In Cameroon’s forgotten forests, gorillas and chimps hang on

In Cameroon’s forgotten forests, gorillas and chimps hang on

At first glance, it’s easy to dismiss the ecological significance of Mbalmayo Forest Reserve in southern Cameroon, one of several degraded forest patches scattered across the country. Located on the outskirts of the town of Mbalmayo, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the country’s capital, Yaoundé, the reserve appears to be too close to human habitation to harbor a wealth of biodiversity — or at least that’s what scientists thought. But when w…