Boumba River

River in East Region, Cameroon

Boumba River is a river in the South Cameroon Plateau of southeast Cameroon.

Geography

The river rises in the Abong-Mbang region. The Boumba is almost 530 km long, and has a catchment of 27.400 km² ^[1]

Hydrometry

The flow of the river was measured at Biwala in m³/s^[1]

Ecology

The river is a tributary of the Dja River and is adjacent to the Boumba Bek National Park, which is located between the Boumba and the Bek River. The forested area around the river is a diverse ecosystem. Logging is an industry in the area. The remote region is home to the Baka.^[2] Communities in the area engage in subsistence farming, hunting, fishing and gathering. The area is also used illegal commercial bushmeat hunters and traders and trophy hunters. Parrots and ivory are also smuggled through the area.^[3]

Trivia

• The area is believed to be a possible origin of the HIV virus.^[4]
• The legendary Mokèlé-mbèmbé was reportedly sighted on the river in 2000.

References

1. PDF about the hydrology of Cameroon (French)
2. Protected areas and indigenous peoples: the paradox of conservation and survival of the Baka in Moloundou region (south-east Cameroon)
3. "Rainforest Movement". Archived from the original on 2014-05-07. Retrieved 2014-05-06.
4. Out of Africa: The Origins of HIV

2°02′07″N 15°11′37″E / 2.0354°N 15.1937°E / 2.0354; 15.1937