Biologists Encounter 10 Chimpanzees In Tofala Forest

ERuDeF biologists recently came face to face with 10 Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees in the proposed Tofala Wildlife Sanctuary.

By Enokenwa Allen Tabi

Asoh Bedwin, Enokenwa Allen Tabi accompanied by Sebastian Linnarz, a PhD student from the University of Bonn, Germany, on internship at IBiNs met the apes at about 7:30 pm, February 4, 2014.

The team had just finished doing the bio-monitoring of great apes and returned to the campsite and were about to have a meal before going to sleep. Then, Chimpanzees vocalizing just close by interrupted us. It was difficult to see the chimps because it was already dark. Yet the team did not give up. Excited and anxious, we set out to meet with their ‘cousins’ with torches, machetes and other materials but due to the difficult terrain and the darkness, it took us more time to reach to where the chimps where sleeping.

When we team finally got to where the chimpanzees were camped, we turned on our torchlights but this caused panic in the group of chimps. Behold! Ten chimpanzees started screaming, urinating on us and running in all directions.

One of the chimpanzees in total confusion started going up and down a tree without branches but finally chose to stay up the tree.

Linnarz, who was seeing a chimpanzee in the wild for the first time, could not hide his excitement.

“It is such an amazing experience for me coming face to face with this human cousin in its natural habitat. I will carry this experience all my life,” exclaimed Linnarz.

According to Asoh Bedwin, sighting great apes has increased tremendously within the last months and it is all thanks to the education that the forest adjacent communities have benefitted from ERuDeF.

“Before, it was difficult to come face to face with chimps or gorillas, but as the days go by, we keep sighting these animals. This just goes to say the sensitization we have been doing in the communities is paying off and human pressure on the forest has reduced tremendously.”