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Dja Faunal Reserve

South-eastern Province, Cameroon

The Dja Faunal Reserve was created in 1950 and became a World Heritage Site in 1987 and it forms an integral part of the dense rain forests that make up the Congo Basin. The Dja Faunal Reserve is one of the largest areas of protected rainforest in Africa. 90% of the reserve consists of unspoiled and protected forest marked out by the Dja River which acts as a natural border for the area. The reserve is home to 107 mammals including a large variety of primates, for which the reserve is best known. 

The Dja Faunal Reserve is especially notable for the diversity of primate species it protects including white-collared mangabey, mandrill, drill, Western lowland gorilla and chimpanzee. It adjoins onto the Congolese reserve of the Odzala-Kokoua National Park and the Gabonese Minkébé National Park to form the TRIDOMarea, an important zone for the protection of the African rainforest habitat of the Congo basin.

There are more than 1,500 known plant species in the reserve, over 107 mammals (including forest elephants, African forest buffalo and leopard) and more than 320 bird species. There is also a population of Baka pygmies living in a relatively traditional manner within the boundaries of the reserve. They confer a recognized cultural value to the site and are permitted to hunt using traditional methods, although agriculture and professional hunting are banned.

The area is not too easy to access and a local guide is advisable.

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