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Sojourn in the Cameroon

It was the thought that there probably used to be gorillas in this forest that was very exciting. And gorillas still occur 90 km to the north in adjacent Nigeria. The other very exciting thought was that Bannerman's Turaco and Banded Wattle-eye are endemic to this forest and there is a good chance of seeing them. The forest in question is the Kilum-Ijim forest in western Cameroon, which lovingly wraps itself around the volanic massive of Mt Oku – at 3 011 m the second highest peak in West Africa. I had linked up with Prof. Peter Linder and his PhD student Berit Gerhke from the Department of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, for a tour of Mount Cameroon (the highest peak in West Africa) and the Bamenda Highlands before the start of the 18^th AETFAT congress in Yaoundé the following week. It had never occurred to me that I would one day stand on the two highest points in West Africa - in the same week - or have the privelege of walking through silent yellow-wood and bamboo forests at an altitude of 2 800 m. Then there are the 29 bird species endemic to these Cameroonian highlands... (It was - after all – a botanically-orientated excursion but – as we all know – the most renowned natural scientists and explorers were multi-disciplinary!)

The Bamenda Highlands, of which Mount Oku is the highest point, comprise a massive volanic region that is part of the Cameroonian zone of faulting and associated volcanic activity; the offspring of this volcanic activity include the Gulf of Guinea islands, Mount Cameroon, and the Bamenda Highlands and its natural continuation in adjacent Nigeria. The region is complete with crater lakes, an active volcano (Mount Cameroon), basalt formations and a profusion of endemic plants and animals. It is also relatively only recently explored botanically: for example, in 1995 only 269 plant taxa were known from the Mount Oku region whereas now the tally it is nearly 1 000.

Our journey began with negotiating a private landrover and driver in Yaounde, as the car rental option wasn't too accommodating. The result was that we were able to access our destintations without needing public transport and with only the loss of 2 back shock-absorbers on some less than healthy roads in the Bamenda area. Mount Cameroon was first on the agenda and the six hour drive from Yaounde to Buea was one of much interest – lots of rainforest and slash-and-burn; the chaotic city of Douala at the mouths of the Sanaga River with its massive mangrove system; extensive, quiet rubber and oil palm plantations along the coast; and a perpetual haze that rendered sunscreen unnecessary before 9 am and after 3 pm. We arrived at Buea – the main base from which Mount Cameroon is accessed – got sorted out with a local Mount Cameroon climbing agency quite quickly, settled into the Presbyterian Synod Guest House (a very, very nice place) and went off to have a fantastic dinner of braaied “shad” in town. The next morning it was up early and we made a break for the mountain (preceded by a sighting of a male Carmelite Sunbird next to the Guest House).

The climb up the mountain was great. The first day we ambled up through the rain forest and enjoyed the plant diversity and bird life. There are many afro-montane birds that are found in east Africa and then again in the Cameroonian highlands, having somehow negotiated the Congo Basin to settle on these volanic masses. And they were quite easy to see too – prolific and rather tame: the dificulty came in having the time to confirm identifications and still make adequate progress up the mountain! The result was that I ever return to Mount Cameroon, I will consider lurking in Hut 1 (near the upper end of the forest) and spending a couple of days in the forest zone (e.g. I still haven't decided if the forest robin I saw at lunchtime near Hut 1 was Bocage's Akalat, Whitebellied Robin Chat or Mountain Robin Chat!). Above the forest zone we entered what is locally called the savannah zone, and is really grassland that is burnt every year by honey-gatherers and for the Mount Cameroon race, which had just taken place that Sunday. It is from here upwards that you begin to appreciate the volcanic nature of this massive pimple in the armpit of Africa with its very steep slopes of slobbering, black lava tongues; loose debris; and a certain reminescence of “Lord of the Rings” ('you can do it Mr Frodo') as the altitude makes itself known (mostly in the form of deeper breathing and sore legs, but that could happen anywhere I suppose).

Hut 2 at 2 800 m was where we spent the night – it's situated nicely between two very steep steps in the ascent. There are some interesting heathland remnants in fire-protected gulleys, as well as some lava-tubes that can be explored. Perhaps the heathland would be more extensive - like it is on Mount Karthala on Grande Comore: a dense, 3 m tall and very thick zone between the forest zone and the summit - if it wasn't for the deliberate annual burning. One could certainly argue this considering the scattered trees that may have been part of a denser vegetation type than the straggly shrubs and grass now dominating the scene (this is why it's essential to always have a professor with you on excursions). But we were priveleged to see Thickbilled Seed-eater in the remnant heathland, and Blackcapped Waxbill was very common. It got chilly as the sun sank – but not as cold as I'd expected. Then it was a restless night in the hut – too many people, too much activity, and very dry air.

The second morning saw us plodding our way towards the summit at six o'clock. Soon we were leaving the level section of Hut 2 and climbing the second very steep part of the ascent. Above 3 000 m you definitely start to take it easier – just one step at a time, consistently – and you feel a bit light-headed if you do something too quickly. It was a long haul up to Hut 3 – a bleak place of afro-alpine vegetation with a decidedly tundra look – and a stiff breeze. From there it was an easy stroll to the summit - somewhere between 4 070 and 4 100 m (depending on your source) - past a really neat steam-vent next to the path! The summit was reached with jubilation and the views were spectacular (not of the surrounding countryside – it was too hazy for that – but of the vast dome of Mount Cameroon around you).

Descending is much easier than ascending – well, at least it was to Hut 2, where we had some lunch and I had a last-ditch attempt to locate the endemic Mount Cameroon Speirops. But from Hut 2 descending was harder than ascending: it is the steepest part of the mountain slope on this route, and with much loose stone. But at least the mist kept it nice and cool. Once back in the forest – with more avifaunal heart pangs – we made a slow trudge back to Buea while I desparately tried to ID as many birds as possible... From there it was to Mount Oku and – yes – Bannerman's Turaco and Banded Wattle-eye made spectacular appearances...