuliginosa and Malimbus racheliae are not uncommon and there are old records of Picathartes oreas (from outside the park). This is the only IBA in Cameroon from which Campephaga oriolina has been recorded. There are records of Caprimulgus binotatus, and Tigriornis leucolophus is thought to be common. Phylloscopus budongoensis has also been been found in the higher hills. There are several large roosts of Psittacus erithacus in the region. Non-bird biodiversity: The site holds several species of plants discovered recently that may be endemic. Of mammals, Loxondonta africana (EN) is common in the south-west of the park, while 20 species of primates occur, including Mandrillus sphinx, Colobus satanas (VU) and Gorilla gorilla (EN) which is not uncommon throughout. Trichechus senegalensis (VU) also occurs in the western part of the park. More than 165 species of fish are known, of which four are endemic to the site. The area is exceptionally rich in reptiles; 122 species have been recorded. Of these, Agama mehelyi and Hydraethiops laevis are only known from the type-material and three others are known from fewer than five specimens. Up to three recently collected specimens might prove to be of new species.

Habitats

Land use: fisheries/aquaculture | nature conservation and research

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	95
Marine Intertidal	5

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The park was gazetted in January 2000 with boundaries that differ from the pre-existing forest reserve so that no logging concessions are included in its boundaries. Indeed, the area immediately surrounding the park is being, or has been, logged. There is clear evidence of poaching, including of Gorillas and other primates. The best-preserved area is the hilly eastern part. A Dutch Government Cooperation Agency is running a conservation project in the area.

Additional information