The Limbe
Wildlife Centre (LWC) is a conservation education centre based in Limbe,
Cameroon. It is managed by the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) and
the Pandrillus Foundation, an US non-profit NGO also registered in Nigeria and
Cameroon. Our aims are to:
• Rescue, rehabilitate and release wildlife rescued
from the illegal bush meat and pet trades, and ensure high quality animal
husbandry standards and veterinary care for all animals.
• Help secure the long term survival of threatened and
endangered species native to Cameroon through conservation education and
alternative employment programmes to hunting for the local community.
• Work with law enforcement agencies to combat the
illegal bush meat and wildlife trades.
Degradation of habitats, poaching and the live
animal trade has led to the rapid decline of hundreds of species. In the
Central African region alone, which harbours one of the most diverse
populations of primates in the world, monkeys are hunted or poached at alarming
rates, including all three African great apes (bonobo, chimpanzee and gorilla).
The LWC is one of only three sanctuaries in Cameroon providing a second chance
to orphaned, injured and abused wild animals.
We provide care to 250+ animals which
have been victims of the illegal bush meat and wildlife trades. These animals
include the Western Lowland Gorilla (critically endangered), Central and
Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee (endangered), Drill (endangered), Preuss
Monkey (endangered), and other threatened species including the African Grey
Parrot (endangered). Since 1993, we have
rescued and provided acute care to more than 4,500 animals of various species.
Every year we receive approximately 50,000 visitors,
of which 90% are Cameroonian. Through our trained eco-guides we aim to engage local
and international visitors in conservation education to raise awareness of the
bush meat and pet trades and prevent further decline of wild animal populations
in Cameroon.