File photo of athletes into activities
The World Wide Fund for Nature, WWF, in collaboration with the Mt. Cameroon National Park, MCNP, and under the Coastal Forest or Sawa Programme, engaged activities to instil the goals of conservation during the Race of Hope 2016 edition on February 27, 2016.
Giant posters, brochures and handouts, games that attracted the public were the bouquet both institutions presented at their stand, conspicuously planted at the entrance to race start and finish grounds at the front yard of the Molyko Stadium in Buea.
Romanus Ikfuingei of WWF explained their mission, which is to protect endangered species like elephants and gorillas, encourage the sustainable management of Prunus Africana, promote ecotourism and so on, with the support of the Programme for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, PSWNR-SWR.
Visitors to the stand took home brochures and handouts that would boost their knowledge and the general benefit of conservation.
The posters carried pictures of some rare species of animals especially birds found only on Mount Cameroon.
There were also posters of the little-known Keita Lake on the mountain about 2,700 metres above sea level, which is a touristic attraction.
“Elephants cover tens of kilometres running just to come and drink water from the lake, especially during the dry season,” explained the Conservator of MCNP, Simon Besong.
He said they were constructing eco-lodges at Hut II and at Ma’an Spring on the mountain, each having 20 beds for tourists.
Besong also said their activities are to guard against illegal exploitation of timber and poaching.
A conservation game dubbed the ‘Mt. Cameroon Elephant Game’ showcasing the ecotourism potential of the Mountain area, attracted a huge chunk of the hundreds of thousands of people that turned out to witness the race, especially the youth.
