As the world marks World Gorilla Day, conservationists are urging Nigerians to unite in protecting the country’s last 100 Cross River gorillas and about 100 remaining elephants from extinction.
Wildlife advocacy group Wild Africa warned that both species face severe threats from poaching, habitat loss, and the illegal bushmeat trade.
The Cross River gorilla found only in Nigeria and Cameroon is considered the most endangered ape on earth, with just 100 surviving in Nigeria’s Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, Mbe Mountains, and Okwangwo Division of Cross River National Park.
Nigeria’s elephants, both savanna and forest species, have also declined drastically due to ivory poaching and shrinking habitats.
Experts caution that without urgent action, elephants could vanish from Nigeria within a generation.
Conservationists stress that protecting these animals is not only a moral duty but also an economic lifeline, with ecotourism offering opportunities for jobs, foreign exchange, and sustainable rural development.
Wild Africa’s Nigeria Representative, Festus Iyorah, appealed for urgent collective action, noting that the recently passed Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill 2024 can strengthen the fight against wildlife crime once signed into law.
“Protecting gorillas and elephants is a national duty,” he said. “Saving them is saving ourselves.”
Written by Innocent Onoh