Tegang Pagning Romaric
The African golden cat (Caracal aurata) is one of Africa’s most elusive and least-studied felids. Classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, the species faces increasing threats from habitat degradation, wire snaring, and bushmeat hunting across its range. In Cameroon, despite legal protection, little is known about the species’ distribution, habitat preferences, and interactions with local communities. This lack of baseline information hampers effective conservation planning.
conducting surveys in local villages © Romaric Tegang
This project aims to generate the first targeted ecological and socio-ecological data on the African golden cat in Boumba-Bek National Park (BBNP), a Key Biodiversity Area within the Congo Basin rainforest of southeast Cameroon. Specifically, the project will assess the species’ distribution, occupancy, and habitat preferences using systematic camera-trap surveys combined with habitat assessments and species distribution modelling. Camera traps will be deployed across key sectors of the park to document golden cat presence and associated mammal communities, while habitat variables will be recorded to identify priority conservation zones.
Simulating the detection and functionality of camera traps attached to trees to capture animals passing nearby. © Romaric Tegang
In parallel, the project will work closely with forest-dependent communities living around BBNP. Through structured interviews and participatory approaches, it will document traditional ecological knowledge, perceptions, and local practices related to the African golden cat. This component will help identify human–cat interactions, threats such as wire snaring, and opportunities for coexistence. Importantly, community members will be actively involved in data collection, awareness activities, and conservation discussions, fostering local ownership of conservation outcomes.
Setting up Camera-traps inside the forest © Romaric Tegang
Education and awareness form a core pillar of the project. Community workshops and school outreach sessions will highlight the ecological role of the African golden cat, the impacts of unsustainable hunting, and the importance of forest conservation.
By integrating scientific research with community engagement, this project will deliver practical conservation outcomes. The results will inform park management and national conservation strategies, contribute to global knowledge on the African golden cat, and build local capacity for long-term biodiversity monitoring in Boumba-Bek National Park.