World Chimpanzee Day 2022
On this World Chimpanzee Day 14th July 2022, we should lament for Ako-Mbembe Forest Reserve, one of the chimp habitats of the Bamenda Highlands, now ON SALE as a TIMBER CONCESSION!
One domain of activities of the Centre for Indigenous Resources Management and Development (CIRMAD) is the conservation of the endangered Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) under our Participatory Programme for the Protection of Chimpanzees (PAPPro-Chimps)
This site of our primary focus is denoted in The Regional Action Plan for the Conservation of the Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) (Morgan, B.J et al; 2011) as the North West Region Chimpanzee Conservation Planning Unit. It suffers the progressive conversion of forests for agriculture and pasture, with only a few forest patches remaining as habitats of the remnants of the endangered chimpanzee. These are the Kom-Wum Forest Reserve (8,029 ha), the Fungom Forest Reserve (84,758ha) the Ako-Mbembe Forest Reserve (2,849 ha). There are also the Tubah Forest with some connectivity to a forest that straddles Awing and Balikumbat as a chimp habitat site. The vast Southern Menchum forest and the Ntem Forest are also believed to hold some populations of the P. t. ellioti.
CIRMAD’s Participatory Programme for the Protection of Chimpanzees (PAPPro-Chimps) responds to the statement of need in the Regional Action Plan* for: “… NGO partners to work with government to implement conservation activities in the region for the continued survival of the chimpanzees.”
Our actions under the PAPPro-Chimps programme include:
- conservation education, also through art
- habitat management
- support to wildlife law enforcement
- community conservation initiatives
In 2014: Production of the 1st ever educational poster of the endangered Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee
In 2015-2016:
- Creation, empowerment and engagement of school clubs dubbed “Chimp Survival Clubs” in the adjacent communities of the various chimp habitat sites in the Bamenda Highlands.
- Field expeditions or educational excursions to local chimp habitat sites with members of the “Chimp Survival Clubs”.
2016-2017:
- The recruitment and training of (eleven) 11 community ecoguards for Kom-Wum Forest Reserve with the support of the WWF-Education for Nature Program, under a Memorandum of Understanding CIRMAD signed with the Fundong Council.
- The creation and installation of five (05) Village Forest Management Committee (VFMCs) and their Steering Committee for Kom-Wum Forest Reserve, and installation six (6) signboards around it; with the support of the Prince Bernard Nature Fund.
In 2017:
- A protected area management project in the Kom-Wum Forest Reserve with the support of the Prince Bernhard Nature Fund, in a project titled: Empowering ecoguards to protect the endangered Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee in Kom-Wum Forest Reserve.
- Biomonitorirng training of community ecoguards of Kom-Wum Forest Reserve with the support of the Sacramento Zoo Conservation Fund.
- A conservation education project for Ako-Mbembe Forest Reserve in conjunction with the local service of the Ministry of Forestry and wildlife. The exercise entailed village sensitization meetings (VSM) in 5 main adjacent communities of the chimp habitat site, with the distribution of posters.
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In 2018:
Kimbi-Fungom National Park: Production and distribution of educational poster public awareness and conservation education.
- Ako-Mbembe Forest Reserve: Project titled: Improving chimpanzee conservation in Ako-Mbembe Forest Reserve, through stakeholders marshalling, community empowerment and support for law enforcement. It is with the donor partner support of Prince Bernhard Nature Fund and Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, and entails:
- Production and installation of boundary signboards of the site
- Training, empowerment and follow-up of bee farmers, a community conservation initiative for chimpanzee conservation in the site.
- Stakeholder workshop to enhance chimpanzee conservation in the site
- Radio slots for conservation education on the threatened chimp habitat site.
- Kom-Wum Forest Reserve: continuation of anti-poaching work with community ecoguards with the support of the Global Greengrants, titled: Enhancing law enforcement to protect the endangered Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee in Kom-Wum Forest Reserve.
(Pan troglodytes ellioti) of 2011, with a timeframe of 5 years. It is a standard guide for the protection of the endangered great ape species. However, there is need for its mid-term review to assess achievements so far and streamline the way forward to better ensure the survival of the P. t. ellioti in its restricted global range.
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PAPER ON THE CONSERVATION OF THE NIGERIA-CAMEROON CHIMPANZEE IN NWR