Voice of Nature (VoNat) has embarked on a research initiative to identify and address threats facing the endangered Goliath frog (Conraua goliath) in the Mount Nlonako area, Littoral Region of Cameroon. The project, funded by Re:wild, employs participatory mapping and storytelling to ensure that local communities are not only consulted but actively lead in safeguarding the species and its freshwater habitats.
The Goliath frog, the largest frog in the world, is found only in parts of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Its survival is threatened by habitat loss, overharvesting, and environmental degradation. In the Mount Nlonako, these pressures are exacerbated by expanding farmland, increased hunting, and changes in traditional land-use practices. Cognizant of the fact that conservation efforts cannot succeed without local ownership, VoNat’s approach places community voices and knowledge at the heart of the project.
“This is not just about producing maps and data. It is about using maps and data as a mirror for communities to see the pressures they are exerting on the world’s largest frog, and emblematic species found only in their communities and Equatorial Guinea, and to decide together how they want to respond,” explained Henry Nkede, VoNat’s Amphibians Conservation Initiative Field Coordinator.
The participatory mapping process brings together a cross-section of persons within from over 15 communities in both the Manjo and Nlonako Subdivisions in the Littoral Region of Cameroon, from elders, traditional leaders and hunters to farmers and youth, to share observations of where threats are occurring and local stories and beliefs around the species. Participants draw on both lived experience and generational ecological knowledge, pinpointing areas of frog habitat that have been lost or degraded, and identifying patterns of activity that pose risks.
For many, the goliath frog conservation threat mapping process has been an eye-opener.
“Working with your team (VoNat researchers) has made us to see the bigger picture of the effects of our farming activities, cutting of trees and polluting the river on the goliath frog. It is important to identify key areas where the goliath frogs live and conserve them so that, in the long run, we know exactly where to find them,” the Chief of Ekomntolo, His Reyal Majesty Tifon Stephen, recommended.
Storytelling sessions complement the mapping by capturing traditional beliefs, taboos, and folktales linked to the Goliath frog. These cultural narratives reveal how the species has been woven into local identity and wellbeing. “When a pregnant woman eats frog meat, the child becomes a very good swimmer and is very strong. When your wife is pregnant, you can give her the goliath frog to eat so that the child will be born stronger and healthier,” the Chief of Manengole Village, His Reyal Majesty Essoh Martin, shared.
By pairing scientific insights with traditional conservation knowledge, VoNat aims to create conservation strategies that resonate deeply with community values. This approach has earned strong local appraisal and endorsement.
“We have seen many projects come and go. But this one begins by asking us what we know, what we see, and what we want for the future. That is why we support it,” said Jules Xavier, a farmer in Ngol Village.
The initiative will culminate in a multi-stakeholder workshop bringing together all key community conservation actors in the Mount Nlonako area, including hunters, officials from the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF), farmers, traditional rulers, and other local leaders. This workshop will focus on presenting the participatory maps and storytelling findings and will serve as a platform for all participants to develop tailored solutions to counter the mapped threats.
By Andrew Nsoseka
