Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
Tchabal Mbabo lies close to the Nigerian border and, at 2,456 m, its summit is the highest point on the Adamaoua plateau. It is situated some 50 km west of the town of Tignère and about 80 km north-east of the Gangirwal Peak of Mambilla plateau in neighbouring Nigeria, practically contiguous with Gashaka-Gumti National Park (NG002). The high plateau takes the shape of a west–east oriented crescent; the north and west-facing slopes bear extensive montane forest (at c.1,600–2,000 m) and there are numerous galleries of montane forest on the grassy plateau. Sudanian woodland occurs on the lower slopes. The plateau grasslands are grazed by Fulani cattle; the surrounding country is very sparsely inhabited.
See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. Two short surveys resulted in a total of 134 species which include, in addition to those mentioned below, nine Sudan–Guinea Savanna biome (A04) and six Guinea–Congo Forests biome (A05) species (Table 3). Tchabal Mbabo is evidently important for a number of montane range-restricted species; more surveys are needed and
Apalis bamendae should be looked for in gallery forest on the lower slopes.
Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals include isolated populations of Redunca fulvorufula adamauae (EN) and Hylochoerus meinertzhageni (EN).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Due to their inaccessibility, the forests on the steep north-facing slopes are virtually intact. The plateau grasslands suffer from overgrazing and erosion by Fulani cattle; some montane forest on the plateau has recently given way to maize plantations.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Tchabal-Mbabo (Cameroon). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tchabal-mbabo-iba-cameroon on 23/12/2024.
