The Problem

The Cross River Gorilla is one of the 25 most endangered primates worldwide. The continued fragmentation of Cross River Gorilla habitat across a large, complex area, together with the threat from hunting and the small number of gorillas remaining, has led to its critically endangered status.

Our Programme

The main goal of our Cross River Gorilla Conservation Program is to provide long term security to the populations of Cross River gorillas and Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees living in the same area and implement a community based management strategy.The program focuses on four key objectives:

1. Establishing new great ape reserves to conserve the Cross River gorillas and Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees subpopulations;

2. Deliver an effective conservation education strategy;

3. Support the development of sustainable livelihoods and economic development initiatives;

4. Support the monitoring of the great apes subpopulations in the main forest areas.

Results

Our successes since 2004 include the creation and management of Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary and we are currently developing a rainforest corridor of 64,000 ha including the establishment of bio-monitoring and forest surveillance activities to protect great apes. The program also supports  sustainable livelihoods and economic development initiatives of local communities and recruitment of local rangers. Environmental education and awareness raising is a crucial element in this work.

With 250-300 individuals remaining, Cross River gorillas are the world’s rarest gorilla.

Your help is urgently needed. Please donate today and help create new protected areas for the Cross River Gorillas in South West Cameroon!