Endangered Species Day: Over 50 Community Kids Enlightened on Endangered Species, Conservation Importance

Some 53 kids from Bokova, Bwintigi, Bwiteva and Bokwai villages in the Mount Cameroon Area have been enlightened on the endangered fauna and flora species within the Mount Cameroon National Park and their conservation importance. This conservation education activity was organized in G.H.S Buea Rural (Bokova), May 21, 2021 by Voice of Nature (VoNat) to mark the 2021 edition of Endangered Species Day.

Commemorated under the theme: “Wildlife without borders”, the kids were led to identify  the pictures of some endangered fauna and flora species of the Mount Cameroon National Park including African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), Nigeria Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), Pressus monkey (Allochrocebus preussi, parrot  (Pternistis camerunensis), francolin (Francolinus camerunensis) andAfrica Zebrawood (Microberlinia bisulcata) amongst others. Lessons were also given on the distribution, conservation status, physiological, behavioral, nutritional characteristics, and conservation importance of these species, to the admiration of the youngsters and school administration. “ It’s very interesting to know that some of these species share similar characteristics with us. We are so happy that Voice of Nature is bringing these lessons to you (the students) this early. Your coming is the beginning of the formation of our environmental club that died; we wish to work with you (VoNat) to train our children to plant trees in the school, their homes and communities, and to make them key actors in the conservation of these species,” said Mr. Tome Marcus Veerseke, Vice Principal of GHS Buea Rural (Bokova).

Elated and marveled by discoveries during the lessons, Mary Namundo Lyongo, who lives in Bokova, expressed her love for nature, promising to take the lessons learnt to her community. “I have understood that the reckless cutting down of trees is really a bad practice. We got many lessons about biodiversity of this Mount Cameroon area, which I am going to preach to my friends, neighbors’ and other community members. We all need to be part of the solution of the biodiversity conservation crisis today through tree planting,” she said.

Her peer, Mousa Sharon was particularly thrilled with the different species in the Mount Cameroon Area. “I have been seen the Mount Cameroon National Park, but have never knew it has this kind of plants and animal species in it. I think we really need to conserve them,” she stated.

The event that was interspersed with biodiversity conservation songs, poems, stories, and drawings by the youngster, culminated in an outdoor session where they were led to identify some biodiversity species around the school, as a way to get better connect them to nature

By Sandrine Akeabeh