By Leocadia Bongben
According to the Living Planet Report 2026, in Cameroon, wildlife populations have increased over the last decade despite the 80 per cent decline in numbers across Africa highlighted in the Living Planet Report 2026. Cameroon’s forests and wildlife show signs of recovery.
“When conservation efforts are maintained, and local and indigenous communities reap the benefits, such as in Lobéké, wildlife can thrive and recover. Between 2015 and 2025, the number of gorillas in Lobéké National Park in southeastern Cameroon grew from 2,181 to 2,674, reflecting a growth rate of nearly 22.61 per cent over ten years,” said Dr Ebebezer Asaah, WWF Director of Conservation, at the presentation of the report in Cameroon.
According to Asaah, the elephant population increased from 1,028 in 2015 to 1,186 in 2025, despite a sharp decline to 960 in 2018. In other regions of the Congo Basin monitored by WWF-Cameroon, no significant changes have been observed.
Asaah, in the company of Dr Andrew Fowler, Director of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) for Central and West Africa, stressed that “Science indicates that change is achievable; science demonstrates that nature can bounce back, and that transformation can occur more rapidly than we anticipate.”
Dr Andrew Fowler expresses a similar viewpoint. He believes that “nature can recover when specific conservation efforts are implemented (as seen with southern African elephants, tigers, leatherback turtles, and bluefin tuna),” as noted in the referenced report. The Living Planet Report 2026 presents a nuanced view of the environmental situation, sounding both a warning regarding ecological issues and delivering a hopeful message focused on the resilience of ecosystems.
Key factors to note, utilising the example of Lobéké National Park, include creating a conducive environment through anti-poaching initiatives, wildlife surveillance, and collaborations with local communities and adjacent parks.
Progressing to the next phase, marked by managing increasing populations of elephants and gorillas, which enhances tourism, creates employment opportunities, and delivers various benefits to local villages, thus reinforcing community support for the preservation of forests and rivers, while also fostering sustainable development that includes communities and residents.
Conservation becomes the standard, with wildlife, local communities, and the local economy supporting each other, making it challenging to reverse the advancements achieved, which is the ultimate goal.
