Mefou Primate Sanctuary: Where Apes Reign!

Ape lovers in Cameroon and beyond have had the opportunity to spend time with these species of wildlife some 45 km from Yaounde

Situated at the Mefou and Afamba Division in the Centre Region, the Mefou Primate Sanctuary is a haven for wild gorillas and chimpanzees which are on the brink of extinction in Africa. After 45 minutes drive from the city of Yaounde, here comes the magnificent great ape of Cameroon in a natural forest setting covering a surface area of 857 hectares.
Managed by Ape Action Africa, the Mefou Primate Sanctuary is committed to protecting Cameroon’s great apes through direct action, which includes  rescuing orphaned gorillas, chimpanzees and monkeys while giving them a safe forest sanctuary where they can live with their own kind. The sanctuary is a major site of attraction to national and international tourists as statistics from Ape Action Africa reveal that some I,000 tourists visit the place each month to watch and snap the 350 primates, 120 chimps and 24 gorillas seen on the spot.
At the entrance of the Mefou Primate Sanctuary is a signboard on the different activities that take place at the site. Through a guided tour, visitors make a forest trail to see the different apes at the site. According to one of the tour guards, James Fawoh Jeta, there are eight different species of monkeys in the forest and two out of the four species of gorillas found in the world. These gorillas aged from one year to 22, are known by names given to them by the forest guards. Some of such names include Eto’o, Bobo, Jasmin...