Need To Protect Cross River Gorillas Re-iterated

A workshop organised by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has reiterated the need for a joint effort in the protection of Africa’s most endangered primates, the Cross River Gorilla. 
By Regina Fonjia Leke
The two-day workshop, which took place, February 13-14, brought stakeholders from Nigeria and Cameroon, partners and government representatives.
The meeting was a follow-up of part of WCS’s strategy; which is active conservation, working with the communities, administration, trying to encourage the protection of the endangered species for the long survival of the species in its natural environment, said Cameroon Country Director for WCS, Dr. Roger Fotso.
The Conservator of Cross River National Park in Nigeria, Ntumfam Richard Effa, told The Green Vision that the workshop was imperative to plan about the Cross River gorilla and how its conservation could promote eco-tourism. 
“We are very passionate about the Cross River gorillas because they are critically endangered so we must protect them, plus their continuous existence in the forest will boost tourism for Cameroon and Nigeria thereby fetching income for the economies,” Effa said.
He admitted that poaching is one of the big problems facing the survival of the Cross River gorilla. 
“This notwithstanding, with the support of our technical partners, local NGOs and government, we have been able to adopt a collaborative approach where communities are part and parcel of the whole conservation process,” Effa said.
According to him, this is paying off, “Just recently we have increased sighting of gorillas which goes to confirm work being done and reduction in poaching and pressure.”
In a presentation on the creation process of the proposed Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, the ERuDeF CEO, Louis Nkembi, stressed the need for a clear media strategy as a way of advocating for the protection of the Cross River gorilla and also raising awareness.
“We realised there was a media gap in conservation given that most media organs in Cameroon have not prioritized environmental issues. It was as a result that we launched The Green Vision Newspaper which investigates and publishes news on conservation and the environment,” Nkembi said.
He announced that the file for the proposed sanctuary which hosts some 30 Cross River gorillas and other endangered species is currently at the Prime Minister’s office awaiting declaration of a full protected area. 
Nkembi also said as an alternative source of livelihood to the forest adjacent communities, ERuDeF has provided the communities bordering the Tofala forest with palm oil mills, piglets, beehives and has given out micro-loans to small businesses through its micro-credit fund. 
The organisation through its Education for Sustainable Development Program organised school education programs all in an effort to increase knowledge on the Cross River gorillas and the need for their protection.
The South West Regional Delegate of Forestry and Wildlife, Eben Ebai Samuel, on his part, said “the Cross River gorilla workshop is an ongoing process that began some years ago and we are trying to address the problem of the great ape which is a critically threatened species found along the Cameroon-Nigeria border. We want to better manage the gorilla population which is ever dwindling due to encroachment and for that we are intensifying education.”
Other presentations came from all parks and sanctuaries along the Cameroon-Nigeria border hosting the Cross River gorillas including the Takamanda National park, Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, Nigeria, Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary Cameroon.
Dirck Byler from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, USA, said the gorilla planning workshop was essential to create a forum for people working for the conservation of the critically threatened species in Cameroon and Nigeria to discuss issues relating to its conservation and seek solutions that can help resolve some of the problems affecting the ape, given that today, the total population of Cross River gorillas may number fewer than 300.