The Cameroonian Highlands forests, also known as the Cameroon Highlands forests, is a

montane Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures lapse rate, fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is ...

tropical moist broadleaf forest Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests (TSMF), also known as tropical moist forest, is a subtropical and tropical forest habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Description TSMF is generally found in large ...

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) is an ecological and geographic area that exists on multiple different levels, defined by type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and c ...

located on the range of mountains that runs inland from the

Gulf of Guinea The Gulf of Guinea (French language, French: ''Golfe de Guinée''; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Golfo de Guinea''; Portuguese language, Portuguese: ''Golfo da Guiné'') is the northeasternmost part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean from Cape Lopez i ...

and forms the border between

Cameroon Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...

and

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

. This is an area of forest and grassland which has become more populous as land is cleared for agriculture.

Geography

The Cameroonian Highlands forests extend across the

Cameroon Highlands The Western High Plateau, Western Highlands or Bamenda Grassfields is a region of Cameroon characterised by high relief, cool temperatures, heavy rainfall and savanna vegetation. The region lies along the Cameroon line and consists of mounta ...

, a chain of extinct volcanoes, covering an area of in eastern Nigeria and western Cameroon. The highlands extend roughly southwest–northeast. In the southwest the ecoregion includes the

Rumpi Hills The Rumpi Hills are an undulating mountain range with its highest peak, Mount Rata about located between the villages of Dikome-Balue, Dikome Balue and Mofako Balue, Ndian division in the Southwest region of Cameroon. The hills are situated at 4 ...

, Bakossi Mountains,

Mount Nlonako The Mont Nlonako Wildlife Reserve is a wildlife reserve and a proposed protected area (WDPA ID: 308631) in the Littoral Region of Cameroon. This nature reserve covers an area of approximately , on the south-east side of the city of Nkongsamba ...

Mount Kupe Mount Kupe or Mont Koupé is a plutonic mountain in the Western High Plateau of Cameroon, part of the Cameroon line of volcanoes. It is the highest of the Bakossi Mountains, rising to . The mountain is revered by the local Bakossi people as the ...

, and

Mount Manengouba Mount Muanenguba (also spelled Manenguba or Mwanenguba) is a volcano in the Southwest Province of Cameroon. The Manenguba shrew and endemic vegetal species are native to the mountain. The area is featured in the documentary ''The Mists of Mwaneng ...

. It extends northeast towards the

Mambila Plateau The Mambilla Plateau is a plateau in the Taraba State of Nigeria. The Mambilla Plateau has an average elevation of about above sea level, making it the highest plateau in Nigeria. Some of its villages are situated on hills that are at least abov ...

, and north to the

Bamenda Highlands The Western High Plateau, Western Highlands or Bamenda Grassfields is a region of Cameroon characterised by high relief, cool temperatures, heavy rainfall and savanna vegetation. The region lies along the Cameroon line and consists of mounta ...

. It continues northeast along the western flank of the

Adamawa Plateau The Adamawa Plateau () is a plateau region in west-central Africa stretching from south-eastern Nigeria through north-central Cameroon ( Adamawa and North Provinces) to the Central African Republic. The part of the plateau that lies in Nigeria i ...

to Tchabal Gangdaba. Northern outliers include the

Mambilla Plateau The Mambilla Plateau is a plateau in the Taraba State of Nigeria. The Mambilla Plateau has an average elevation of about above sea level, making it the highest plateau in Nigeria. Some of its villages are situated on hills that are at least abov ...

to the northeast, Nigeria's

Obudu Plateau --> Obudu Plateau is a plateau found on the Oshie Ridge of the Sankwala Mountain range, in Cross River State, in the southeast of Nigeria. The plateau is found in Obanliku local government area of the Cross River State. The plateau extends toward ...

to the northwest, the

Alantika Mountains The Atlantika Mountains, also known as the Alantika Mountains, are an extension of the Cameroon line of volcanic mountains, spanning the border between Nigeria and Cameroon. They lie to the southeast of Yola, the capital of Adamawa State in Nige ...

and

Hosséré Vokré Hosséré Vokré is an isolated plateau in the North Region of Cameroon. It covers approximately , and forms a broad u-shaped ridge that opens northwards toward the town of Poli. Its highest point is .B. Larison, T. B. Smith, D. Mcniven, R. Fot ...

to the north, and in the southeastern Adamawa Plateau east of

Ngaoundéré Ngaoundéré or N'Gaoundéré (Fula: N'gamdere, , 𞤲'𞤺𞤢𞤥𞤣𞤫𞥅𞤪𞤫𞥅) is the capital of the Adamawa Region of Cameroon. It had a population of 152,700 at the 2005 census. According to the film ''Les Mairuuwas – Maitre de l ...

