PURSUING THE LONG-TERM PROTECTION OF ELEPHANT POPULATIONS AND OTHER WILDLIFE THREATENED SPECIES OF MBAM & DJEREM NATIONAL PARK LANDSCAPE, CAMEROON

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO SUPPORT AN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION EFFORT IN MBAM DJEREM NATIONAL PARK (MDNP) AND CONNECTING HABITAT WITH DENG DENG NATIONAL PARK BY STRENGTHENING ELEPHANT PROTECTION, BIOLOGICAL MONITORING, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

MDNP IS THE NORTHERNMOST STRONGHOLD FOR FOREST ELEPHANTS IN AFRICA AND IS A NATIONALLY IMPORTANT POPULATION FOR CAMEROON, WITH RECENT (UNPUBLISHED) SURVEYS ESTIMATING APPROXIMATELY 1,465 INDIVIDUALS.

THIS PROJECT IS INTENDED TO CONSERVE AFRICAN FOREST ELEPHANTS AND THEIR HABITAT BY ADDRESSING THE IMPACTS OF POACHING AND HABITAT LOSS.

SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: (1) ORGANIZING BASIC WILDLIFE AND PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT TRAINING AND LAW ENFORCEMENT REFRESHER COURSES (2) IMPROVING AND MAINTAINING PARK INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOGISTICS (3) RENEWING AND UPGRADING ESSENTIAL FIELD AND COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT (4) DEPLOYING ANTI-POACHING PATROLS AND REGULAR AERIAL MONITORING (5) CONDUCTING ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS RAISING, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND INCOME GENERATING EFFORTS WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND (6) SUPPORTING COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN PARK MANAGEMENT EFFORTS.