Dja Faunal Reserve

This is one of the largest and best-protected rainforests in Africa, with 90% of its area left
undisturbed Al!ost co!pletel" surrounded b" the Dja River, which for!s a natural
boundar", the reserve is especiall" noted for its biodiversit" and a wide variet" of pri!ates #t
contains $0% !a!!al species, five of which are threatened
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Dja ) *+,'&-
-utstanding *niversal .alue
Brief synthesis
Founded in $9/0, the Dja Faunal Reserve is an integral part of the dense rain forests that
for! the &ongo 0asin This vast range is one of the largest and best-protected of the African
rainforests1 90% of its area re!ains undisturbed Al!ost co!pletel" surrounded b" the Dja
River, which for!s a natural boundar", the Reserve is especiall" noted for its biodiversit" and
a wide variet" of pri!ates &overing an area esti!ated at around /23,000 ha, the Reserve is
ho!e to !an" ani!al and plant species, several of which are globall" threatened 4western
lowland gorilla, chi!pan5ee, forest elephant6
Criterion (ix): The pri!ar" forest of the Dja Reserve is interesting for its diversit" of species
and its uni7ue pristine condition 8ith its topographical diversit" and its three
biogeographical and geological influences, it has a rich and varied ecos"ste! that reflects
the ecological evolution in progress in this t"pe of environ!ent #t belongs to the forest bloc9
considered to be the largest in Africa for the !aintenance of biological diversit"
Criterion (x): The Dja Reserve is one of Africa:s !ost species-rich rainforests #t includes the
habitat of nu!erous re!ar9able ani!al and plant species, !an" of which are globall"
threatened #t has over $00 species of !a!!als, of which at least $; pri!ates 4including
several endangered species such as the western lowland gorilla, chi!pan5ee, white-collared
!angabe", !andrill and drill6 #n addition, flagship species are found in the Reserve, such as
the endangered forest elephant, and the nearl" e<tinct African gra" parrot, bongo and
leopard
Integrity
The Dja Reserve is one of Africa:s largest and best-protected rainforests At the ti!e of
8orld =eritage listing in $9>%, 90% of the area was considered intact and hu!an pressure
was low The Reserve has a population of 0a9a p"g!ies who live in a relativel" traditional
!anner and confer a recogni5ed cultural value to the site Agriculture and co!!ercial
hunting are prohibited, but the ?"g!ies are allowed to hunt traditionall"
At the ti!e of inscription on the 8orld =eritage @ist, thousands of people were alread" living
on the outs9irts of the Reserve Traditional agriculture re!ains their !ain econo!ic activit"
and hunting their !ain source of ani!al protein suppl" Aining and forestr" prospecting were
also underwa" in the region +o deposits have "et been discovered inside the propert", but
!ining activities in the peripher" could be har!ful to its integrit" The harvesting of ti!ber
re!ains a possibilit", but the legal constraints and the inaccessibilit" of the region !a9e it
unli9el" The protection of the propert" against this t"pe of activit" as well as against other
threats outside the boundaries of the propert" is essential
Protection and management requirements
At the institutional level, the Dja Faunal Reserve is !anaged b" the Dja &onservation
'ervices 4D&'6, headed b" a conservator The !anage!ent of the Reserve receives
significant support fro! international cooperation partners of &a!eroon through !an"
projects 'ustained funding for the Dja Faunal Reserve is critical to !ove towards financial
autono!" and ensure an ade7uate staff and !anage!ent of resources
At the operational level, the natural resources affected b" high pressure have been identified
and a local anti-poaching strateg" has been developed There are regular patrols in the
forest and on the road in and around the Reserve, and a cooperative fra!ewor9 with the
forestr" operators for continuous !onitoring of their concessions is in place
The strengthening of education and co!!unication is vital to the !anage!ent of the