. The ecoregion lies above 900 meters elevation, and is surrounded at lower elevations by the Cross–Sanaga–Bioko coastal forests at the southern end of the range, and by

Guinean forest–savanna mosaic The Guinean forest-savanna, also known as the Guinean forest-savanna transition, is a distinctive ecological region located in West Africa. It stretches across several countries including Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, B ...

along the central and northern ends of the range. The Cameroon Highlands form the boundary between the Guinean and

Northern Congolian forest–savanna mosaic The Northern Congolian forest–savanna mosaic is a forest and savanna ecoregion of central Africa. It extends east and west across central Africa, covering parts of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Suda ...

ecoregions. The highest peak within the ecoregion is

Mount Oku Mount Oku, or Kilum Mountain, is the largest volcano in the Oku Massif, in the Cameroon Volcanic Line, located in the Oku region of the Western High Plateau of Cameroon. It is the second highest mountain in mainland Central Africa. The stratovo ...

().

Mount Cameroon Mount Cameroon is an active volcano in the Southwest Region of Cameroon next to the city of Buea near the Gulf of Guinea. Mount Cameroon is also known as Cameroon Mountain or Fako (the name of the higher of its two peaks) or by its indigenous ...

is highest mountain in the chain, but its high-elevation forests are designated a separate ecoregion.

Climate

Mean maximum temperatures are below 20°C due to the effects of altitude, and are cooler than the surrounding lowlands. Average annual rainfall ranges from around 4,000 mm near the coast to 1,800 mm or less further inland. The highlands are an important source of water for both Nigeria and Cameroon.

Flora

The vegetation varies with elevation. Submontane forests extend from approximately to meters elevation. Above elevation are distinct montane forests and patches of montane grassland, bamboo forest, and subalpine grasslands and shrublands. The ecoregion is characterized by the presence of

Afromontane The Afromontane regions are subregions of the Afrotropical realm, one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms, covering the plant and animal species found in the mountains of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. The Afromontane regions o ...

species, which have an archipelago-like distribution across the highlands of Africa and are distinct from the lowland flora. Typical afromontane tree species are ''

Nuxia congesta ''Nuxia congesta'', commonly known as brittle-wood, is a species of tree in the Stilbaceae family, with an extensive range in the Afrotropics. The species is named ''congesta'' for its dense inflorescences. Range The species is native to Eswati ...

Olea capensis ''Olea capensis'', the black ironwood, is an African tree species in the olive family Oleaceae. It is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa: from the east in Somalia, Ethiopia and Sudan, south to the tip of South Africa, and west to Cameroon, Sierra ...

Podocarpus milanjianus ''Podocarpus milanjianus'' is a species of conifer in the family Podocarpaceae. It is native to the highlands and mountains of tropical Africa. Description ''Podocarpus milanjianus'' is an evergreen tree which can grow slowly up to 35 meters in ...

Prunus africana ''Prunus africana'', the African cherry, has a wide distribution in Africa, occurring in montane regions of central and southern Africa and on the islands of Bioko, São-Tomé, Grande Comore, and Madagascar. It can be found at above sea level. I ...

, Myrsine melanophloeos,'' and ''

Syzygium staudtii ''Syzygium staudtii'' is a species of tree in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae), It is native to tropical rain forests in west and west-central Africa, including Guinea, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, the Gulf of Guinea Islands, Gabon, Rep ...

''.Lorelei Verlhac, Kenji Izumi, Anne-Marie Lézine, Kévin Lemonnier, Guillaume Buchet, Gaston Achoundong, Barthélémy Tchiengué (2018). Altitudinal distribution of pollen, plants and biomes in the Cameroon highlands. ''Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology'', Volume 259, 2018, Pages 21-28. ISSN 0034-6667. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.revpalbo.2018.09.011. Submontane forests from 850 to 1600 meters elevation typically have an open canopy. Common trees include species of ''

Alchornea ''Alchornea'' is a plant genus of the family (biology), family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1788. It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, South Asia, Australia, Latin America, and various oceanic islands. Mo ...

