Marcel Talla Kouete
- Project name: Conservation of Cameroon’s Caecilians
- Project site: Littoral Regions, Cameroon
- EDGE species: Victoria caecilian Herpele multiplicata
- Active: 2011 - 2013
Biography
Marcel has a passion for caecilians and has contributed to a wide range of amphibian and reptile field research projects in Cameroon. By working with local communities and stakeholders to conduct surveys, Marcel has bought awareness and increased support for the conservation of these mysterious creatures. Through his EDGE Fellowship Marcel aimed to consolidate his position as an independent conservation biologist, promote conservation capacity building throughout Africa and become a national authority on Cameroonian caecilians. Marcel’s EDGE Fellowship project was a ground-breaking undertaking with implications for caecilian biology in both Cameroon and globally.
EDGE Project
Marcel’s EDGE Fellowship project aimed to conserve Cameroon’s caecilians. He undertook the below objectives to achieve this aim:
- Survey 14 locations across Cameroon for the presence of caecilians assessed as Data Deficient by the IUCN; assessing their ecology, natural history and threats;
- Review the taxonomic and conservation status of Cameroon’s caecilians;
- Develop Conservation Action Plans for those caecilians identified as being under threat;
- Increase in-country capacity and public awareness of caecilians across Cameroon.
Achievements
- Published an article on caecilian reproductive behaviour in International Scholarly Research Network;
- Successfully applied for a Student Conference for Conservation Science internship enabling him to attend and present at an international conference in March 2013.
- Created an illustrated field guide on caecilians.
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