propert", including increased awareness of local populations and the general public The
D&' is strongl" co!!itted to this wor9, and the establish!ent of a collaboration with $9
village vigilance co!!ittees is an i!portant priorit" The !ain areas of wor9 include priorit"
issues such as anti-poaching, collection of forest data, and the code of laws and procedures
A legal toolbo< is also available and the opti!al use of !anage!ent effectiveness
assess!ents to guide future !anage!ent of the propert", including its lin9s with
neighbouring areas is part of the process
@ong Description
The site is situated on the Dja which al!ost co!pletel" encircles the reserve, for!ing its
natural boundar", e<cept to the south-west
,<cept in the south-east of the reserve, the relief is fairl" flat and consists of a succession of
round-topped hills A !ajor fault line on the southern edge of the reserve, which is followed
b" the Dja River, has lead to the for!ation of rather deeper cut valle"s on the south-eastern
edge of the plateau &liffs run along the course of the river in the south for so!e 30 9!, and
are associated with a section of the river bro9en up b" rapids and waterfalls Dja is located in
a transition 5one between the forests of southern +igeria, south-west &a!eroon and the
forests of the &ongo 0asin #t see!s li9el" that the forests of the region are essentiall"
undisturbed
The vegetation !ainl" co!prises dense evergreen &ongo rainforest with a !ain canop" at
B0-;0 ! rising to 30 ! The shrub la"er contains over /B species The forest is also rich in
lianes The herbaceous la"er is co!posed principall" of Marantaceae and Mapania species
The &ongo rainforest is also characteri5ed b" al!ost pure stands of Gilbertiodendron
dewevrei forest
-ther !ain vegetation t"pes are swa!p vegetation, and secondar" forest around old villages
4which were abandoned in $9;36 and recentl" abandoned cocoa and coffee plantations
&o!position of the secondar" forest is noticeabl" different as a result of the relative scarcit"
of species of the Meliaceae
Although the area is poorl" studied, it is 9nown to have a wide range of pri!ate species
including western lowland gorilla, greater white-nosed guenon, !oustached guenon,
crowned guenon, talapoin, red-capped !angabe", white-chee9ed !angabe", agile
!angabe", drill, !andrill, potto, De!idorff:s galago, blac9 and white colobus !on9e" and
chi!pan5ee -ther !a!!als include elephant, bongo, sitatunga, buffalo, leopard, warthog,
giant forest hog and pangolin
0irds include 0ates:s weaver, which is ende!ic to southern &a!eroon, and gre"-nec9ed
picathartes probabl" also occurs in this reserve The t"pe localit" of Dja River warbler is near
the reserve and there are few other records of this 9ind Reptiles include p"thon, li5ard and
two species of crocodile 4both of which are threatened species6
A population of p"g!ies lives within the reserve, in s!all sporadic enca!p!ents,
!aintaining an essentiall" traditional lifest"le
'ource1 *+,'&-C&@TC8=&
=istorical Description
?rotected as a :reserve de faune et de chasse: b" @aw +o B$9 of 2/ April $9/0, and then as
a :reserve de faune: lrnder the +ational Forestr" Act -rdinance +o %BC$> of 22 Aa" $9%B ,
'ource1 Advisor" 0od" ,valuation
'pecies
The species listed below represent a s!all sa!ple of iconic andCor #*&+ Red @isted ani!als
and plants found in the propert" &lic9ing on the nu!ber in brac9ets ne<t to the species will
reveal other 8orld =eritage ?roperties in which a species has been identified These species
are identified in an effort to better co!!unicate the biological diversit" contained within
8orld =eritage properties inscribed under criteria i< andCor <
Afrostyrax lepidophyllus C +A
Afzelia bipindensis C +A
Gorilla gorilla C 8estern @owland Dorilla 426
Guarea cedrata C 'cented Duarea
Lovoa trichilioides C African 8alnut
Loxodonta africana C African ,lephant 4%6
Mandrillus leucophaeus C Drill
Mandrillus sphinx C Aandrill 426
Pan troglodytes C &o!!on &hi!pan5ee 4;6
Panthera pardus C @eopard 4$/6
Aore 'pecies