Bonn, 28 February 2012 - CMS Agreements Officer, Melanie Virtue participated last week in the Cross River Gorilla strategic planning workshop, in Limbe, Cameroon.

Nigerian and Cameroon government officials met - together with WCS and other international and local NGOs, USFWS, GIZ, UNEP-CMS and UNEP GRASP - near Limbe from 22 – 24 February, 2012. The group reviewed progress on the conservation of the critically endangered Cross River Gorilla, and developed the elements for a new five-year action plan to protect the approximately 250 remaining specimens of the sub-species which is found only in the border region between Cameroon and Nigeria.

“Only God knows why he put the Cross River Gorilla on the borders of Nigeria and Cameroon, but now we are condemned to work together to ensure their survival”. Phillip Tabi Tako Eta, Director of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Cameroon, reiterated the Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan’s words in his opening address to the gathering (pictured here on the right with Fidelis Omeni, CITES, CMS and GRASP focal point at the Nigerian Environment Ministry).

The Cross River Gorillas inhabit rugged and mountainous terrain consisting of steep peaks, surrounded by lower lying areas with many villages. After years of being hunted, the gorillas inhabit only the most inaccessible areas. Despite increasing surveillance, these most elusive of all apes are very seldom seen. Evidence of their presence must be deduced from secondary signs, such as presence of dung or night nests.

At the heart of the conservation strategy are two key initiatives: Gorilla Guardians and Transboundary cooperation. Gorilla Guardians are villagers empowered to inform their peers about the mysterious gorillas and the threats they face, and encourage local people to change their behaviour to reduce these threats. Transboundary cooperation, which will result in a formal MOU between the two countries, operates at the local and national levels, involving ministry personnel, as well as law enforcement agencies.

CMS, in partnership with UNEP GRASP, is supporting both of these activities, in addition to having partially funded the workshop itself. Organized by The Wildlife Conservation Society, the workshop was held under the auspices of the IUCN Primate Specialist Group, which will publish the resulting plan.

Once finalized, this plan will become the official Action Plan of the CMS Gorilla Agreement, as agreed at its second Meeting of the Parties, in November 2011.