Target Species Programs: Protecting Marine Wildlife in Cameroon

Context

At African Marine Conservation Organisation (AMCO), our Target Species Programs focus on the protection and monitoring of key marine species, including sea turtles, manatees, dolphins, whales, sharks, and rays. These species are not only vital to marine ecosystems but also face growing threats from human activities. Our programs combine field surveys, citizen science, and community engagement to generate actionable data for conservation.

For sea turtles, AMCO conducts regular beach patrols and nesting monitoring, tracking nesting activity, hatchling success, and threats such as bycatch. Information are combined with data from market surveys where illegal trades are documented.

For cetaceans and manatees, our work includes boat-based surveys to monitor whales and dolphins along the Cameroon coast, as well as dedicated manatee monitoring to study distribution, habitat use, and behavior in the Lake Ossa, the Nkam river, the Ntem Ramsar site etc. We are also initiating to working toward manatee health assessments, which will provide valuable insights for conservation and potential rehabilitation.

Our programs also extend to sharks and rays, species often overlooked yet heavily impacted by overfishing and bycatch. Through fisheries monitoring and collaboration with local communities, AMCO documents occurrences of sharks and rays to improve understanding of their status and advocate for better protection measures.

Across all programs, AMCO records bycatch and strandings and promotes solutions to reduce these impacts. A key element is citizen science, especially through the SIREN app, which enables fishermen and community members to report wildlife sightings, strandings, and threats.