CM024
Mount Rata and Rumpi Hills Forest Reserve


Country/territory: Cameroon

IBA criteria met: A1, A2, A3 (2001)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here

Area: 50,000 hectares (500.00 km2)

IBA conservation status
Year of assessment (most recent) State (condition) Pressure (threat) Response (action)
2013 not assessed medium very low
For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here


Site description (2001 baseline)
The Rumpi Hills, situated to the north of Mount Cameroon (CM027), west of the Bakossi mountains (CM022) and south-east of Korup National Park (CM019), include a number of peaks over 1,000 m, the highest of which is Mount Rata, 1,768 m. Many of the peaks are the result of extensive faulting, so that there are no classic volcanic cones with craters. Part of the site comprises an area of mid-altitude forest, largely degraded by logging and agricultural encroachment. Mount Rata has more intact forest than the surrounding areas. In addition to the mid-altitude forest, coastal evergreen and drier northern semi-evergreen forest elements occur. There are many permanent watercourses.

Key biodiversity
See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. A total of 198 species have so far been recorded, including Columba albinucha. One species of the Sudan–Guinea Savanna biome (A04) also occurs (Table 3).

Non-bird biodiversity: Hunters still report the presence of Mandrillus leucophaeus (EN) and Cercopithecus preussi (EN), and among others Procolobus (badius) preussi (EN) may occur, but the current status of all needs re-assessing. On present evidence Myosorex rumpii (CR) is endemic to this site, although whether or not this forest shrew (closely related to other species) is really critically threatened remains to be investigated. Another species endemic to Cameroon for which this is the type-locality is Paraxerus cooperi (VU), widespread in the mountain chain.


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mount Rata and Rumpi Hills Forest Reserve (Cameroon). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mount-rata-and-rumpi-hills-forest-reserve-iba-cameroon on 22/12/2024.