Werneria bambutensis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AMPHIBIA	ANURA	BUFONIDAE

Scientific Name:	Werneria bambutensis
Species Authority:	(Amiet, 1972)

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Endangered B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) ver 3.1
Year Published:	2004
Assessor/s:	Jean-Louis Amiet
Reviewer/s:	Global Amphibian Assessment Coordinating Team (Simon Stuart, Janice Chanson and Neil Cox)
Contributor/s:
Justification: Listed as Endangered because its Extent of Occurrence is less that 5,000 km2 and its Area of Occupancy is less than 500 km2, it is known from fewer than five locations, and the quality and extent of its forest habitat in the Cameroonian mountains is declining.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is known only from the mountains of western Cameroon, where it occurs on Mount Manenguba and in the Bamenda Highlands in the Bamboutos Mountains and Mount Oku. It also occurs at Santa on Mount Neshele. Its altitudinal range is from 1,750-2,600m asl, but it rarely occurs below 2,100-2,200m asl.
Countries:	Native: Cameroon
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	It is not a common species. In 1985, it was reported as possibly nearing extinction in the Bamboutos Mountains.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It is found on flat rocks in fast-flowing streams at high elevations, typically in montane forest patches. It breeds in streams, and it seems that after reproduction the adults disperse into forest patches, open bamboo glades, and montane grassland. The larvae live in fast, even torrential, water. During the dry season the adults may live in water, hiding under stones. It seems to occur at higher altitudes than other members of its genus, living at a higher altitude than both Werneria tandyi and W. mertensiana on Mount Manenguba.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

It is found on flat rocks in fast-flowing streams at high elevations, typically in montane forest patches. It breeds in streams, and it seems that after reproduction the adults disperse into forest patches, open bamboo glades, and montane grassland. The larvae live in fast, even torrential, water. During the dry season the adults may live in water, hiding under stones. It seems to occur at higher altitudes than other members of its genus, living at a higher altitude than both Werneria tandyi and W. mertensiana on Mount Manenguba.

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	It is probably threatened by forest clearance and degradation resulting from overgrazing, fires, and cultivation.

Major Threat(s):

It is probably threatened by forest clearance and degradation resulting from overgrazing, fires, and cultivation.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	The species might occur in the Bafut-Ngemba Forest Reserve, but is largely unprotected elsewhere in its range; additional protection of the remaining highland forests in Cameroon, particularly Mount Manenguba, is needed. A conservation project has been conducted on Mount Oku for several years by BirdLife International, involving community management of the area involving the local villages. This project needs to take into account the conservation needs of this species.

Conservation Actions:

The species might occur in the Bafut-Ngemba Forest Reserve, but is largely unprotected elsewhere in its range; additional protection of the remaining highland forests in Cameroon, particularly Mount Manenguba, is needed. A conservation project has been conducted on Mount Oku for several years by BirdLife International, involving community management of the area involving the local villages. This project needs to take into account the conservation needs of this species.

Citation:	Jean-Louis Amiet 2004. Werneria bambutensis. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2013.
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