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Community Featured Projects Cross River Gorilla - Cameroon
Community Featured Projects Cross River Gorilla - Cameroon
| Cross River Gorilla - Cameroon |
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Only a very tiny fraction of the Cross River gorilla population is currently protected within a National Park or a Sanctuary. Similarly, the chimpanzees that inhabit the cross border region of Cameroon and Nigeria are considered to be the most endangered of all the African chimpanzees. Discussions are underway as to whether to reclassify them as critically endangered i.e. the same category as the Cross River gorillas.GoalsThe main goal of this programme is to protect and conserve the Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) and chimpanzees (Pan trogloditis vellerosus) across the Lebialem Highlands forest area in western Cameroon through research and development of participatory biodiversity management strategies.ResultsDuring surveys in 2005-2006 a total of 352 km of recce has been realized. Over the survey period, 120 nest sites were found. Of this number, 40 nest sites belong to the gorillas and 80 nest sites to the chimpanzees. The 40 gorilla nest sites included 510 individual nests, while 80 chimpanzee nest sites included 681 individual nests. Chimpanzees were recorded in an adjacent logging concession, a previously unknown population.The encounter rates for gorillas in the Bechati-Fossimondi-Besali forest falls in the same order of magnitude as those recorded for gorillas in the Deng Deng forest, Takamanda forest and Nanga Eboko forest for Cameroon, Kahuzi-Bienga in DRC and Ngotto forest in the Central African Republic. Other primate species recorded included the Drill, Allen’s bush baby and Preuss guenon (all listed as endangered by IUCN). The presence of these other species further indicates the conservation importance of the site. Preuss monkeys are endemic to south west Cameroon and to only a few forest sites including Mt Cameroon and Korup National Park. A preliminary botanical inventory of the Bechati-Fossimondi-Besali forest was initiated in the Lebialem Highlands in partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Through a combination of village visits, meetings with diverse focal groups and communities, a community model for the co-management of the forest area has been designed. A number of conservation education programs were started in schools adjacent to the forest areas and this led to the formation of school conservation clubs and a supporting network. A sustainable livelihood development model has been designed with the local villagers. For more information about this project, please contact: Arend de Haas (Director - Conservation): arend [at] africanconservation.org Louis Nkembi (Country Director - Cameroon): louis [at] africanconservation.org |
Cross River gorillas are increasingly threatened with extinction in Cameroon and Nigeria. Hunting and habitat destruction is likely within a century to be so devastating that the only surviving gorilla populations will be in the conservation areas.
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- Limbe Wildlife Centre in SW Cameroon takes care of infant primates that are lucky enough to be rescued from the illegal pet trade. In November 2007, ACF, ERuDeF and Daniel Taylor organised an art workshop with 13 Cameroonian artists in the centre in order to raise awareness and funding for great apes conservation.