'', along with species characteristic of the adjacent lowland plant communities, like semi-deciduous forests (species of ''

Ficus ''Ficus'' ( or ) is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes and hemiepiphytes in the family (biology), family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few spe ...

, Santiria,

Symphonia Symphonia ( Greek ) is a much-discussed word, applied at different times to the bagpipe, the drum, the hurdy-gurdy, and finally a kind of clavichord. The sixth of the musical instruments enumerated in Book of Daniel, (verses 5, 10 and 15), ...

, Allanblackia'' and ''

Anthocleista ''Anthocleista'' is a genus of tree- and shrub-like tropical plants in the subtribe Potaliinae in the Gentian family. There are between 14 and 16 species in the genus, native mainly to tropical Africa, including Madagascar and the Mascarene Isl ...

'') and savanna (species of ''

Lannea ''Lannea'' is a genus of plants in the family Anacardiaceae The Anacardiaceae, commonly known as the cashew family or sumac family, are a family of flowering plants, including about 83 genera with about 860 known species. Members of the Anaca ...

Bridelia ''Bridelia'' is a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1806.Lophira'', and

Fabaceae Fabaceae () or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomen ...

). Grasses are abundant in the understorey. From 1600 to 2000 meters, trees from the

Euphorbiaceae Euphorbiaceae (), the spurge family, is a large family of flowering plants. In English, they are also commonly called euphorbias, which is also the name of Euphorbia, the type genus of the family. Most spurges, such as ''Euphorbia paralias'', ar ...

family predominate, including species of ''

Macaranga ''Macaranga'' is a large genus of Old World tropical trees of the family Euphorbiaceae and the only genus in the subtribe Macaranginae (tribe Acalypheae). Native to Africa, Australasia, Asia and various islands of the Indian and Pacific Oc ...

, Alchornea'', and '' Mallotus''. Savanna and semi-deciduous forest species - ''Ficus, Lophira, Bridelia, Lannea'', and Fabaceae – are also present. The Afromontane genus ''

Astropanax ''Astropanax'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araliaceae, native to Tropical Africa, Madagascar, and other Indian Ocean islands. It was resurrected from ''Schefflera ''Schefflera'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Ar ...

'' is abundant, and Afromontane species including ''

Syzygium ''Syzygium'' () is a genus of flowering plants that belongs to the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. The genus comprises about 1200 species, and has a native range that extends from Africa and Madagascar through southern Asia east through the Pacific. I ...

Maesa ''Maesa'' is a genus of flowering plants. It is placed in the family Primulaceae, subfamily Maesoideae, for which it is the sole genus (monotypic).

'',

Meliaceae Meliaceae, the mahogany family, is a flowering plant family of mostly trees and shrubs (and a few herbaceous plants, mangroves) in the order Sapindales. They are characterised by alternate, usually pinnate leaves without stipules, and by syncarp ...

, and ''

Clematis ''Clematis'' is a genus of about 380 species within the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. Their garden hybrids and cultivars have been popular among gardeners, beginning with ''Clematis'' 'Jackmanii', a garden staple since 1862; more cultivars ...

'' grow in smaller numbers. Grasses remain common in the understory. Afromontane forests grow above 2000 meters elevation. Lower montane forests generally have a denser canopy than the submontane and upper montane forests, with fewer grasses in the shady understorey. Trees in the lower Afromontane forests include species of ''Astropanax, Alchornea, Myrica'', and ''

Ilex ''Ilex'' () or holly is a genus of over 570 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. ''Ilex'' has the most species of any woody dioecious angiosperm genus. The species are evergreen or ...

'', and the palm ''

Elaeis guineensis ''Elaeis guineensis'' is a species of Arecaceae, palm commonly just called oil palm but also sometimes African oil palm or macaw-fat. The first Western world, Western person to describe it and bring back seeds was the French naturalist Michel Ad ...

''. ''

'', ''Olea capensis'', and ''Astropanax'' are predominant from 2270 to 2500 meters elevation. In the upper montane forest from 2500 to 2945 meters elevation ''Podocarpus milanjianus'' and ''Astropanax'' are predominant, together with '' Myrsine melanophloeos,

Ixora ''Ixora'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It is the only genus in the tribe ''Ixoreae''. It consists of tropical evergreen trees and shrubs and holds around 544 species. Though native to the tropical and subtropical areas ...

