Mbalmayo Forest Reserve
Central Africa > Cameroon > Mbalmayo Forest Reserve
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Summary
- Central chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) and Western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) are present in Mbalmayo Forest Reserve.
- The population size is unknown.
- The population trend is unknown.
- The site has a total area of 97 km².
- Major threats include deforestation from agricultural expansion, resulting in habitat loss and fragmentation that fuel both increased chimpanzee-human conflict and poaching.
Site characteristics
Mbalmayo Forest Reserve, located near Yaoundé, Cameroon, is a degraded forest patch that has recently shown evidence of great ape presence, including western lowland gorillas and central chimpanzees. Despite significant deforestation, parts of the forest remain intact, providing habitat for these species (Raman 2025).
Table 1. Basic site information for Mbalmayo Forest Reserve
| Species | Pan troglodytes troglodytes, Gorilla gorilla gorilla |
| Area | 92 km² |
| Coordinates | Lat: 3.416583 , Lon: 11.487684 |
| Type of site | Protected area (Forest Reserve) |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest |
| Type of governance | Governance by government |
Types of sites Governance types Habitat types
Ape status
Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Mbalmayo Forest Reserve
| Species | Year | Occurrence | Encounter or vistation rate (nests/km; ind/day) | Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI) | Abundance estimate (95% CI) | Survey area | Sampling method | Analytical framework | Source | Comments | A.P.E.S. database ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Pan troglodytes troglodytes" | 2021-2022 | Present | Mbalmayo Forest Reserve (92 km²) | Camera trap | Mey et al. 2025 | ||||||
| "Gorilla gorilla gorilla" | 2021-2022 | Present | Mbalmayo Forest Reserve (92 km²) | Camera trap | Mey et al. 2025 |
Sampling methods Analytical frameworks
Threats
A study by Mey et al. (2025) apes and humans using the same area of the forest just hours apart, underscoring the potential risk of human-ape conflict (Raman 2025).
Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Mbalmayo Forest Reserve
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops | High (more than 70% of population affected) | Conversion of forest land to agriculture; 30% of the forest was lost to cacao and banana plantations (Mey & Gore 2021). | 1987-Ongoing (2018) |
Conservation activities
Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Mbalmayo Forest Reserve
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Implementing organization(s) | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Protection & restoration | 5.2 Legally protect ape habitat | The forest reserve was created in 1947 (Mey & Gore 2021). | 1947-Ongoing (2026) |
Challenges
Table 5. Challenges reported for Mbalmayo Forest Reserve
| Challenges | Specific challenges | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Institutional support | 4.1 Lack of law enforcement | Raman 2025 | Ongoing (2025) |
| 4 Institutional support | 4.2 Lack of government support | Raman 2025 | Ongoing (2020) |
Enablers
Research activities
Documented behaviours
Exposure to climate change impacts
External links
MONGABAY, In Cameroon’s forgotten forests, gorillas and chimps hang on
Mbalmayo Forest Conservation, Unveiling the secrets of the Mbalmayo Forest Reserve
References
Mey, C. B., & Gore, M. L. (2021). Biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration in agroforestry systems of the Mbalmayo Forest Reserve. Journal of Forest and Environmental Science, 37(2), 91–103. https://doi.org/10.7747/JFES.2021.37.2.91
Mey Boudoug, J. C., Dewang Dyio, S., Fotie, C. N. S., Etah Kang, J., Ndzana, I., Nguimdo Vouffo, V. R., & Mbolo, M. M. (2025). Preliminary Evidence of Great Apes' Occurrence in Peri‐Urban and Highly Degraded Forest Reserves in Cameroon. African Journal of Ecology, 63(2). doi:10.1111/aje.70022
Raman, S. (2025, May 7). In Cameroon’s forgotten forests, gorillas and chimps hang on. Mongabay. https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/in-cameroons-forgotten-forests-gorillas-and-chimps-hang-on/
Page created by: Aime Mizero Date: 2025-05-22