Douala-Edea National Park

Douala-Edea protects a stretch of the Atlantic coast and the estuary of the Sanaga south of Douala, combining some of the largest mangrove stands in central Africa with coastal forest, lagoons and beaches, and it was upgraded from a reserve to a national park in 2018. African manatees use the estuary and the lower river, marine turtles nest on the beaches, and the mangroves are a nursery for the fisheries that the coastal villages depend on. Boats are the way to move through it. Mangrove cutting for fish smoking has been a long-standing pressure, and replanting projects run with the villages along the shore.

History

The reserve was established in 1932 and designated a wildlife park for scientific purposes in 1971, with a conservator and a guard post by 1974; it covered 160,000 hectares in 2000. Its upgrade was long delayed because oil had been found along the coast, and it became a national park in October 2018 (Wikipedia, Douala Edéa National Park).

The landscape

• Extensive mangrove forest - among the largest stands in central Africa.
• African manatees - the estuary population in the lower Sanaga.
• Nesting marine turtles - the beaches used between November and February.
• Boat channels through the mangroves - the way the park is travelled.

When to go

December to February in the drier season, which is also the turtle nesting period. Two days. Boats and guides are arranged at Mouanko or Edea rather than found on arrival.

Before you go

Boats must be arranged and are not always available. Manatees are shy and rarely seen. Mosquitoes and malaria risk are serious in the mangroves. Facilities are minimal and the coast is affected by plastic and fishing waste.

Nearby

Edea is east; Douala lies north.

Key facts