'', and shrubs and herbs like '' Isoglossa,

Pavetta ''Pavetta'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It comprises about 360 species of trees, evergreen shrubs and sub-shrubs. It is found in woodlands, grasslands and thickets in sub-tropical and tropical Africa and Asia. The plan ...

Rubus ''Rubus'' is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, subfamily Rosoideae, most commonly known as brambles. Fruits of various species are known as raspberries, blackberries, dewberries, and bristleberries. ...

'', and ''

Impatiens ''Impatiens'' is a genus of more than 1,000 species of flowering plants, widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere and the tropics. Together with the genus ''Hydrocera'' (one species), ''Impatiens'' make up the family (biology), f ...

''. In the northern mountains, including the Adamawa Plateau, Hosséré Vokré, and Alantika mountains, the climate is drier and rainfall is more seasonal. Submontane forests are generally absent, and the Afromontane forests transition directly to savanna. Afromontane forests on the Hosséré Vokré and Alantika mountains are mostly limited to stream valleys and ravines, separated by areas of montane savanna or grassland.BirdLife International (2024
Endemic Bird Areas factsheet: Cameroon mountains
Retrieved 25 February 2024.B. Larison, T. B. Smith, D. Mcniven, R. Fotso, M. Bruford, K. Holbrook,and A. Lamperti, Faunal Surveys of Selected Montane and Lowland Areas of Cameroon, WWF Cameroon, 1996, unpubl
PDF
/ref> The ericaceous belt is a transition between the upper montane forests and high-elevation grasslands, ranging from approximately 2750 up to 2950 meters elevation. Shrubs and stunted trees of genus

Ericaceae The Ericaceae () are a Family (biology), family of flowering plants, commonly known as the heath or heather family, found most commonly in acidic and infertile growing conditions. The family is large, with about 4,250 known species spread acros ...

, including '' Erica mannii'' and '' Erica silvatica'', are predominant. Subalpine grasslands grow above 2800 meters elevation, with many grasses, and herbs in the genera ''

Alchemilla ''Alchemilla'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Rosaceae, with the common name lady's mantle applied generically as well as specifically to ''Alchemilla mollis'' when referred to as a garden plant. The plant used as a herb ...

'' and ''

Anthospermum ''Anthospermum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It is found in tropical and southern Africa, Madagascar, and the southwestern Arabian Peninsula. Species 39 species are accepted. * '' Anthospermum aethiopicum'' L. * '' ...

'' and the families

Caryophyllaceae Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family (biology), family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranth ...

Asteraceae Asteraceae () is a large family (biology), family of flowering plants that consists of over 32,000 known species in over 1,900 genera within the Order (biology), order Asterales. The number of species in Asteraceae is rivaled only by the Orchi ...

, and

Lamiaceae The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family (biology), family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle, or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil (herb), ba ...

Fauna

The ecoregion is home to a number of

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

species, along with several more that are also found in the nearby

Mount Cameroon and Bioko montane forests The Mount Cameroon and Bioko montane forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in central Africa. It occupies the upper slopes of coastal Mount Cameroon in Cameroon, and the mountains of nearby Bioko island in Equatorial Guinea. Ge ...

ecoregion. Six species of birds are strictly endemic: the Bamenda apalis (''Apalis bamendae''), white-throated mountain-babbler (''Kupeornis gilberti''),

banded wattle-eye The banded wattle-eye (''Platysteira laticincta'') is a species of bird in the family Platysteiridae. It is endemic to the Bamenda Highlands in western Cameroon. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. In particular ...

(''Platysteira laticincta''), Bannerman's weaver (''Ploceus bannermani''), Mount Kupe bush-shrike (''Telophorus kupeensis'') and

Bannerman's turaco Bannerman's turaco (''Tauraco bannermani'') is a species of bird in the family Musophagidae. It is Endemism, endemic to Cameroon. In French (language), French it is known as ''touraco de Bannerman'' or ''touraco doré''. Its scientific and common ...

(''Tauraco bannermani),'' which is a cultural icon for the Kom people who live in the area. Seven species are endemic to the Cameroon Highlands forests and

Cameroon greenbul The Cameroon mountain greenbul (''Arizelocichla montana'') is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in the Cameroonian Highlands forests. It is suspected to become rarer due to habitat loss, largely from agriculture, alt ...

