RAINFOREST AND GORILLAS IN E. NIGERIA/W. CAMEROON

UNCLAS LIBREVILLE 000150

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EAID NI CM
SUBJECT: RAINFOREST AND GORILLAS IN E. NIGERIA/W. CAMEROON



1. REO and Abuja Econoff travelled to sites in Cross River
State (Eastern Nigeria) in mid-February for meetings with
conservation NGOs and local government officials, including
the state governor, Donald Duke. This area has notably rich
biodiversity, including the last rainforest in Nigeria,
several endemic mammals and a relict population of gorillas,
which roam forest habitat in both Nigeria and Cameroon.
Despite a network of protected areas and well-intentioned
leadership at the state government level, resources remain
under threat by intense encroachment, hunting and
deforestation.


2. Nigeria's last remaining moist forest lies in the Cross
River National Park and adjacent areas. The lower Oban
Division covers a huge expanse (280,000 hectares) of forest
land, but has been degraded by years of unchecked poaching
and illegal timber felling. The upper park area at Okwangwo
(92,000 ha),contiguous with Cameroon's Takamanda Forest
Reserve, guards the most significant remnants of forest and
wildlife. Unfortunately, park management is weak and
unstable, despite increasing interest in the area since the
re-discovery of the endemic subspecies of Cross River
Gorillas there in the late 1980s. Similarly, cross-border
cooperation has been slow to develop between authorities of
the two countries.


3. NGOs are increasingly concerned about poaching
pressures, including the recent killing of three gorillas in
the fall of 2005. This was a stunning blow to conserving
the estimated 60-80 gorillas left in Nigeria. NGOs in the
area have initiated several conservation projects focusing
on primate research, most notably the creation of the Afi
Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, managed by the Pandrillus
Foundation. The Wildlife Conservation Society is active in
working with unprotected forest areas that lie within
community lands between reserve areas.


4. COMMENT: During a February 17 meeting with REO and Abuja
Econoff, Cross River State Governor Donald Duke expressed
interest in conservation as a complement to huge state
investments in other tourism projects. Plans for the Tinapa
Free Trade Zone project seek to make Calabar an up-scale
destination for wealthy shoppers and tourists from
throughout the region. Attractions such as the national
park, the recently-finished forest canopy walkway at Afi
(Africa's longest) and the Obudu Plateau resort could be
developed to dovetail with an anticipated increase in
visitors to the region. State tourism officials admit,
however, that services need to be upgraded for these
ambitious plans to draw more visitors to SE Nigeria
attractions. END COMMENT.


5. This cable has been cleared by Abuja.

WALKLEY