Korup National Park covers about 1,260 square kilometres of trees so tall and thick that almost no sunlight reaches the forest floor. Scientists call this kind of old, undisturbed forest a 'primary rainforest', and Korup is one of the finest examples left in Africa. Walking inside it is like stepping back millions of years in time.
Korup is home to an astonishing number of living things. More than 400 species of trees grow there, along with over 600 species of butterflies. Chimpanzees, forest elephants, drills and many kinds of monkeys all share the forest. Even the rivers inside the park are packed with unique fish that live nowhere else.
Scientists who study plants especially love Korup. They have found that some of the trees and plants in Korup produce chemicals that might one day help make new medicines. Local communities have used plants from the forest for traditional remedies for generations, and researchers are working with them to learn more.
Because the forest is so precious and old, Cameroon made it a national park to protect it. Rangers and local communities work together to look after the trees, rivers and animals. Eco-tourism - visitors who come to see the forest without harming it - helps provide money to keep the park safe.