Sangmélima

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Sangmélima is a town on the Lobo River, and also the chief town of Dja-et-Lobo, in the South Region of Cameroon. The language spoken there is Bulu.

In 1963, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sangmélima was founded.^[1]

In Sangmélima, bushmeat is prevelant and publicly traded, with local authorities overlooking its sale. Hunters gather meat from nearby forests, and are transported to villages, where they sell on temporary tables.^[2] Being situated near the Dja Faunal Reserve, as well as being at the center of Dja-et-Lobo, Sangmélima is the deparment's center for bushmeat trade.^[3]

Animals such as chimpanzees, duikers and gorillas are hunted, and they are eaten because of local belief that its medicinal. Through the 2010s, the price of bushmeat exceeded conventional meat.^[3] The consumption of such meat has caused ebola outbreaks in the area.^[2]

Sangmélima was connected to Ouésso by ferry until 2021, when a 321.5-kilometer road connected the two, costing US$354 million. The road's opening ceremony was attended by Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi [fr].^[4] Another road—65 kilometers in length—connected Sangmélima to Bikoula [fr]. Construction began c. 2012.^[5]

2°56′N 11°59′E / 2.933°N 11.983°E / 2.933; 11.983