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The wildlife of Cameroon is composed of its flora and fauna. Bordering Nigeria, it is considered one of the wettest parts of Africa and records Africa's second highest concentration of biodiversity.〔(【引用サイトリンク】Cameroon )〕 To preserve its wildlife, Cameroon has more than 20 protected reserves comprising national parks, zoos, forest reserves and sanctuaries. The protected areas were first created in the northern region under the colonial administration in 1932; the first two reserves established were Mozogo Gokoro Reserve and the Bénoué Reserve, which was followed by the Waza Reserve on 24 March 1934. The coverage of reserves was initially about 4 percent of the country's area, rising to 12 percent; the administration proposes to cover 30 percent of the land area. The rich wildlife consists of 8,260 recorded plant species including 156 endemic species, 409 species of mammals of which 14 are endemic, 690 species of birds which includes 8 endemic species, 250 species of reptiles, and 200 species of amphibians.〔〔 The habitats of these species include the southern region comprising tropical lowland, coastline on the Gulf of Guinea. Mangroves forests, in size, are along the coast line. Montane forests and savannahs are in the northern region of the country. Important protected areas for these species are the Mbam Djerem National Park, Benoue National Park, Korup National Park, Takamanda National Park, and the Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary.〔 Cameroon is an important breeding area for marine and freshwater species such as crustaceans, mollusks, fish, and birds.〔 ==Geography== The topography of the country extends from the coastline to hill regions with elevations of up to . The habitat consists of three regions. These are: The dense rainforests in the southern region in the hot and humid climatic conditions; the central region of semi-deciduous forests; and the northern region consisting of semi-deciduous forests of wooded savanna with scattered trees.〔 The climatic conditions are of low to highland with equatorial to tropical climate. Initial coverage of protected areas was in savanna region but it now covers all the ten provinces of the country with all the diversity of its topographic, climatic, hydrological biological features.〔 The highest mountain the country is the Mount Cameroon with an elevation of . It is located in southwestern Cameroon in the coastal zone close to the Nigerian border.〔 The total forest area coverage is reported to be of which of closed forest and is fragmented forest or degraded forests accounting for 27 percent of the total forest area. The forests are also categorized as part of the "Congolian Coastal Forests, Western Congo Basin Forests, Sudanian Savannas, Sahelian Flooded Savannas, Gulf of Guinea Rivers and Crater Lakes, Guinean-Congolian Coast Mangroves, and Gulf of Guinea Marine Ecosystems." One of the important regions is the Cameroonian Highlands forests which extends across the Cameroon Highlands, covering an area of in western Cameroon and eastern Nigeria. The ecoregion lies above elevation, and is surrounded at lower elevations by the Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests at the southern end of the range, and by forest-savanna mosaic along the central and northern ends of the range; the Cameroon Highlands form the boundary between the Guinean and Northern Congolian forest-savanna mosaic ecoregions, consisting of sub-montane to montane forests and finally sub alpine grasslands. The region is categorized as critical/endangered, but the area under full protection is not great. The area is subject to intense population pressure and conversion of forest lands into agricultural areas. As part of the Congo Basin, the Sangha River, drained by the tributaries rising in the northern humid region, and flowing into the southern region of the country, is the main water catchment. At the swampy estuary it forms several branches, and is also joined by the Likouala aux Herbes, Likouala, and Ubangi (Oubangui) rivers. Another major river, which joins the Sangha River, is the Dja River, which rises in west-central Africa and flows forming the border between Cameroon and the Republic of the Congo, and through the Dja Faunal Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The major river drainage is the Chari subbasin of the Congo Basin, which covers Cameroon and the Central African Republic. It drains into the Atlantic Ocean.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Wildlife of Cameroon」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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