Situated on Cameroon's borders with the Central African Republic and Congo Brazzaville and overlooking the Sangha River, the park has one of the highest densities of forest mammals in the Congo Basin, with an estimated population of 2000 elephants. In a place where elephants outnumber people, a complex struggle between commercial interests, local needs, and political will is determining the future of Cameroon’s last expanse of untouched tropical forest.
Lobéké National Park
The Lobéké National Park falls within the south-eastern corner of the Republic of Cameroon. It is part of the larger Congo Basin forest block with a very low population density. There is a high diversity of plant communities, almost untouched by human activity, and the forests support high densities of forest elephants, western lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, bongos, and many other forest species. Primate species besides the gorillas include the spot-nosed monkey and gray-cheeked mangabey, among others.
The forest clearings attract a high number of African grey parrots and green pigeons. The aquatic fauna is extremely rich, with more than 62 fish species recorded in the rivers and streams. The rivers have very high populations of shrimp, which are harvested by native tribes.
Local communities include the Bagando and Bakwele, ethnic groups of Bantu origin, and semi-sedentary forager-farmer Ba'aka Pygmies. Small groups of Muslim traders and Congolese, Senegalese, and other nationals from West Africa are involved in ivory and gold trafficking.
Forest products such as honey and bush mangoes are widely distributed and harvested by the locals. Mango harvesting mobilizes the entire local population.
