Cross River Gorilla:
Looking for one of the most Critically Endangered primates on the planet? Well, you may have just found one in the Cross River Gorilla. According the Year of the Gorilla website, Cross River Gorillas are restricted to a limited area (<10,000 km²) of southwest Cameroon and neighboring parts of Nigeria:
Nigeria: 75-110 individuals remaining
Cameroon: 125-185 individuals remaining
Remember that Harry Potter movie the Mountain Gorillas went to in Blog #2 of Gorilla Week? Well, this group could all fit in one screening room. 300 or less individuals of Cross River Gorillas left in the world, almost hard to believe a population of wildlife can hold so close to the brink of extinction. Add habitat loss and the Bushmeat Trade (more on this unpleasant topic in a later blog) to the problems facing this population and it is clearly high on the priority list.
Cross River Gorillas form the most northern and western of all gorilla populations and are separated from the nearest Western Lowland Gorilla population to the south by approximately 250 km. The Cross River area and the nearest outpost of western equatorial African forest occupied by Western Lowland Gorillas are separated by the grasslands and fragmented forests of the Cameroon highlands, and the relatively densely settled lowlands of western Cameroon, effectively isolating the Cross River Gorillas from the other west African gorilla populations.
Take into account that the 250-300 individuals are fragmented into at least 10 separate populations spread across 12,000 square kilometers and the difficulty in protecting this population becomes clearer. A current project to create and support Nigeria’s first community managed Wildlife Sanctuary in the Mbe Mountains will involve the establishment of a gorilla guardian monitoring network with 8 local communities in the Mowambi and Mbulu-Mone forest areas. This and other similair efforts are critical to the survival of the Cross River Gorilla.
The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, NC is currently supporting conservation effotrs for the Cross River Gorilla and you can access their webpage at: http://www.nczoo.org/conservation/International/CrossRivGorilla.html
The Houston Zoo is hosting Dr. Michael Cranfield, Executive Director of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project as part of our Call of the Wild Lecture Series September 10th, 20009. Please go to http://www.houstonzoo.org/lectureseries/ for ticket information.
Tomorrow: Eastern Lowland Gorilla
For more on Year of the Gorilla, go to http://www.yog2009.org/
Are these animals being hunted? Or is it environment and/or disease that is responsible for the decline in population?
All are contributing factors. Poaching for bushmeat and sale in markets, habitat loss and fragmentation due to large human populations, disease issues such as Ebola and human communicable diseases. Mining (illegal and legal) for minerals in the region affects the habitat as well.
I never realized Nigeria had a gorilla population. I will try to get over that direction the next time I am there.
If there is a way to save these animals…. why aren’t we not doing it. These blogs have been quite informative and have opened my eyes and mind a lot to not only the endangered gorillas but how we are destroying the environment.
Wow, I’m so glad to know that work is being done on the ground there to help save these animals. How can I get a job with the gorilla guardian monitoring network. That would be amazing!!
It’s so sad to see how few of these gorillas remain. We all need to do our part to help them survive and not become extinct.
With a population that small, the government should have stepped up their efforts to save these gorillas on the brink of extinction. Perhaps a stiffer penalty for selling bushmeat?
Thanks for sharing! I’d love to see Gorillas in their natural habitat. I’m so thankful that we have such an awesome zoo that’s so interactive with the community!
I am curious. How much area does each group need to live? Does it change it they are lowland or montain? Would it be possible to set aside a tract of land that could accomodate them? Perhaps suplement this concept by having certified guides to take tourists in for a look.
It is so easy to live in a bubble and not be aware of the grave situation these gorillas are facing. My heart aches for these amazing animals and I feel inspired that there are groups dedicated to making change.
Hopefully, it’s not too late to save these magnificent animals!
I thought that there was already a national park where gorillas were protected? It’s sad the numbers are that small!
I am wondering why I have never heard of Cross River Gorillas. Why hasn’t anyone done a documentary on them and their plight? Since the numbers are so small, would it not be in their best interest to have a captive breeding program at a wildlife park near them? The gorillas could be bred and raised there, then young adults could be tagged and released. The area civilians could also use education on why these animals are important and maybe even offer rewards if they turn poachers in.
is there a way to save these gorillas?
It’s awful that there are more people out there who want to hurt these endangered animals for their own gain than those who want to help.
Wow, there are less left that I expected…so sad!
This is a very sad story, especially since they have inhabited this area hundreds of years before humans and now we’ve practically killed them off. I do hope and pray that these efforts will be successful. Education is the key to getting the natives involved. I pray the new Wildlife Sanctuary will be a win-win situation. That the gorillas will be saved and that new jobs for locals will be made, so they too can benefit from this effort, also seeing the importance of it.
It be wonderful if the Houston-based oil companies who are drilling off of the coast of Nigeria would contribute to the effort to conserve these gorillas.
Is there a reason why we hear very little about the Cross River Gorillas? Does the government restrict access to scientists and researchers?
I never knew there were so few!
je trouve cet article tres interresant. je reviendrai suremenent sur ce site. bon courage