News from Nigeria
Third Cross River Gorilla Workshop Completed
With funding from the WWF African Great Apes Programme, the US Fish
and Wildlife Service, Fauna and Flora International and the
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), an international "Action
Planning for Cross River Gorilla Conservation" workshop and conference
was held in Calabar, Nigeria from April 26 to 29, 2006. Hosted by WCS
and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), this meeting built
on partnerships and success from previous Cross River gorilla workshops
held in Calabar, Nigeria in 2001 and Limbe, Cameroon in 2003. The meeting
involved representatives from the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the
Republic of Cameroon, the Cross River State Government, as well as technical
experts from local and international organizations and institutions.
Based on a series of site-specific measures and recommendations arising
from the workshop, an action plan for the conservation of the Cross River
gorilla is now in preparation. The plan includes sections on the socioecology
of Cross River gorillas, threats, population fragmentation, landscape
ecology, ecotourism and gorilla habituation, the development of transboundary
protected areas, legislation, education and awareness, community conservation
and enclave management as well as monitoring and research needs.
Gorilla Census of Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary
A sanctuary-wide gorilla survey was conducted in June 2006 by the WCS
as part of continued efforts to monitor gorillas in the Afi Mountain Wildlife
Sanctuary. Since 2004 regular surveys have been conducted in the sanctuary
to monitor ranging behaviour and to obtain a reliable estimate of population
size of the Afi gorillas. Six teams surveyed the mountain over a period
of 7 days, including staff from WCS and the Cross River State Forestry
Commission (CRSFC) and experienced local gorilla trackers. Eleven gorilla
nest sites were found although only 4 of these were judged to be "fresh"
(1 to 3 days old).
Data from this survey suggest the presence of at least 15 and perhaps
as many as 27 gorillas on the mountain located in the northern and south-central
sectors of the sanctuary. Evidence of other wildlife remains scarce although
levels of poaching were observed to be considerably lower than in previous
surveys. The reduced poaching is likely to be due to intensified anti-poaching
activities in the sanctuary, supported by Fauna and Flora International
(FFI) and NCF. Unfortunately, however, in spite of efforts to eradicate
farms from within the sanctuary, encroachment remains a growing problem.
Crop Raiding by Gorillas: a Sign of Successful Conservation?
In January 2006, WCS received reports of crop raiding by gorillas from
Kakwagom Irruan and Bitiah, 2 of the 16 communities surrounding the Afi
Sanctuary, located adjacent to the northern sector of the sanctuary. At
least 6 farms were reported to have been raided and a number of stands
of banana and plantain were destroyed. Although local people report that
this is the first time in more than 20 years that farms have been raided
in the area by gorillas, this incident has resulted in considerable tension
within the communities concerned.
It is not clear why some gorillas have exchanged the relative safety of
the sanctuary for surrounding farmlands. It is known that gorillas routinely
migrate to the northern sector of the sanctuary during the dry season,
generally a period of food scarcity, to exploit particular plant species,
but they have not been previously reported to have left the confines of
the sanctuary. With farms extending ever closer to the boundaries of the
sanctuary there is always an increased chance of gorillas straying onto
local farms and raiding crops especially during periods of food scarcity.
Reduced levels of hunting within the sanctuary, a result of intensified
anti-poaching measures by a combined team of CRSFC rangers and community
scouts, may have encouraged gorillas to roam further afield.
Whatever the reason, the situation puts gorillas in the area at risk of
reprisal, injury or even killing by aggrieved farmers and must be addressed
urgently. In view of its importance to the conservation of the Afi gorillas,
it is recommended that the CRSFC and NGO partners work with the local
communities of Kakwagom and Bitiah to explore ways in which to improve
the protection of these community forests.
Counting Gorillas in the Mbe Mountains: Genetic Analysis of Dung
Between December 2005 and August 2006, WCS conducted 5 mountain-wide gorilla
surveys of the Mbe Mountains. These surveys have focus-ed on the collection
of gorilla dung for subsequent genetic analysis, from which it is hoped
that a more accurate and reliable estimate of the population size of Mbe
can be produced based on mark-recapture techniques. Survey methodologies
used in the past have not been very effective in providing an accurate
estimate of population size. If successful, this pilot study could be
extended to Afi and Okwangwo where current estimates also need to be refined.
A total of 88 dung samples were collected during the exercise and are
already being analyzed by the laboratory of Todd Disotell in New York.
Renovating Research Camp
With funds provided by Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthlife,
WCS has almost completed the construction of a simple research camp in
the Mbe Mountains, with only the roof now remaining to be completed. The
camp will undoubtedly improve the living conditions of researchers and
other visitors. The construction of the camp has taken rather longer than
expected, as the difficult terrain meant that all building materials had
to be conveyed up the mountain by porters. Using local labor for the construction
of the camp did provide some much-needed, albeit temporary, employment
opportunities.
Creating a Community Wildlife Sanctuary in the Mbe Mountains
Situated between the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary and Cross River National
Park, the Mbe Mountains are community-owned land and lack any formal protection
status. The nine communities surrounding Mbe recently agreed to work together
to create a protected area in the Mbe Mountains and are currently in the
process of establishing the Mbe Mountains Conservation Association. In
recent months WCS have been working with the 9 Mbe communities and the
CRSFC to negotiate and provisionally demarcate the boundary of a core
protected area in the mountains.
Inaoyom Imong and Andrew Dunn
With your donations we now started buying the material for a new ranger post at Bumaji. Hopefully the construction work can be started before the next rainy season starts. However, we still need more funds - every donation is welcome!
Photo: Andrew Dunn
The new Mbe research station
Inaoyom Imong is working for the Wildlife
Conservation Society in Nigeria.
Andrew Dunn is Project Manager for the WCS biodiversity research program
in southeastern Nigeria, having taken up his appointment in March 2004.
He has been working on biological survey and conservation projects in
Africa since 1989, with a special expertise in large mammal monitoring.
On behalf of WWF he acted as conservation adviser to the Gashaka-Gumti
National Park in Nigeria from 1995-2000 and as park adviser to Korup National
Park in Cameroon in 2000-2003.