Lebialem Complex

Central Africa > Cameroon > Lebialem Complex

Summary

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• Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes ellioti) & Cross river gorillas (Gorilla gorilla diehli) are present in Lebialem Complex.
• The population sizes are unknown.
• The population trends are unknown.
• The size of the site is unknown.
• Key threats to great apes are expansion of slash-and-burn agriculture and hunting.
• Conservation activities have focused on environmental education and efforts to increase protected areas in the landscape.

Site characteristics

The Lebialem Complex (also known as the Lebialem Highlands) is situated in southwestern Cameroon, between Banyang-Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary to the south and the Mone-Oko Complex to the north. It consists of a series of forests located directly to the west of some of the highest human population densities in the region (Morgan et al. 2011). The site was identified as a "chimpanzee conservation planning unit" (CCPU) in the IUCN Regional Action Plan for the Conservation of the Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee. The site was identified as an area with relatively high chimpanzee density and high potential chimpanzee habitat (Morgan et al. 2011). Lebialem contains some of Africa’s most threatened primate species, including the Cross River gorilla, Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee, drill and Preuss’s guenon (Wright & Priston 2010).

Table 1. Basic site information for Lebialem Complex

Area	Unknown
Coordinates	5.624129, 9.659034
Designation	Unclassified
Habitat types	Subtropical/tropical moist montane forest

IUCN habitat categories Site designations

Ape status

In March 2018, 20 chimpanzees were recorded in a single group in the area (survey method unknown; ERuDeF).

Table 2. Ape population estimates in Lebialem Complex

Species	Year	Abundance estimate (95% CI)	Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI)	Encounter rate (nests/km)	Area	Method	Source	Comments	A.P.E.S. database ID
Pan troglodytes ellioti
Gorilla gorilla diehli

Threats

Main threats to wildlife in the area include forest conversion to farmland, corridor fragmentation and poaching (ERuDeF).

Table 3. Threats to apes in Lebialem Complex

Category	Specific threats	Threat level	Quantified severity	Description	Year of threat
1. Residential & commercial development		Unknown
2. Agriculture & aquaculture	2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops	High		Forest clearance for agriculture (Morgan et al. 2011). Widespread slash-and-burn agriculture within and on the periphery of protected areas (Nkemngu 2017).	Ongoing (2017)
	2.3 Livestock farming & ranching	Present, but threat severity unknown		Overgrazing has exacerbated habitat loss (Nkemngu 2017).	Ongoing (2017)
3. Energy production & mining	3.2 Mining & quarrying	Present, but threat severity unknown		Mining (Nkemngu 2017).	Ongoing (2017)
4. Transportation & service corridors		Unknown
5. Biological resource use	5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals	High		Hunting, mainly for income generation (Wright & Priston 2010, Nkemngu 2017).	Ongoing (2017)
	5.2 Gathering terrestrial plants	Present, but threat severity unknown		Unsustainable exploitation of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) (Nkemngu 2017).	Ongoing (2017)
	5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals	High		Hunting, mainly for income generation (Wright & Priston 2010, Nkemngu 2017).	Ongoing (2017)
6. Human intrusion & disturbance		Unknown
7. Natural system modifications		Unknown
8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases		Unknown
9. Pollution		Unknown
10. Geological Events		Absent
11. Climate change & severe weather		Unknown
12. Other options		Absent

IUCN Threats list

Conservation activities

The Environment and Rural Development Foundation (ERuDeF) is a central NGO in the implementation of conservation efforts in the Lebialem highlands since 2004 (ERuDeF, Nkemngu 2017). In 2010, with funding from Taiwan, the ARCUS Foundation and Flora and Fauna International, a process was launched to assist the Government of Cameroon to create the Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary (Nkemngu 2017).

Table 4. Conservation activities in Lebialem Complex

Category	Specific activity	Description	Year of activity
1. Residential & commercial development	Not reported
2. Agriculture & aquaculture	Not reported
3. Energy production & mining	Not reported
4. Transportation & service corridors	Not reported
5. Biological resource use	Not reported
6. Human intrusion & disturbance	Not reported
7. Natural system modifications	Not reported
8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases	Not reported
9. Pollution	Not reported
10. Education & Awareness	10.1. Educate local communities about primates and sustainable use	ERuDeF have been conducting environmental education in the areas with support from Tusk trust, Taiwan government, Man and Nature and other partners. ERuDeF has also donated books to schools and supports school fees for orphans and children around the area to be protected.	Unknown
	10.4. Regularly play TV & radio announcements to raise primate conservation awareness	Community radio programs supported by ERuDeF.	Unknown
	10.5. Implement multimedia campaigns using theatre, film, print media, discussions	ERuDeF with support from partners has supported public information system through the green vision news paper, online publication and flyers.	Unknown
11. Habitat Protection	11.2. Legally protect primate habitat	Ongoing projects include the Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, the Mount Bamboutos Integral Ecological Reserve, and the Tofala-Mone Forest Corridor. ERuDeF is also assisting the government in protecting apes in the Mak/Betchou Forest, Nkingkwa Hills and Tofala-Mone Forest Corridor (Nkemngu 2017).	Ongoing (2017)
12. Species Management	Not reported
13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives	13.2. Provide non-monetary benefits to local communities for sustainably managing their forest and its wildlife (e.g. better education, infrastructure development)	ERuDeF constructed permanent toilets for two schools around the proposed Mak-Betchou wildlife sanctuary.	Unknown

Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)

Challenges

Table 5. Challenges reported for Lebialem Complex

Challenge	Source
Lack of law enforcement	Nkemngu 2017
Lack of government support	ERuDeF
Lack of capacity/training	ERuDeF

Research activities

Documented behaviours

Table 6. Ape behaviors reported for Lebialem Complex

Behavior	Source
Not reported

External links

ERuDeF

References

Morgan, B. J., Adeleke, A., Bassey, T., Bergl, R., Dunn, A., Fotso, R., ... & Williamson, E. A. (2011). Regional action plan for the conservation of the Nigeria–Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti). IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group and Zoological Society of San Diego.
Nkemngu, A. (2017, January 31). NGO takes action to save great apes in Cameroon’s Lebialem Highlands. Retrieved from Mongabay. Online: https://news.mongabay.com/2017/01/ngo-takes-action-to-save-great-apes-in-cameroons-lebialem-highlands/
Wright, J. H., & Priston, N. E. (2010). Hunting and trapping in Lebialem Division, Cameroon: bushmeat harvesting practices and human reliance. Endangered species research, 11(1), 1-12.

Page completed by: A.P.E.S. Wiki team Date: 04/07/2022