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Cross River Gorilla
HIGHLIGHTS
Click here to download the 2007 Cross River Gorilla Action Plan
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Population
approx. 250-300
Total Range
· Approx. 3,000 km²
· Approx. 1,158 mi²
Habitat Types
· Lowland, mid-elevation rainforest and montane forest.
WCS Involvement
· Since 1996
Partners
· Cameroon Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife
· WWF
· Nigerian Conservation Foundation
· Fauna and Flora International
· German Coperation
· Environment and Rural Development Foundation
Funders
Gorilla Organisation
WWF Great Apes Program
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Arcus Foundation
Great Apes Trust of Iowa
Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation
Disney Conservation Foundation
Quadra Foundation
KfW (German Development Bank)
Zoo Boise
Columbus Zoo
Greenwich Council
Conservation International
Primate Emergency Conservation Fund
FFI
Protected Areas
· Proposed Takamanda National Park and Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary, Cameroon
· Cross River National Park, Nigeria
· Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, Nigeria
· Mbe Mountain Community Wildlife Sanctuary, Nigeria
Contact
Kirstin Siex, PhD
Assistant Director, Africa Program
2300 Southern Boulevard
Bronx, NY 10460 USA
wcsafrica@wcs.org
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The Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) is a unique subspecies of gorilla found only along the Cameroon-Nigeria border. Although originally discovered in the early 1900s, the Cross River gorilla was thought to be extinct until its recent “rediscovery” in the 1980s. With only 250 to 300 individuals remaining in the wild, the Cross River gorilla is one of Africa’s most critically endangered primates. It is currently estimated that the remaining gorillas are contained in 11 sub-groups, dispersed amongst the highland areas of the Nigeria-Cameroon border. While this region is known for unusually high levels of biodiversity and endemism, pressure on forests and wildlife in this area is intense.
The Human Aspect
A number of communities live in and around Cross River gorilla habitat. Traditionally, these communities have relied on resources obtained from the forest. The WCS Cross River Gorilla Project (CRGP) engages local communities and encourages ongoing support for traditional beliefs that hold the gorilla in high esteem. Former hunters are also taught how to use their skills for conservation rather than poaching and are hired as gorilla trackers and trained in field research techniques.
Threats
Illegal hunting for bushmeat along with habitat loss threaten the future of the Cross River gorilla. Because gorillas are long-lived and give birth only once every 4-5 years they are particularly susceptible to even low levels of hunting. Deforestation has increased the pressure on these animals and their habitat due to logging and extensive agriculture which divide the forest into isolated blocks. Until recently, many of the gorilla subpopulations were located outside of protected areas.
WCS Activities
WCS has supported Cross River gorilla conservation related research throughout the gorillas’ range since 1996. Longterm research bases have been established in the Afi Mountains, Nigeria as well as what is set to become the Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary, Cameroon. The CRGP trains researchers to track gorilla groups on a daily basis and collect data on their ranging and feeding behavior. Recent genetic studies sponsored by WCS reveal that these scattered subpopulations are in fact one viable population. This crucial discovery highlights the urgency to protect the habitat corridors that exist between populations and to investigate how gorillas are using their limited habitat. The CRGP is therefore taking a landscape approach to closely monitor populations both within and outside protected areas through routine surveys. Since initiation of the CGRP, we have worked closely with local government and communities to establish protected areas containing these last populations. The CRGP also leads a series of international workshops focused on the conservation of the gorilla as well as more locally based educational outreach programs emphasizing the uniqueness of these gorillas and how local people can help.
Important Next Steps Implement the recommendations of the 2007 Regional Action Plan for the Conservation of the Cross River
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WCS researchers collect data on a gorilla nesting site ©A.Nicholas/WCS | gorilla, particularly in the areas of:
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Promoting education and awareness
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Promoting community participation in Cross River gorilla conservation
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Supporting transboundary conservation, practical actions and planning
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Improving legislation and law enforcement
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Supporting key research activities related to Cross River gorilla conservation including long-term socio-ecological monitoring
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Investigating
- eco-tourism possibilities
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