In the forests of Central Africa, WWF works with the BaKa, indigenous hunter-gatherers often referred to as "pygmies" because they rarely grow taller than five feet. About 25,000 BaKa live in Southeast Cameroon, northwest Democratic Republic of Congo, northeast Gabon and Southwest Central African Republic.
These guardians of the forest have an intimate knowledge of every square inch of their homeland and its wildlife, and rely heavily on forest resources for their livelihoods. But their homeland is threatened as deforestation, bushmeat hunting and human migration threaten to destroy their way of life. Persistent discrimination and limited political voice also create obstacles for the BaKa in maintaining their customary rights and resource use.
Overcoming these challenges is difficult, and work is still evolving, but initiatives are showing promise. In the Central African Republic, WWF has supported development of a wildlife reserve that also preserves the traditional rights of the BaKa to hunt, fish and gather food. Gorilla and elephant numbers are increasing, while income from ecotourism, employment as trackers and park rangers, and healthcare programs provide new opportunities for the BaKa.
In Gabon's Minkebe Forest the BaKa do not possess identity cards or birth certificates, making it hard for them to travel or have access to schools, social services, medicine and even the right to vote.
As a result some BaKa became involved in poaching as a way to feed their families and educate their children. WWF began working with them in 1997 and in 2000 hired a full-time anthropologist, Emmanuel Mve Mebia to meet with them while also monitoring elephant poaching and mapping the forest.
After listening to their needs WWF helped form an association -- "Edzengui," -named for the "Spirit of the Forest." According the BaKa, the Edzengui "joins the BaKa together, keeping them with fundamental values such as respect for and attachment to the natural habitat." WWF is also training association members in agriculture and community plantations. The BaKa recognize that wildlife is becoming scarce and they are eager to find new ways to support their families - and if conservation is the way, they are all for it. As a result of the initiative, elephant poaching has dropped from 104 elephants killed in 2001, to 77 in 2002, 70 in 2003, and only 50 in 2004.