(''Arizelocichla montana''),

Bangwa forest warbler The Bangwa forest warbler or Bangwa scrub warbler (''Bradypterus bangwaensis'') is a species of Old World warbler in the family Locustellidae. It is native to the Cameroonian Highlands forests. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat dest ...

(''Bradypterus bangwaensis''),

grey-headed greenbul The grey-headed greenbul (''Phyllastrephus poliocephalus''), or grey-headed yellow-bellied greenbul, is a species of songbird in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is native to the Western High Plateau. Its natural habitats are subtropical or t ...

(''Phyllastrephus poliocephalus''), yellow-breasted boubou (''Laniarius atroflavus''),

green-breasted bushshrike The green-breasted bushshrike or gladiator bushshrike (''Malaconotus gladiator'') is a species of bird in the family Malaconotidae. It is found in the Cameroonian Highlands forests. With a total length of and a body mass of around this may be ...

(''Malaconotus gladiator''),

mountain robin-chat The mountain robin-chat (''Cossyphicula isabellae'') is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is native to the Western High Plateau. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. A molecul ...

(''Cossyphicula isabellae'') and a subspecies of Chubb's cisticola, ''Cisticola chubbi discolor'' (sometimes considered a separate species ''C. discolor''). Nine more montane endemic species are shared with Mount Cameroon and

Bioko Bioko (; ; ; historically known as Fernando Pó, ) is an island of Equatorial Guinea. It is located south of the coast of Cameroon, and northwest of the northernmost part of mainland Equatorial Guinea. Malabo, on the north coast of the is ...

: the

western greenbul The western greenbul (''Arizelocichla tephrolaema'') is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in the Cameroonian Highlands forests. Taxonomy and systematics The western greenbul was originally described in the genus '' T ...

(''Arizelocichla tephrolaema''),

Cameroon olive greenbul The Cameroon olive greenbul (''Phyllastrephus poensis''), is a species of songbird in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is found in the Cameroon line (including Bioko). Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest M ...

(''Phyllastrephus poensis''), black-capped woodland warbler (''Phylloscopus herberti''), green longtail (''Urolais epichlorus''), white-tailed warbler (''Poliolais lopezi''), Cameroon sunbird (''Cyanomitra oritis''), Ursula's sunbird (''Cinnyris ursulae''),

Shelley's oliveback Shelley's oliveback (''Nesocharis shelleyi''), also known as the Fernando Po oliveback, is a species of estrildid finch found in Africa. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 55,000 km2. It is found in Bioko island, western Cam ...

(''Nesocharis shelleyi''), and Cameroon olive-pigeon (''Columba sjostedti''). Eleven small mammal species are endemic to the ecoregion:

Eisentraut's striped mouse Eisentraut's striped mouse or Eisentraut's hybomys (''Hybomys badius'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Cameroon. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat l ...

(''Hybomys eisentrauti''), the

Mount Oku hylomyscus The Mount Oku hylomyscus (''Hylomyscus grandis'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. Found only on Mount Oku, Cameroon, in tropical Central Africa, its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forests. It has a very small range and ...

(''Hylomyscus grandis''), Mount Oku rat (''Lamottemys okuensis''), Mittendorf's striped grass mouse (''Lemniscomys mittendorfi''),

Dieterlen's brush-furred mouse Dieterlen's brush-furred mouse, Mt Oku brush-furred mouse, or Mount Oku brush-furred rat (''Lophuromys dieterleni'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is endemic to Mount Oku, Cameroon. Its natural habitat is montane forest Mon ...

(''Lophuromys dieterleni'') and Eisentraut's brush-furred rat (''L. eisentrauti''),

Oku mouse shrew The Oku mouse shrew (''Myosorex okuensis'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae endemic to Cameroon. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. Th ...

(''Myosorex okuensis,'')

Rumpi mouse shrew The Rumpi mouse shrew (''Myosorex rumpii'') is a Myosoricinae shrew only known from the Rumpi Hills, Cameroon. The only known specimen is the holotype, collected around 1967. First described by Heim de Balsac in 1968, it was considered a subspeci ...

(''M. rumpii''),

western vlei rat The western vlei rat (''Otomys occidentalis'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Cameroon and Nigeria. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland and swamps. It is threatened by habitat los ...

