Mintom Gorilla Heritage Area

Description

The communal forest of Mintom is a vast ever green forest an has various animals like snakes, gorillas, chimpanzees, monkeys, antelopes etc. The species here are special because they are rare in other Congo basin forests and are abundant too in this particular area, the water bodies and other forest resources make the zone a reference while taking into consideration the healthy ecosystem. The soil type, landscape and other climate conditions are good factors that influence the habitat of these animals in general.

Motivation

I am the local person that goes around to inform people on the importance of wildlife protection or conservation. Though not easy to convince people not to hunt, most people get irritated and pour out insults on me in the process, but others listen and promise to change to that effect.

Boundary Map

Species or habitats

Both subspecies of lowland gorilla (Eastern and Western) occur in Mintom. Eastern lowland gorillas are found primarily in the eastern Congo basin, while western lowland gorillas inhabit forests in western Central Africa, including Cameroon. Western lowland gorillas have a smaller frame, brown-grey fur, and more pronounced ridges on their skulls. Eastern lowland gorillas are larger, with darker black fur. Both are critically endangered due to poaching, habitat destruction, and diseases like Ebola. Conservation efforts focus on protecting their shrinking habitats and curbing illegal hunting.