The government of Cameroon has transformed the Proposed Mount Muanenguba Integral Ecological Reserve into the Mount Muanenguba Herpeto-ornithological Sanctuary which will serve a safe habitat for amphibians, reptiles, and birds. This follows Prime Ministerial Decree No 2023 /00051 of February 21, 2023, signed by Cameroon’s head of government, Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute,
This is the first-ever protected area dedicated to the conservation of this category of species in Cameroon. Measuring 4696 ha, the Mount Muanenguba Herpeto-ornithological Sanctuary spans across part of the Kupe-Muanenguba Division of the Southwest Region of Cameroon and that of the Moungo Division of the Littoral Region of Cameroon.
Among the species that will benefit from this government gesture is the endangered Goliath Frog, the largest frog in the World found only in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. The population of Goliath frogs in the wild, in Cameroon, is decreasing due to accelerated habitat loss occasioned by deforestation, hunting, and over-collecting from the wild for pet trade. The most severe threat to this species is hunting for food, and new sophisticated traps, for catching this species are now being scrupulously used in the Nkongsamba area of Cameroon. These endangered frogs are also been adversely affected by the loss of forest habitat for agriculture, logging, and human settlements.
On average, the local hunters hunt twice a week and harvest an average of 10-15 frogs a week, resulting in an estimated harvest of 19,440 frogs every peak season, mostly during the dry season, revealed a study we conducted in Mount Nlonako in 2016. ERuDeF has been working with local communities over the years to conserve this frog alongside other species. This good gesture from the government will act as a bolster for us to ramp up our conservation activities in this protected area.
