Title
Community-based monitoring of cross river gorillas in South West Region, Cameroon
Author(s)
Akenji, Lesly;Nchanji, Anthony;Fowler, Andrew;Ekinde, Albert;Mulema, Joseph;Fotso, Roger;Khumbah, Pius
Published
2019
Publisher
African Primates
Abstract
Straddling the Nigeria-Cameroon border region, the Cross River gorilla (CRG; Gorilla gorilla diehli), is the most threatened of all African ape species. Habitat loss and fragmentation due to increasing human pressure, especially outside of protected areas, has resulted in a significant population decline. Currently estimated at <300 individuals surviving within their range, approximately two-thirds of the population is under some form of protection within government recognized protected areas in Nigeria and Cameroon. The remaining population is found in unclassified and unprotected forest wherein communities acquire livelihood services including hunting, which further jeopardizes gorilla survival. The Gorilla Guardian (GG) is a community-based monitoring program initiated in 2009, to support Cross River gorilla conservation efforts outside protected areas. The program enlists the support of local people to monitor gorilla presence in their area. Since the program inception, 2,529 nest sites were visited, and 12,122 individual nests examined. Considering the average maximum number of nests at freshly constructed nest sites observed, possibly a minimum of 53 Cross River gorillas occur in forest sites where the Gorilla Guardian program is active. Between 2009 to 2017, the program expanded from six to twelve villages and currently working with 12 Gorilla Guardians and 15 forest users. Conservation education was initiated in 2013 to increase local awareness of the Gorilla Guardian program and more than half of the population has been exposed to information on best practices for managing their natural environment. Twenty-four villages and sixteen primary schools have so far been reached. Further, to ensure continuous community engagement, Village Forest Management Committees have been established in each participating community.
Keywords
cross river gorilla;gorilla guardian;village forest management committee

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PUB24855