This tiny aquatic frog is found only in Lake Oku in the Northwest Province.
Frogs of the genus Xenopus are usually difficult to catch because they move
very fast in the water propelled by their large webbed feet. Xenopus longipes,
on the other hand, is very easy to catch, probably because it has been
isolated in a remote lake with few predators.

Successful fieldwork in Cameroon requires an appreciation of the role of nature in the lives of the vast majority of Cameroonians. This requires us, essentially city kids from the United States, to learn how people here interact with the country’s wild spaces. What resources come from the forests? What role does the local lake play in a rural village? To Americans who live in cities and suburbs, forests are places we might visit for a weekend to hike, camp, or swim. Things are very different in Cameroon because Cameroonians are in much better touch with their wilderness on a daily basis. Like in the U.S., some forests in Cameroon are officially labeled as national parks. However, forests and other natural features are recognized and protected much more widely on a local level. Many Cameroonians live in rural villages where forests are a few minutes walk from their homes. The forest surrounding a village provides much that is needed to make life possible in a place without grocery or hardware stores. Given their importance to the community, it is not surprising that many rural communities revere forests and lakes as sacred spaces. Even for urban Cameroonians, forests are a source of favorite foods and weekend relaxation. Our team must always remember that the relationship between people and land is taken very seriously here.

The team taking a quick break from a long day of driving along what
is locally called the Ring Road in the Northwest Province.
The Metcham Waterfall, which is just along the road, is in an area
surrounded by crater lakes and small patches of lowland forest.

As Western scientists with specific (and unusual) interests in Cameroon’s forests, we take special care to explain our intentions and secure the blessing of the village we are working in. Though we also have a special permit from the national government, it is the local, village-level permission which is most important to us in practical terms. At each new field site, we meet the village chief and other dignitaries, such as elders, in order to get their blessing for our research in their forests. This is very important for a few reasons. First, we realize that we are working in forests where villagers are obtaining many valuable resources. The village must rightly protect its resources. Second, if anything bad was to happen to the research team, it is extremely important that we have already formed a good relationship with the local people so that we can get their help to address whatever problems we may have.

Explaining the purpose of our research can be quite difficult. Even our friends at home laugh a bit when Dave explains that his work focuses on a strange bunch of tiny African frogs. “Why?” they ask, “what can you learn from frogs?” The questions get more complicated when asked by people with less exposure to Western scientific topics and methods. As you might imagine, many people are very surprised and confused when we explain that we have come to Cameroon to look for frogs. “You are catching very small frogs? For what? To eat? To make medicine? Why are you removing a piece of its liver and putting it in a plastic tube? Why aren’t you studying something more interesting like chimpanzees or birds?” We try our best to be clear and honest, and so far we have been successful in getting permission from each village we hoped to work in.

Before working in the forests near the river from the village of Obang,
the team first needed to obtain the permission of the Obang chief—usually
called a "fon"—in the Northwest Province. Here Marcel is drinking
palm wine poured by Fon Nanoh II as part of an traditional
blessing ceremony from the village.

People throughout Cameroon get many important resources from the country’s forests. However, those living near the forests (because they tend to be both rural and poor) are the most dependant on them and potentially have the most to gain by protecting them. Wood from forest trees is used for building and artwork. The meat of forest animals, here called “bush meat,” is sometimes an important source of protein. Plants are used for food and traditional medicines. Walking through forests, our guides often point out particular leaves or barks that are good for relieving stomach aches or fevers from malaria. Forests also have some less-obvious resources. For instance, forests serve as environmental sponges, helping to absorb rainwater for drinking, cooking, and bathing. The thick vegetation prevents excessive erosion and loss of topsoil. Some villages are even turning forests into a source of income by harvesting and selling sustainable resources. For example, in Elak-Oku, villagers collect honey from traps in the forest. This is the best honey in Cameroon, if not the world, and provides a reliable source of income to the local cooperative association. Finally, the beauty of the forest itself is a resource which villages can use to attract tourists, who bring money into areas that can be quite poor.

The team visited this lake, Lake E'Um, as well as other crater lakes
including Awing, Wum, and Oku during a two week trip in the Northwest
Province. Lake Oku has a species of frog that is only found there, so the
team was searching other crater lakes to look for similar frogs. Lake E'Um,
near the town of Wum, did not appear to have any frogs living in it
but it was full of crabs!

Sacred forests and crater lakes are important havens for biodiversity, because they are protected from over-exploitation by tradition and/or remoteness. During our most recent trip, we deeply appreciated these extremely valuable havens of wilderness. Over a two-week period, we visited a sacred forest under a waterfall in the Bamboutos Mountains, several crater lakes including Awing and Wum, and the forest and waters of sacred Lake Oku. These forests are often fairly small areas surrounded by farms and grazing land, but because they have been protected, they still have many important species. For example, there is a fascinating, tiny species of aquatic frog found only in tiny, remote Lake Oku!

The work of both our team and other researchers is important to many communities because we can make a few valuable contributions. Not only can we describe new species which further add to the already remarkable biodiversity, but we can also teach locals about the species that they have. When Dave is in villages and in forests, he teaches guides and interested people about the frogs that the team catches. On future trips, Dave plans to bring back posters depicting interesting frogs from the villages that the team has worked in during this trip. These can be used locally in a chief’s home or tourist office to educate residents and tourists alike about the local biodiversity.

One of the team's favorite snacks in town is grilled meat, called soya
(soy-ah), which you can buy just at the side of the road. Here Dave is
buying some grilled goat meat from Andre, our favorite soya vendor.
Photo K. Blackburn

While we try to give back to the local community as much as possible, we also must always recognize how much we are indebted to them. They provide us with permission to conduct our research, places to sleep and cook, and often show us wonderful hospitality. Even though our guides have often had little to no schooling, they are always very knowledgeable about the forests. They also teach us the value of respecting the environment and protecting its many resources.