Our Priority Areas
Alongside the Tofala HWS, Tofala-Mone Corridor, Mt Bamboutos Forest Reserve, proposed NF3EAWS, and Lebialem Highlands Escarpment that shares the boundary with Menoua Division to the North and rises at locations such as; Leleng, Attuleh (Lewoh) and Mbindia (Lebang) to heights of 2000m above sea level. Due to the steepness of this escarpment, much of the vegetation here remains intact. The many predominant hills here include; Leleng, Attuleh Hill, Nyitenbong Hill and Fuagonkem Hill (Mbindia). The biodiversity species located here are among the rare and endemic species; some of which are rare and endemic species restricted to Cameroon mountains. A good population of Sitatunga is found here, as are rock species, green monkeys, and bay drinkers.
The Lebialem Highlands is an excellent touristic destination in Cameroon. The main conservation areas across the Lebialem Highlands constitute centers for eco-tourism as seen below.
The Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary (THWS) —- to about 40 cross River gorrilas and 200 Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees. THWS created in 2014 had attracted conservation tourism since 2008.
This genetic corridor created in 2019 links the subpopulation of Cross River Gorillas and Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees to those in the Mone and Takamanda National Park. About 20 Cross River Gorillas and 100 Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees are home to this corridor.
The Mt. Bamboutos Forest Reserve (Mt. BFR), located to the north of the THWS, rises to a height of 2740m and is an excellent location for mountaineering. It is home to green monkeys endemic and critically endangered amphibian species, birds and montane plants.
Located to the SE of the Lebialem Highlands, it is home to over 300 Nigeria – Cameroon Chimpanzees, 100 African forest elephants and drills, threatened birds (especially the Mt. Kupe Spirups), amphibians, and plants.
The main escarpment is located across Leleng, Atuleh-Lewoh and Mbindia-Lebang rises up to 2000m above sea level. It is home to a variety of globally threatened species of birds, plants, primates, amphibians, and Sitatunga. It is also an excellent mountaineering landscape, with peak hills such as Attuleh Hills, Nyitenbomg Hill and Faugonkeu Hill (Mbindia)
It is the westernmost location of Africa forest elephants. Reported to have been extinct locally in this protected area created in 1947. Besides the elephants, there are Nigeria – Cameroon chimpanzees, globally threatened birds, and amphibians. It is one of the key biodiversity areas in Cameroon.
In the course of the past 13 years, Lebialem Highlands has received a good number of researchers across all disciplines. Lebialem Highlands is also an excellent location for biodiversity research in all of its disciplines.
It was gazecitted as a forest reserve in 1900 by the German government, reconfirmed by the French in 1947 and the Government of Cameroon in 1972. In 2008, it was upgraded from 245 hectares to 1900 hectares as the proposed Mt. Bamboutous integral-ecological reserve. It is the second important watershade in Cameroon and it’s also one of the key biodiversity areas recognized by Conservation International and WWF. It has one of the greatest concentration of endemic amphibians, rare birds and rare plants.