Through the Save The Snakes Support Grant Program, Save The Snakes supported Emanual Liyong Sama in 2019 to increase awareness about snakes in the Northwest region of Cameroon. Emanual has been working in general conservation and education of wildlife species in Cameroon since 2010. In 2010, with the support of the Rufford Foundation, Emmanual and his team undertook a study on wildlife species used in traditional medicine, and subsequently, focused conservation education on the identified species, which interestingly included all indigenous snake species.
Project Title:
Awareness campaigns for enlightenment on the protection of snakes in Cameroon
Project Summary:
This is a conservation education project for the protection of snakes to mitigate human-snake conflict in target communities within the Northwestern region of Cameroon. As a 2018 winner of the Conservation Education Commitment Award of the IPS, Emmanual has lead this project to raise public awareness and instill conservation education about snakes. The education messages will emphasize the ecological role of snakes in their natural ecosystems, which, if depleted of snake populations, would bring about imbalance; which is detrimental to our drive for sustainable development.
The project, though based in the North West Region, which forms the heart of the Bamenda Highlands of high levels of biological diversity and endemism, it is for the rest of Cameroon. Some of the target species are the endangered African rock python and Gaboon viper.
Aims and Objectives:
For nine months the project team made up of three along with their partners (which include ministerial services, natural medicine practitioners, conservation organizations and educational institutions) will:
- Produce 500 copies of a multi-faceted poster of snakes of Cameroon, to be distributed to schools, offices, palaces and public places, and shared widely online;
- Undertake media outings on television, radio and newspaper publications for a national audience.
Goal:
This is expected to benefit snake lovers, conservationists, tourists, students/scientists, natural medicine practitioners and their patients. The expected outcomes: the novel poster and media outings will raise permanent public awareness and instill snake conservation education, especially among the conservation and educational sectors. Although the final success of this conservation education project can concretely be measured only in the longer term, the project goals are:
- To raise awareness on the need to protect snakes, which is necessary for ecosystem balance, for sustainable development;
- To bring about awakening and human behaviour-change towards snakes;
- To instill the practice of snake conservation among fellow conservationists;
- To convert innovative conservationists from among “awakened” students.
Support Snake Conservation
Emanual’s project is a recipient of the 2019 Save The Snakes Support Grant Program. Save The Snakes Support Grants are made possible because of the generosity of compassionate people and organizations who are inspired and dedicated to protect threatened snake populations and mitigate human-snake conflict around the world. Please donate today to help us continue to fund projects like Emanual’s snake conservation project in Cameroon. Thank you for your support.