Category: Conservation Projects

Project overview

Introduction: Numbering less than 300 individuals, the Cross River Gorilla is critically endangered and occurs in approximately 11 forest sites across a 12,000km2 landscape. Seven of these sites fall within the boundaries of National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries or Forest Reserves in Cameroon and Nigeria. These protected areas therefore provide crucial refuges for these gorillas. Support to improve levels of protection and monitoring is urgently needed in four of the most important protected areas- Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary and Cross River National Park in Nigeria and the Mone Forest Reserve and Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary in Cameroon. If the capacity of government staff is not improved and logistical support provided to these protected areas, the Cross River gorillas found here will be under increased threat from habitat loss and hunting.

Objectives: Strengthening monitoring and protection activities in 4 key protected areas through the provision of supplies, equipment and performance bonuses for government staff, and in doing so improve the survival prospects for Cross River gorillas and other species in these areas.

Alignment to Cross River Gorilla Regional Action Plan: This proposal supports site-based Action Plan recommendations for improving protection measures at these 4 protected areas.

Benefits: Approximately 50% (~150 individuals) of all known Cross River gorillas occur within these 4 protected areas.

Funding needed: €225,000
Support to annual gorilla monitoring activities (Afi Mountain) – €15,000
Support to improved protection (Afi Mountain) – €35,000
Support to regular gorilla monitoring (Cross River NP) – €20,000
Support to protection of key gorilla sites (Cross River NP) – €30,000
Provision of essential equipment (Afi Mountain & Cross River NP) – €20,000
Support to regular gorilla monitoring (Mone FR) – €15,000
Initiation of patrol activities (Mone FR) – €20,000
Support to long-term monitoring (Kagwene GS) – €30,000
Initiation of government protection (Kagwene GS) – €20,000
Provision of essential equipment (Mone and Kagwene) – €20,000

Timeframe for implementation: 12 months.

Implementing Partners: Fauna and Flora International, Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Pandrillus, World Wide Fund for Nature, Cross River State Forestry Commission and Cross River National Park and the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (Cameroon).

PALF (Project to Apply the Law on Fauna) – MEF (Ministry of Forestry Economy) COLLABORATION for WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT, The Republic of Congo

GOAL
To assist the government of The Republic of Congo to increase wildlife law enforcement capacity, produce effective deterrents to the killing of great apes and other threatened wildlife by hunters and traders, and monitor the illegal wildlife trade and other activities detrimental to ape survival.

Project Summary
Orphan Western Lowland Gorillas. Congo contains significant numbers of four sub-species of great apes, including several key populations of gorillas identified by the IUCN and GRASP. The most immediate threat to most ape populations in The Republic of Congo is illegal hunting for meat, body parts and live infant pets. These activities are all illegal, but laws are not properly enforced and thus deterrence is low. Consequently the hunting of apes and the trade in their meat, body parts and live young has been conducted quite freely.

The mission of this project is to fight commercial poaching and the related trade in endangered species by increasing effectiveness of wildlife law enforcement. By working closely with the Ministry of Forestry Economy (MEF) and other government bodies the project (run by WCS, The Aspinall Foundation and LAGA Last Great Ape Organization) intends to bring about significant convictions in The Republic of Congo under wildlife legislation. This will not only curtail the activities of those prosecuted but, supported by a pro-active media campaign, will also act as a deterrent to others who may be tempted to engage in such activities. In this way the trade in illegal wildlife products is reduced, and hence the incentive to hunt great apes and other endangered species is minimized.

Objectives
– To identify large-scale dealers in great ape meat and live great apes, and other illegal wildlife products, and provide evidence to support action against them.
– To bring about the arrest of large-scale illegal wildlife exploiters.
– To ensure the prosecution of large-scale illegal wildlife exploiters, and that sentences are handed down and served.
– To raise public awareness of the increased enforcement of wildlife law and the risks and penalties for wildlife criminals.

Main Activities
INVESTIGATIONS – to identify perpetrators and provide evidence for prosecution
OPERATIONS – to ensure the arrest of perpetrators whilst engaged in the criminal act
LEGAL ASSISTANCE – to ensure that convictions are achieved and sentences served
MEDIA PROMOTION – to raise public awareness that wildlife law is actively enforced
ANIMAL RESCUE – to ensure rescued animals are transported to a specialized sanctuary with a developed reintroduction program
REPORTING – to ensure transparency and provide necessary information for replication

The results of these activities will be frequent arrests and prosecutions for wildlife crimes involving great apes and other species, an increased national capacity to enforce wildlife laws, an increased public awareness of improved enforcement, and hence a reduced demand for illegally hunted apes. Outputs will include numerous media articles as well as regular, publicly available reports.