Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program

(partially adapted from Butynski and Koster, 1990)

Humans first arrived on Bioko Island roughly 3,000 years ago when the Bubi tribe migrated from mainland Africa. Europeans arrived on the island in 1469 when the Portuguese came ashore. Bioko Island, then known as Fernando Po, and a rectangular swath of mainland later became a Spanish colony, but the island was leased to the British for many years as a naval base for anti-slavery activities. The British founded Malabo, the country's present capital (pop. 100,000), on the northern tip of Bioko in 1827. They called it Port Clarence and settled many freed slaves there. Those slaves' descendents are today known as Fernandinos.

The climate and soil of the lowland forests of Bioko proved to be ideal for growing cocoa. Under Spanish colonial rule, much of the lowland rainforest was cleared for cocoa plantation. Most of the subsequent development came as a result of the cultivation of cocoa, as well as coffee and manioc at higher elevations.

Until 1969 Bioko produced large amounts of the world's finest cocoa. The crop accounted for about 90% of the island's income, making Bioko was one of the most prosperous places in Africa. Independence from Spain was achieved in 1968. The next year, the 11-year Macias Nguema Dictatorship began.

From 1969 to 1979, Bioko suffered one of the most destructive dictatorships in Africa, ruining the economy and transforming the island into one of the poorest places in Africa. Under dictatorial rule, many people were executed or fled the island. It is estimated that Bioko lost 30-50% of its population during this period. By 1983, the population was back to about its 1969 level of 59,000 people (29 people per square kilometer). Today, the population is estimated at over 100,000. Unlike in 1969, however, these people are not on the cocoa plantations. More than 60% of them now live in or around Malabo. The rest live along the eastern or western coasts. The higher elevations of Pico Basile in the north as well as the entire southern third of the island are almost uninhabited. Only one small village, Ureca, of less than a hundred people is found along the southern coast which is accessible only by foot path or small boat.

By 1976, cocoa production on Bioko was only about 13% of its 1967 high. In 1986, cocoa production was but 14% (7,175 tons) of its pre-independence level (Fa 1989). Whereas about 410 km2 were under cocoa in 1969, fewer than 50 km2 were managed for cocoa during the mid-1980s (World Bank 1985). Most of the remaining 360 km2 are today unmanaged and covered by bush and trees. As long as international cocoa prices remain low, it is likely that the amount of land in cocoa production on Bioko will remain near its present level.

Under the Macias Nguema regime, the cattle industry collapsed from about 3,500 animals to none. As such, the approximately 35 km2 of pasture used by cattle on the Moka plateau were abandoned and became covered in dense, tall stands of bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum), bush and secondary forest. A new livestock development project was underway by 1986 and about 200 beef cattle and about 42 sheep had been reintroduced. Approximately 3 km2 of former pasture was rehabilitated for these animals. Beef cattle continue to be raised today in Moca.

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