Changing perceptions of sharks and rays in Cameroon

When 35-year-old fisherman Robert Innocent casts his nets in Kribi, he looks for signs of sharks and rays. To him, they are a promise of abundant fish. To scientists, they are guardians of the ocean. Yet across Cameroon’s coastal communities, these species are often misunderstood, feared, and overexploited.

To change this story, the African Marine Conservation Organisation (AMCO), with support from the Save Our Seas Foundation, launched an innovative project: Animated Cartoons for Environmental Education. The goal? To help children and communities see sharks and rays not as threats, but as vital allies for ocean health.

Community meetings in Manoka, Limbe, and Kribi gave voice to fishers and elders, capturing local perceptions, cultural myths, and stories of the sea. These conversations now shape the storylines of educational cartoons designed for schools and community screenings.

Children watching educational cartoons in Cameroon. Photo © Cyndi Karel Ngnah

Some stories spoke of fear and danger. One elder warned:

“Never try to play with sharks, not even when they are dead. Even their teeth can injure you long after.”

Another fisherman lifted his sleeve to reveal a scar: the reminder of a stingray’s venomous spine. Such encounters fuel respect mixed with caution, passed down from parents to children:

“With rays, you can touch them, but never with sharks. The shark is very dangerous.”

Others highlighted respect and cultural value. For many fishers, sharks and rays signal abundance.

“They often move with other fish,” one fisherman explained. “When they are here, there are more resources for us.”

Some even see their survival at sea as tied to divine protection, believing these animals to be linked with God’s preservation. These dual perceptions fear and reverence are what the project seeks to explore.

“Once we see a shark in this community, we capture it, kill it, and later divide it among members of the community,” explains Akudylan, a fisherman from Kribi. “We also make sure it is hidden from the authorities.”

It is exactly this mindset the project seeks to shift. By blending cultural storytelling with modern animation, the team hopes to replace fear with curiosity, and misconceptions with knowledge.

Five culturally relevant cartoons will be created and shared across ten schools in Limbe by 2026, aiming to spark conservation interest among children who will become tomorrow’s ocean stewards.

At its heart, this project is about more than education, it is about empowerment. By placing communities and children at the centre of the storytelling process, AMCO is helping to rewrite the future of Cameroon’s oceans: one story, one drawing, one child at a time.