· The Volcanic Legacy
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
· Looking Ahead

Global 200 Snapshot

The Cameroonian Crater Lakes are very old and quite isolated. As a result, many species live in this ecoregion and nowhere else.  

The Volcanic Legacy

Millions of years ago, several volcanoes erupted in Cameroon, leaving deep craters that later filled with water. Today, the Cameroonian Crater Lakes are unique habitats for a variety of species.

Special Features

Cameroon still has active volcanoes along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, including Mt. Cameroon, which at 13,350 feet (4,070 m) is one of the highest in Africa. Some of the country's former volcanoes are more inland and are now occupied by lakes such as Barombi Mbo, Bermin, Dissoni/Soden, Benakouma, Kotto, and Mboandong. Most of these lakes are very small, with an area of less than two miles (5 km).

	Gases often build up in deep crater lakes because the water there doesn't circulate very well. When the weather changes or there's an earthquake, the gas can be released into the air and poison people. Native people in Cameroon used to ask Mammy Water, who they believed to be a powerful spirit, to prevent the release of dangerous gases from Lake Barombi Mbo.

Wild Side

The isolation of Cameroonian Crater Lakes has led to an extremely high level of endemism. More than 75 percent of the fish species and one-third of the aquatic insects in the ecoregion don't live anywhere else in the world. Many of the isolated crater lakes, including Bermin, Barombi Mbo, and Ejagham, are home to groups of cichlid fish species that are descended from a common ancestor. These lakes host four genera (Konia, Myaka, Pungu, and Stomatepia) of native cichlid fish that are found nowhere else. Lake Dissoni contains its own unique species of shrimp. And scientists believe there are several unusual species in Lake Benakouma, which has not yet been fully explored. A fish-eating snake, Afronatrix anoscopus, also lives in Lake Bermin.

Cause for Concern

Threats vary from lake to lake. Some lakes, such as Barombi Mbo, are under the threat of environmental degradation due to the fast growth of nearby Kumba town, while others, such as Bermin, remain relatively undisturbed. There is an urgent need to protect Barombi Mbo due to the many threats it is facing. These include deforestation, pollution, excessive water extraction, over-fishing, and the danger of introduction of exotic species.

Looking Ahead

Scientists and conservationists have recommended creating an aquatic nature reserve that would include Lake Barombi Mbo, eliminating the clearing of forests within the lake basin, and strictly prohibiting the introduction of exotic species.