Travel Guide Dja Wildlife Reserve

This large reserve of 526,000 ha, bordered by the Dja river which gives it its name and where an equatorial climate prevails, boasts a rich flora and fauna. Created in 1950 as a forest and hunting reserve, it subsequently evolved from a "biosphere reserve" in 1981 to a "wildlife reserve" in 1982, before being listed as a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1987. For a long time, it was one of Africa's best-protected rainforests (90% of its surface area is untouched, the forest is in its primeval state). Human presence is still very low. However, the area is home to a population of Baka pygmies, who live here in the traditional way. While agriculture and commercial hunting are strictly forbidden, local populations are allowed to practice traditional hunting. The reserve is home to a number of endangered plant and animal species. Today, however, the reserve faces a number of threats that can only be described as dangerous: poaching, which has been rampant for several years, the construction of a hydroelectric dam at the very edge of the reserve, mining and, finally, the oversized development of rubber plantations by the Sud-Cameroun (Hévéa) company, which is said to be responsible for the disappearance of over 6,000 hectares of forest since 2011. However, with the exception of poaching, which takes place within the reserve itself, the others are mainly outside, but still in the immediate vicinity. While environmental protection organizations such as Greenpeace are very vocal about these issues, the economic stakes are so high for the country that dialogue is often complicated.During your visit, you may be lucky enough to encounter chimpanzees, mandrills, buffalo and over 90 species of birds (some lowland gorillas and elephants are also reported). You'll also be able to observe some 160 different plant species, the lungs of the region. The reserve is still more than two hours' drive from Yaoundé and Bertoua, but it's well worth the detour and has always been a dream getaway for many tourists from Cameroon and beyond.