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.

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.

Overview

Title: Mintom Gorilla Heritage Area

Level: Candidate

Name/location: Mintom, Cameroon

Name/species/group: Great Ape

Country: Cameroon

Approximate size (sq km): 22

Criteria

1. Cultural importance of wildlife

• Traditional leaf hut made from local forest materials (jpg)
• Traditional Baku dance using local vegetation (PDF)
• Proposal for a Gorilla Festival (PDF) | Gorilla Festival (jpg)
• T-shirt design concept for Gorilla Festival (PDF)
• We will record evidence of this event once it has taken place (PDF)
• We plan to evidence stronger links culturally as the WHA project grows and expands (jpg)

2. Respectful human-wildlife coexistence

• Cameroon Forestry and Wildlife Regulations (PDF)
• Cameroon Forest Investment Plan (2017) - wider context for Cameroon Forestry management (PDF)
• Local Radio interview with Mintom WHA Steering Committee members (jpg)
• Meeting with the local Baka tribe - 3 of which joined the Steering Committee (jpg)
• We benefit from the traditional knowledge of the Baka people who sit on our Steering Committee (jpg)
• Translated script - Talk with Environment and Health Club at local school (PDF)
• Gorilla poaching is one of the greatest threats. Here we outline a draft plan to solve the problem (PDF)
• This guide from KSAPA supports our plan that economic investment resolves conflict (PDF)
• WWF 2021 Mintom: Integrating Sustainability in municipal development plan (PDF)
• Local indigenous communities such as the Baka use local resources and live very sustainably (jpg)
• The GHA Steering Committee currently monitors gorilla activity and conflict situations (jpg)
• Illegally hunted gorilla parts found in a local village by a steering committee member (jpg)

4. Steering committee

• Steering committee founder members with contact details. More members are being sought (PDF)
• Meeting minutes from first meeting of the Mintom Gorilla Heritage Area steering committee (PDF)
• Mintom WHA Steering Committee visiting a school, local radio station and indigenous community (PDF)
• Baku community showing traditional hut made of leaves from the local forest - very sustainable (jpg)