(''Otomys occidentalis''), Hartwig's soft-furred mouse (''Praomys hartwigi''), and

Bioko forest shrew The Bioko forest shrew or Isabella's shrew (''Sylvisorex isabellae'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae found in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forest and subtropical o ...

('' Sylvisorex isabellae''). The ecoregion is home to several endangered

primate Primates is an order (biology), order of mammals, which is further divided into the Strepsirrhini, strepsirrhines, which include lemurs, galagos, and Lorisidae, lorisids; and the Haplorhini, haplorhines, which include Tarsiiformes, tarsiers a ...

s, including the

Cross River gorilla The Cross River gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla diehli'') is a critically endangered subspecies of the western gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla''). It was named a new species in 1904 by Paul Matschie, a mammalian taxonomist working at the Humboldt Univers ...

(''Gorilla gorilla diehli''), an endemic subspecies of

western gorilla The western gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla'') is a great ape found in Africa, one of two species of the hominid genus ''Gorilla''. Large and robust with males weighing around , the species is found in a region of midwest Africa, geographically iso ...

mainland drill The mainland drill (''Mandrillus leucophaeus leucophaeus'') is a subspecies of the endangered drill. It is distinguished by ringed yellow and black coloring on its crown, and is otherwise similar to the Bioko drill The Bioko drill (''Mandrillu ...

(''Mandrillus leucophaeus leucophaeus''), Preuss's red colobus (''Pilocolobus preussi''),

chimpanzee The chimpanzee (; ''Pan troglodytes''), also simply known as the chimp, is a species of Hominidae, great ape native to the forests and savannahs of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed one. When its close rel ...

(''

Pan troglodytes The chimpanzee (; ''Pan troglodytes''), also simply known as the chimp, is a species of great ape native to the forests and savannahs of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed one. When its close relative the b ...

'') and several species of

guenon The guenons (, ) are Old World monkeys of the genus ''Cercopithecus'' (). Not all members of this genus have the word "guenon" in their common names; also, because of changes in scientific classification, some monkeys in other genera may have co ...

including Preuss's monkey (''Cercopithecus preussi''). Forty species of amphibians are endemic to the ecoregion: '' Petropedetes parkeri'', ''

Petropedetes perreti ''Petropedetes perreti'' is a species of frog in the family Petropedetidae. It is endemic to Cameroon. It is known from the southern slopes of the Bamiléké Plateau, Mount Manengouba, and Mount Nlonako. The common names Perret's water frog an ...

'', ''

Phrynobatrachus cricogaster ''Phrynobatrachus cricogaster'' is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is found in the mountains of western Cameroon and southeastern Nigeria. Common name Nkongsamba river frog has been coined for it. The specific name ''cricog ...

'', ''

Phrynobatrachus steindachneri ''Phrynobatrachus steindachneri'' is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is found in western Cameroon and eastern Nigeria. The specific name ''steindachneri'' honours Franz Steindachner, an Austrian herpetologist and ichthyolog ...

'', '' Phrynobatrachus werneri'', ''

Phrynobatrachus ''Phrynobatrachus'' is a genus of Sub-Saharan Africa, Sub-Saharan frogs that form the monogeneric family Phrynobatrachidae. Their common name is puddle frogs, dwarf puddle frogs, African puddle frogs, or African river frogs. The common name, pud ...

'' species, ''

Phrynodon ''Phrynobatrachus'' is a genus of Sub-Saharan frogs that form the monogeneric family Phrynobatrachidae. Their common name is puddle frogs, dwarf puddle frogs, African puddle frogs, or African river frogs. The common name, puddle frog, refers to ...

'' species, ''

Cardioglossa melanogaster ''Cardioglossa melanogaster'' is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the mountains of western Cameroon ( Mount Manengouba, southernmost Bamileke Plateau, Mount Nlonako, Bamenda Highlands, Rumpi Hills) and eastern Nige ...

'', '' Cardioglossa oreas'', ''

Cardioglossa pulchra ''Cardioglossa pulchra'' is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the Cameroon Range in western Cameroon (excluding Mount Cameroon) and in the Obudu Plateau in adjacent eastern Nigeria. Common name black long-fingered f ...

