About us

Aristide Takoukam Kamla

Aristide completed his Master's degree at the University of Dschang. His Master's research thesis focused on the distribution, habitat use and local perception of the African manatee in Lake Ossa and the Douala-Edea Wildlife Reserve. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Florida, college of veterinary medicine.

Eddy Nnanga

Eddy is a Cameroonian, from the South Region. He received his engineering diploma and Master’s degree in Fishery Sciences and Aquatic Ecosystem Management at the Institute of Fisheries and Aquatics Sciences of the University of Douala at Yabassi. His Master's research thesis focused on the description of the characteristics of the manatee's habitat in the Douala-Edea Wildlife Reserve.

Marcien KUETE

Marcien is a Cameroonian from the Western Region, holding a degree of Professional Master in Digital Cartography, Remote Sensing and GIS and a Master of Science in Agroforestry with minor in environmental services at the Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences (FASA) of the University of Dschang where he is currently pursuing a thesis in Resource Management natural. His Master's thesis focused on the contribution of cartography and remote sensing to the study of the spatio-temporal dynamics of agroforestry systems in the Baleng Forest Reserve and its surroundings, West Cameroon. He has experience with geomatics applications in development projects and natural resource management.

Rowina NGUIMBIS

Rowina NGUIMBIS, is a young Cameroonian from the Littoral region. Graduate in journalism, she is a nature lover and wants to contribute to environment conversation. After a few years in the field, she returned to school where she enrolled in a Master's Research in Information Sciences and Communication (Master SIC). Her Thesis focuses on " The analysis of the reception of messages linked to the protection of the mangroves in the Douala-Edéa Wildlife Reserve". She is in charge of communication and environmental education for AMMCO.

Clinton FACTHEU

This young Phd candidate obtained a Bachelor degree in biology of animal organisms in 2015, then a Master's degree in Zoology. For his doctoral thesis, he is working on the diet and population dynamics of the African manatee in Cameroon. Formerly an intern at AMMCO, he now brings his acquired knowledges fot conservation purposes, as a research assistant. AMMCO wishes to provide him with the scientific supervision and the technical support necessary for his research. 

Mpinde Félix

This training tour guide has been with us since 2018. He was trained at the teacher training center of Londji (South Cameroon region). He has also undergone training in beach management, turtle identification, egg transplantation techniques and stomach surgery for turtles, among others. He is our focal point for the fishermen of the Lolabe-campo coast segment, and reports observations, cases of stranding of species belonging to the aquatic megafauna to AMMCO.

Fadai Moutchena

Faidai is a Cameroonian from Northern region, a fisherman and fishing technician in Kribi (South region, Cameroon). He was trained in fishing at kribi. He has been collaborating with AMMCO for over four years now for the conservation and protection of marine mammals. He is our focal point for fishermen of the Lokoundje-Lobé coastline. He is currently conducting research to describe the anthropogenic pressures facing the African manatee, in order to contribute to the development and implementation of a habitat monitoring system for this species in the Douala National Park. -Edea.

Cédrick Fogwan

Cedrick is from Cameroon. He has his Bachelor and Master of Engineering in Oceanography and Fresh Water Ecosystems management at the Institute of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, University of Douala, Cameroon. His Master thesis focused on the Assessment of Aquatic Wildmeat in the Douala Edea Wildlife Reserve. He loves marine animals and particularly likes to use informatic to improve biodiversity management.

Joseph Nkembe

Joseph is our boat pilot since the age of 15. he trained alongside his father who was a pilot at Mouanko's maritime brigade. He accompanies us in our expeditions in Lake Ossa and Sanaga for almost 03 years.

Cédrick Biankeu

Cédric Biankeu Ingrid is a Halieute Engineer, from Makénéné (Cameroon, central region). He has a Masters degree from the Institute of Fisheries Sciences at the University of Douala, in the management of fisheries and aquatic ecosystems. As an intern at AMMCO, his research work focused on the theme "Contribution to the knowledge of marine megafauna in the Wouri estuary and threat assessment". His work has helped to better understand the species of aquatic megafauna in the Wouri estuary. Today Cédric Biankeu continues to work with us for better monitoring of aquatic megafauna. He is our AMMCO focal point for fishermen in the Wouri estuary.

Dr. Lucy Keith Diagne

Lucy is originally from Massachusetts, USA, and has spent the past 28 years conducting field research with marine mammals around the world, including 17 years working with manatees. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from St. Lawrence University, her Master of Science degree in Marine Biology from the Boston University Marine Program, and her Ph.D. from the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, where her dissertation research focused on the phylogenetics and feeding ecology of the African manatee. She has worked for government and non-profit research organizations both nationally and internationally and has a broad range of field experience with Florida, Antillean, and African manatees. Her current work is focused on African manatee population biology, ecology, and conservation. Additionally, Lucy saw a critical need for information and training for African researchers throughout the range of the species, so in 2008 she initiated a collaborative network for manatee fieldwork and conservation which now has members in 19 African countries. To date, she has trained over 85 African biologists in manatee field techniques and conservation planning. She was awarded the Manatee Conservation Award by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2003, she is a member of IUCN Sirenian Specialist Group, a co-Chair of the African Manatee Regional Subgroup, and a member of the Convention of Migratory Species Scientific Council- Aquatic Mammals Working Group. Lucy is based in Saly, Senegal with her husband Tomas Diagne, an African turtle researcher and conservationist.

Paul Thomson

Paul Thomson is a conservation biologist focusing on highly threatened and endangered species, incubating conservation startup projects, and building leadership capacity in the environmental field. Paul co-founded Save Pangolins to address the illegal trade of the little-known pangolin, the world’s most trafficked mammal. He is also a vice chair of the IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group. Paul is a former director and current board moember of Ewaso Lions, an award-winning Kenyan nonprofit organization that conserves lions and other large carnivores by promoting coexistence between people and wildlife.

Paul is an advisor to the Kinship Conservation Fellows program, which provides training in environmental leadership and market-based tools for conservation. He is on the board of the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders program (EWCL), a program for early career conservationists. Paul holds a BSc from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources & Environment and received his Master’s from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. He has worked in East Africa and Washington, DC and now lives in San Francisco.

Thomas Bacha

Laurent Sanchez