Some 50 community kids and youths, together with their local leaders from communities in the Mount Nlonako Area, have expressed their willingness to accompany Voice of Nature (VoNat) in taking actions that will aid in conserving the world’s largest frog, the goliath frog, and other endangered amphibians in their area. This was the outcome of a general sensitization and education session on Endangered Amphibians of Mount the Mount Nlonako Area; threats, Importance and Conservation Role of Community Kids and Youths that was carried out in Ebone, March 24, 2022. The education and sensitization session came shortly after the selection of these kids and youths to take part in the Young Amphibians Conservation Stewards (YACS) project.
YACS is a project of VoNat, which seeks to stimulate and engage community kids and youths in conserving endangered amphibians species in their communities. The pilot phase of the project is being supported by the British Ecological Society and Voice for Nature Foundation.
Mount Nlonako is a key melting pot for Cameroon’s biodiversity with over 93 amphibians species including Goliath Frog (Conraua goliath), the world’s biggest and most endemic frog species, classified as “Endangered” by the International Union of Conservation Nature (IUCN). Despite their invaluable role in stabilizing the ecosystem and fighting against diseases including but not limited to malaria and yellow fever, these emblematic species risk extinction in the near future due to wanton hunting for food & pet trade, and habitat destruction.
The sensitization and education session was thus, necessary to get the kids who hold the key to the future sustainability of the species and are supposed to educate older folks on amphibians and conservation importance, engaged in the conservation of these species.
After the amphibians education session, Nongni Dikoume Robinson, who was one of the kids selected to be part of the YACS project, promised to sensitize the public about the dangers of destroying amphibians habitats and the risks hunting has on the existence of amphibians.
Mbotcheu Marie Therese, felt so elated understanding that her community is host to the world’s largest frog, the goliath frog. She pledged to desist from destroying their habitat, as well as advise her classmates, friends, and parents about the dangers of destroying the forest.
The Principal of GBHS Ebone and other administrators, who sat through the selection, amphibians sensitization, and education session, invited the VoNat team to carry out a similar sensitization education session for all the students of their school.
The kids will in the weeks ahead be taken for an amphibians survey trip to some amphibians hotspots in their localities. They will also gain local conservation knowledge through storytelling and will be expected to sensitize their parent and other community members on amphibians conservation.