'', ''

Cardioglossa schioetzi ''Cardioglossa schioetzi'' is a species of frogs in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the mountains of Cameroon and eastern Nigeria. Specifically, it has been recorded from the Oshie-Obudu Range, Gotel Mountains, Mount Oku, and Mount Mba ...

'', '' Cardioglossa trifasciata'', ''

Cardioglossa venusta ''Cardioglossa venusta'' is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to the mountains of western Cameroon. Specifically, it is known from Mount Manengouba, the Bamileke Highlands, Mount Nlonako, and the Rumpi Hills. Common ...

'', ''

Astylosternus nganhanus ''Astylosternus nganhanus'' is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to Cameroon and known from Mount Nganha on the Adamawa Plateau; it is probably endemic to that area. Common name Nganha night frog has been coined for i ...

'', ''

Astylosternus perreti ''Astylosternus perreti'', also known as Perret's night frog is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to western Cameroon and known from Mount Manengouba and from parts of the Bamileke Highlands, at elevations of above ...

'', ''

Astylosternus montanus ''Astylosternus montanus'', also known as the mountain night frog or montane night frog, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the mountains of western Cameroon and into the Obudu Plateau in adjacent south-eastern Nige ...

'', ''

Astylosternus rheophilus ''Astylosternus rheophilus'' is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to western Cameroon. Common name Cameroon Range night frog has been coined for it. Two subspecies are recognized: * ''Astylosternus rheophilus rheophilus ...

'', '' Leptodactylodon axillaris'', ''

Leptodactylodon bicolor ''Leptodactylodon bicolor'' is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in Cameroon and Nigeria. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, rivers, intermittent rivers, rocky areas, and heavily degr ...

'', ''

Leptodactylodon boulengeri ''Leptodactylodon boulengeri'' is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the mountains of western Cameroon and the adjacent southern Nigeria, where it has recently been recorded in the Cross River State. The specific name ...

'', '' Leptodactylodon erythrogaster'', ''

Leptodactylodon mertensi ''Leptodactylodon mertensi'' is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to the mountains of western Cameroon and occurs on the southern slopes of the Bamileke Plateau, Mount Nlonako, and Mount Manengouba. The specific name ...

'', ''

Leptodactylodon polyacanthus ''Leptodactylodon polyacanthus'' is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the highlands of western Cameroon and on the Obudu Plateau in eastern Nigeria. Common name African egg frog has been coined for it. Subspecies The ...

'', ''

Leptodactylodon perreti ''Leptodactylodon perreti'' is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to Cameroon and restricted to the central Cameroon Range. Common name Perret's egg frog has been coined for it. Etymology The specific name ''perreti'' ...

'', '' Afrixalus lacteus'', ''

Hyperolius ademetzi ''Hyperolius ademetzi'' is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to Cameroon. Its natural habitats are moist savanna, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, rivers, ...

'', '' Hyperolius riggenbachi'', ''

Leptopelis nordequatorialis ''Leptopelis nordequatorialis'', also known as the West Cameroon forest treefrog, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in central and western Cameroon ( Bamileke Plateau, Bamenda Highlands, and Adamawa Plateau) and easte ...

'', '' Xenopus amieti'', ''

Xenopus ''Xenopus'' () (Gk., ξενος, ''xenos'' = strange, πους, ''pous'' = foot, commonly known as the clawed frog) is a genus of highly aquatic frogs native to sub-Saharan Africa. Twenty species are currently described with ...

'' species, '' Bufo villiersi'', ''

Werneria bambutensis ''Werneria bambutensis'' is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to western Cameroon where it occurs at high altitudes between Mount Manengouba and Mount Oku, including the eponymous Bamboutos Mountains. It is also known as ...

'', ''

Werneria tandyi ''Werneria tandyi'', also known as Tandy's torrent toad or Tandy's smalltongue toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to western Cameroon and known from Mount Manengouba and from the Rumpi Hills. The specific name ''ta ...

'', ''

Wolterstorffina mirei ''Wolterstorffina mirei'' is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to Cameroon and known from Mount Oku and the Bamboutos Mountains. Its natural habitats are montane grassland, and that in the dry season, areas near streams an ...

''. The following reptiles are also considered more or less endemic: '' Atractaspis coalescens'', Pfeffer's chameleon (''Trioceros pfefferi''), four-horned chameleon (''Trioceros quadricornis''), ''

Leptosiaphos ianthinoxantha ''Leptosiaphos ianthinoxantha'', the yellow and violet-bellied mountain skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. It is found in Cameroon. References

Leptosiaphos Reptiles described in 1975 Reptiles of Cameroon Endemic faun ...

