Mt. Koupe, Cameroon Photograph by © WWF-Canon/Rick WEYERHAEUSER   Western Africa: Western Cameroon extending into Nigeria Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests   14,700 square miles (38,000 square kilometers) -- about the size of Maryland and Connecticut combined Critical/Endangered

· Miles of Mountains
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Miles of Mountains

This ecoregion encompasses the long chain of mountains that stretch inland from the Gulf of Guinea along the borders of both Nigeria and Cameroon. Mt. Cameroon is an active volcano that sits near the coast and rises from this impressive mountain range, but it is considered a separate ecoregion from the older, non-volcanic Cameroonian Highlands Forests. Still, the two ecoregions share several endemic species, including 50 species of plants.

Special Features

This mountainous ecoregion is host to a number of endemic species. And within the region, some plants and animals can be found only in certain habitats or between narrow altitudinal bands. The Cameroonian Highlands Forests ecoregion itself occurs in patches at various altitudes on mountaintops and ridges within the larger mountain range. More endemic species tend to inhabit the larger patches that are more removed from other areas.

	Bannerman’s turaco is very important to the culture of the Kom people, who populate the Highlands. Turaco feathers are used to decorate traditional costumes that council members wear, which are called chindohs. The Kom even mimic the turaco’s song using the njang, an instrument similar to a xylophone. When someone in the village dies, njang music is played for three days straight.

Wild Side

If you were to creep quietly up among the verdant branches of the Cameroonian Highlands Forests, you might spot some interesting-looking monkeys, called guenons, sitting upright while sleeping in the trees. The Cameroonian Highlands are home to several species of these slim, graceful monkeys, including the rare Pruess’ guenon. In the early morning and at dusk, the deep two-part booming call of the male guenons can be heard echoing through the forest. Many bird species are found here, too, including species such as Bannerman’s turaco, a large and colorful fruit-eater. Cameroon is also considered a center of diversity for frogs and squirrels. Forest shrews stay camouflaged among the dark leaf litter as they prod beneath branches and twigs for worms and other invertebrates.

Cause for Concern

The region is threatened by extensive forest loss due to firewood collection and unsustainable timber production. The area’s rich, volcanic soils have also made the land a target for farmland conversion and cultivation. However, once the soils are cleared of protective forests, they tend to dry up, making them barren and useless for agriculture.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.