Korup-Nationalpark
The Korup National Park is a national park in Cameroon.
Geography
The National Park lies in the southwest of Cameroon on the border with Nigeria. It also borders the Nigerian Cross River National Park. It is 1250 km ² and consists largely of tropical lowland rain forest.
History
1984, the park was established and inaugurated by Prince Charles in 1990. Contrary to original plans six lying within the park boundaries villages were not resettled. Run through the park routes of smugglers to Nigeria, poaching represents such a big problem that the WWF has set his work in the park in 2004. In the park there are several camps clean and well accessible trails, the best thing leads to a rock group from which you have a wonderful view over the rainforest.
Flora
In the Korup National Park 620 species of trees and shrubs were counted, including in the framework of a project with the Smithsonian Institution. The forest density is extremely high with part 7500 trees per hectare. There are almost 500 species of herbs and lianas. The trees can reach a height of up to 50 meters. One of the most interesting member of the family Leguminosae ( Pea Family) is called in Latin Microberlinia and is characterized by its huge buttress roots and a tourist destination.
Under the trees there are, among other colas (for example, Cola nitida ), ebony family ( for example Diospyros pseudomespilus ) and pulses (eg Eurypetalum unijugum ).
In 1987, the American National Cancer Institute discovered an interesting new plant in the Korup National Park. A Liane, the kind Ancistrocladus korupensis contains the active ingredient michellamines B is to inhibit the HIV virus. The monomeric building blocks of naturally occurring naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid dimers of michellamines B lead to high anti -HIV - 1 and HIV -2 activity.
Fauna
- Mammals
In the Korup National Park 25 % of all African primate species occur. Among other things you will find here the very rare chimpanzees and drills, in addition there is an abundance of forest elephants, duikers, leopards and pangolins.
Is home to around 690 species of birds including the Crowned Eagle. He hunts, among other apes, but also the Ducker of the park are often captured by him.
- Other
Here lives of up to 30 cm wide, up to 3 kg Goliath frog. He lives in the many wetlands in the park. Furthermore, there are occurrences of Papilio antimachus in the area, one of the largest butterflies in Africa.
Conflicts of interest
In the surrounding regions south of the Korup National Park, a New York corporation, 70,000 hectares of forest into palm oil plantations is planning to convert. Researchers criticize the fact that this could disturb trails of wild animals in the national park. Residents and non-profit organizations defend themselves against these plans. Two Cameroonian courts have declared 2012 the project as illegal.