Deng Deng National Park

Deng Deng National Park lies in Cameroon's East Region on the Sanaga River, with the Lom Pangar Reservoir to the east and Mbam and Djerem National Park about 50 km (31 mi) to the north-west; it stretches from south to north between the arrondissements of Bélabo and Bétaré-Oya in Lom-et-Djérem. Created by a decree of 18 March 2010, it covers 682.64 km² (263.57 sq mi), or 523.47 km² (202.11 sq mi) by another account, and forms part of the Deng Deng forest massif, in the Northern Congolian forest-savanna mosaic. Its origins go back to a 1998 environmental study for the oil pipeline from Chad to Cameroon, which found unusually rich wildlife here; a 2005 study proposed a sanctuary, and a national park was chosen instead. The Lom River splits it into a southern part with an important population of great apes and a northern part next to Mbam and Djerem, and the Lom, Pangar, Sesse and Sanaga rivers bound the land around it. The park holds the northernmost known population of the Critically Endangered western lowland gorilla, along with chimpanzees, African forest elephants, hippopotamuses, giant pangolins, colobus monkeys, water chevrotains, sitatungas, bongos, buffalo and yellow-backed duikers; a 2010 survey recorded 24 animal species in 11 families, eight of them rare or endangered. The Wildlife Conservation Society supports the park, and according to oral tradition the Képéré and Gbaya peoples have lived in the area since the 18th century. The pipeline, the Lom Pangar hydroelectric dam and bauxite mining at Ngouandal to the north have brought workers into the region, and with them loss of habitat and poaching.

Background

Deng Deng National Park, in Cameroon's East Region, was established in 2010 and covers 682.64 km². It lies on the Sanaga River, with the Lom Pangar Reservoir to its east, some 50 km south-east of Mbam Djerem National Park, in the Northern Congolian forest-savanna mosaic. The park is home to the most northerly known group of western lowland gorillas, which are Critically Endangered, along with chimpanzees, African forest elephants, hippopotamuses, giant pangolins and yellow-backed duikers.

Source: Wikipedia, "Deng Deng National Park"

What's there

• Gorillas at their northern limit - the northernmost known population.
• The Deng Deng forest - part of the forest massif, with the Lom Pangar Reservoir to the east.
• Chimpanzees and forest monkeys - the other primates of the park.
• Forest elephants and hippos - with giant pangolins, bongos and yellow-backed duikers.

When to go

Any time of year.

Good to know

Large projects nearby, the oil pipeline from Chad, the Lom Pangar dam and bauxite mining to the north, have drawn workers into the area and with them habitat loss and poaching, which eco-guards patrol against.

Nearby

The Lom Pangar Dam is about 8 km (5 mi) to the east-north-east, Bélabo about 49 km (30 mi) to the south-south-west, Bétaré-Oya about 76 km (47 mi) to the east-north-east and Bertoua about 89 km (55 mi) to the south-south-east, in a straight line.

Key facts