Cameroon
Partners
Patrick Jules Atagana
Independent researcher (PhD)
jataganapatrick@gmail.com apatrickjules@yahoo.fr
Tel.: +237699845765
As a bats researcher and expert, it is legitimate for me to seek to understand the relationships between populations and bats. Bats face many threats such as the destruction of their habitat and poaching. This situation did not improve with the arrival of covid-19, which rather increased the distrust of the populations in these animals. In Cameroon, Eidolon helvum is the most endangered bat species for comsumption given to its size and availability; also the disturbances of their habitats are not to be neglected. By participating in this project of counting and monitoring this species in the city of Yaoundé, this allows me at the same time to raise awareness of the benefits we draw from these fantastic animals.
We are also very grateful to groups of students from the Universities of Jaunde, Dschang, Douala, and Maroua, for their interest and contributions to the monitoring during a training workshop in early 2022!!
Locations
Yaounde
Downtown area
The Eidolon colony residing downtown in Yaounde is spread over several public and private green areas and gardens, of which Patrick and Arnaud are monitoring the area around the Cascades de Mfoundi, around a large bank branch, in a supermarket garden, and behind the Central Hospital. Two other known roost sites are unfortunately not accessible.
From January 2023, the colony is monitored at 3 sites in Yaounde, including a new site around the grounds of the Ministry of Transport. The new site was found after the trees at two of the previous sites (around a large bank branch and in a supermarket garden) were cut. In May 2023, the team discovered a 4th site again (Bois d'Anastasie), so the bats are hang on to the area!
Dschang
Prefecture grounds and surroundings
We hope to find successors for the Dschang bats at this important and traditional roost site - the student group conducting the monitoring moved away for other obligations in summer 2022.