Sunday Okobi
WildAid, an international environmental organisation based in the United States, at the weekend lamented that humans had pushed Cross River gorillas to the brink of extinction.
Consequently, the organisation unveiled a weeklong campaign to raise awareness about existential threats facing gorillas in Nigeria and provide support Nigeria in protecting the remaining Cross River gorillas.
WildAid’s Africa Programme Manager, Simon Denyer raised the alarms at an event organised to mark the World Gorilla Day in Lagos Friday.
World Gorilla Day, an event celebrating gorillas and empowering global communities to take action for gorilla conservation, holds on September 24 annually.
At the event Friday, Denyer said the Cross River gorilla, which lives in the mountainous border area of Nigeria and Cameroon, “is Africa’s most threatened ape, with a population estimated at fewer than 300 individuals.
“Around 100 live in Nigeria and are found only in three protected areas across the Cross River State of Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, Mbe Mountains and the Okwangwo division of Cross River National Park.”
In the last two decades, the organisation said illegal activities such as game hunting, logging, expansion of settlements, and agricultural encroachment have continued to destroy their habitats and threaten the survival of the rare Cross River gorilla.
“Snares intended for other animals as game often trapped Cross River gorillas, injuring or killing the great apes. Humans have pushed Cross River gorillas to the brink of extinction.
“The few who remain are scattered in small groups in rugged terrain, and any deaths or further habitat loss would threaten their very survival.
“It is critically important to protect their remaining sanctuary and protect this important part of Nigeria and Cameroon’s natural heritage.”
The Cross River gorilla has been listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as critically endangered. The global population of gorillas stands at around 1,063 found in countries such as Nigeria, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda, which is home to over 50 percent of the gorilla’s global population.
Gorillas provide an important draw for Uganda’s tourism industry, which contributed 7.75 percent of its GDP and 6.7 percent of total national employment in 2018, according to research by the African Nature Based Tourism Platform.
While Uganda makes millions of dollars annually in gorilla tourism and therefore garners more conservation efforts, Nigeria’s gorillas face extremely serious threats.
Meanwhile, the WildAid Nigeria representative, Kelechukwu Iruoma, “It is not too late to save Nigeria’s remaining 100 Cross River gorillas, but we need to act now to protect them.
Individuals and communities need to be enlightened and sensitised on the need to protect our gorillas. We urge the Nigerian Government to also update its wildlife laws to combat the threats facing our iconic gorillas.”
WildAid is also calling on all Nigerians to “Say no to illegal (bushmeat) game,” as a way to ease some of those pressures on gorillas and other important species who are trapped and killed as game.
Gorillas are one of the biggest and most powerful living primates. They weigh up to 180kg (almost 30 stone) and measure 170cm (over 5’5”) tall on all fours.
Gorillas live in family groups of around 10 individuals, with one dominant male. The male and females together take care of the infants while protecting them from danger.