'' and Angel's five-toed skink (''Lacertaspis lepesmei''). The gecko ''

Ancylodactylus alantika ''Ancylodactylus alantika'' is a species of gecko. It is endemic to the Alantika Mountains and Hosséré Vokré plateau in Cameroon Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with N ...

'' is endemic to the Alantika Mountains and Hosséré Vokré.

Urban areas and settlements

In Cameroon the mountains are quite heavily populated and used for farming and grazing; much of this ecoregion lies in the

Northwest The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west— ...

and

Adamawa Region The Adamawa Region () is a constituent region of the Cameroon, Republic of Cameroon. It borders the Centre Region (Cameroon), Centre and East Region (Cameroon), East regions to the south, the Northwest Region (Cameroon), Northwest and West Re ...

s. Towns include

Bamenda Bamenda, also known as Abakwa and Mankon Town, is a city in northwestern Cameroon and capital of the Northwest Region (Cameroon), Northwest Region. The city has a population of about six hundred thousand people and is located north-west of the C ...

, capital of the Northwest and base for visiting the mountains including Oku, the

Kilum-Ijim Forest The Kilum-Ijim Forest is an area of mountain rainforest in Cameroon's North-West Region. It is found on Mount Oku and the nearby Ijim Ridge in the Cameroon mountains, with Lake Oku lying in a crater in its center. It is the largest area of Afromo ...

and

Lake Nyos Lake Nyos ( ) is a crater lake in the Northwest Region of Cameroon, located about northwest of Yaoundé, the capital. Nyos is a deep lake high on the flank of an inactive volcano in the Oku volcanic plain along the Cameroon line of volcan ...

. In Nigeria the ecoregion is located mainly on the

, an area of agricultural and grazing land in

Taraba State Taraba is a States of Nigeria, state in north-eastern Nigeria, named after the Taraba River, which traverses the southern part of the state. It is known as "Nature's Gift to the Nation". Its capital is Jalingo. The state's main Demographics ...

Conservation and threats

The forest is continually being cleared for firewood, timber and to create farmland, and many of the mountains have lost significant amounts of forest cover. There is very little formal environmental protection.

Protected areas

6.9% of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Protected areas include

Gashaka-Gumti National Park Gashaka-Gumti National Park (GGNP) is a national park in Nigeria, It was gazetted from two game reserves in 1991 and is Nigeria's largest national park. It is located in the eastern provinces of Taraba and Adamawa to the border with Cameroon. Th ...

Korup National Park Korup National Park is in the Southwest Province of Cameroon and extends over 1,260 km2 of mostly undisturbed primary forest. It is reputedly one of Africa's oldest and richest tropical forests in terms of floral and faunal diversity. It is ...

, Bayang-Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary,

Santchou Faunal Reserve Santchou is a town and commune in Cameroon. It is located in the Menoua division of the West region of Cameroon. It is home predominantly to the Mbo people; this is reflected in the name. It is located on a plain and it is part of the region k ...

, Gangoro Forest Reserve,

Mai Samari Forest Reserve Mai, or MAI, may refer to: Names * Mai (Chinese surname) * Mai (Vietnamese surname) * Mai (name) * Mai (singer), J-Pop singer Places * Chiang Mai, largest city in northern Thailand * Ma-i, a pre-Hispanic Philippine state * Mai, Non Sung, Tha ...

, Ngel-Nyaki Forest Reserve,

River Nwum Forest Reserve A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of its course if it run ...

Kakara Forest Reserve Kakara may refer to: * Kakara, Indonesia, an island in Indonesia * Kakara pitha, a cake associated with Odisha, India * Kakarajima, an island in Japan *Kokora Kokora () is a village in Peipsiääre Parish, Tartu County in eastern Estonia Es ...

, and

Nguroje Forest Reserve Nguroje is a town found on the Mambilla Plateau, in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State in eastern Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel t ...

References

External links

*
Mission for the preservation of drill monkeys
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cameroonian Highlands forests Afromontane ecoregions Afrotropical ecoregions Ecoregions of Cameroon Ecoregions of Nigeria Forests of Cameroon Subtropical rainforests Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests