Vol 11 2009 Gorilla Conservation ) at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda. | © Gerald Dick, WAZA Gerald Dick, Uganda. | © ) at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Gorilla beringei Mountain gorilla ( WAZA magazine Vol 11/2009 Contents Introduction | Gerald Dick ..........1 Djeke Gorilla Project in Nouabalé‑Ndoki National Protecting Africa’s rarest gorilla: Park, Republic of Congo, conservation of the cross river Creating an educational trail gorilla in Cameroon and Nigeria | for eco‑tourists | Andrew Dunn Florence Perroux ......................22 & Aaron Nicholas ........................3 Le projet Gorilla Djeke au Parc Protection du gorille le plus National Nouabalé ‑Ndoki, rare de l’Afrique: Conservation République du Congo du gorille de Cross River Création d’un parcours au Cameroun et le Nigeria ............ 8 didactique pour les éco ‑touristes ...............................25 Addressing the trade in apes in Africa | Partners In Conservation (PIC): Neil Madisson ........................... 11 Poverty alleviation as key Imprint Traiter le commerce for Mountain gorilla conservation des grands singes en Afrique ....... 13 (Gorilla beringei) | Editor: Gerald Dick, Charlene Jendry ........................26 WAZA Executive Office A gorilla researcher’s Partenaires en conservation (PIC): Lindenrain 3 perspective on the Year Lutte contre la pauvreté en tant CH 3012 Bern of the Gorilla 2009 | que clé pour la conservation Switzerland Thomas Breuer ......................... 14 du Gorille de Montagne phone: +41 31 300 20 30 Une perspective d’un chercheur (Gorilla beringei) .................cover III fax: +41 31 300 20 31 de gorille sur l’Année du Gorille 2009 ...........................20 Layout and typesetting: [email protected] Print: Agentura NP, Staré Město, CZ French translations: Nadine Renaudeau d’Arc Edition: 1500 copies © WAZA June 2009 This edition of WAZA Magazine is also available on www.waza.org (members’ area). Printed on FSC paper. © Gerald Dick, WAZA Souvenir shops at Bwindi, Uganda in support of community based activities. ISSN: 2074-4528 WAZA magazine Vol 11/2009 1 Gerald Dick, WAZA Executive Director Introduction » The first new edition of the WAZA Magazine is dedicated to gorilla con‑ servation, and there are many good reasons for that. The most important one is the urgent need to conserve viable wild populations of gorillas in order to prevent their extinction. All four gorilla subspecies remain clas‑ sified as “endangered” or “critically © Gerald Dick, WAZA endangered” on the IUCN Red List of Self-portrait with one of critically engangered “gentle giant”, Uganda, May 2009. threatened species. In order to support and guide gorilla mentation of the new CMS agree‑ initiative, 108 zoos are actively sup‑ conservation, WAZA has joined hands ment on the conservation of gorillas porting gorilla conservation through with CMS (Convention of Migratory and their habitats which came active various means. Information material Species of Wild Animals of UNEP) and in June 2008. As educating the wider is used to inform and educate visitors, GRASP (Great Ape Survival Partner‑ public and raising awareness in order an education manual is provided ship of UNEP/UNESCO) to declare to get more support for projects is on the WAZA and IZE websites for 2009 the Year of the Gorilla. A major key, the world zoo community can zoo educators and teachers, special objective of the initiative is the imple‑ play a crucial role. In support of this events like gorilla days are organ‑ ised, special fundraising events also help to support in situ projects. In this edition of the WAZA Magazine, gorilla projects of the WAZA branded project list are introduced. They are dealing with the Cross River Gorilla, Western Lowland Gorilla and Moun‑ tain Gorilla, addressing threats like logging and bush meat trade but also offering some solutions, based on re‑ search. These examples illustrate the important role of the zoo community in conservation, as also laid out in the World Zoo and Aquarium Conserva‑ tion Strategy. Cross River Gorilla Western Lowland Gorilla Eastern Lowland Gorilla Mountain Gorilla 2 Introduction WAZA magazine Vol 11/2009 » I have had the pleasure to attend Apart from these interesting and the 2009 Annual General Meeting encouraging figures, there is also of PAAZAB, the African Associa‑ emotional convincing support for tion of Zoos and Aquaria in Entebbe, such activities: these species are Uganda and explore the potential of humankind’s closest relatives and ecotourism as an economic incentive an encounter with habituated gorilla and mechanism for support of local groups in the wild is something so communities and conservation. In touching that you will never forget. Uganda the revenue from the official As I was privileged to see wild goril‑ gorilla permits alone was 1,2 million las at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest US Dollars in 2008 and 20% of that I can confirm and share these strong money generally goes directly to the feelings and sincerely hope that communities concerned. In addition the implementation of the gorilla there is money spent by the gorilla agreement and the ongoing support tourists for the tour operators as well of zoos will help to save all gorilla as on souvenirs, trekking support, ac‑ subspecies. commodation and other related costs. 9 Hence, gorilla tourism has become an important source of income for local people and gorillas are regarded as an important resource. Year of the GORILLA Année du GORILLE 200 © Aaron Nicholas WCS Takamanda-Mone Landscape Project, Cameroon The heart of the Cameroonian Cross River gorilla landscape. They have found refuge in this beautiful but challenging terrain. WAZA magazine Vol 11/2009 Protecting Africa’s Rarest Gorilla 3 Andrew Dunn & Aaron Nicholas WAZA Project 8010 Protecting Africa’s Rarest Gorilla: » Conservation of the Cross River Gorilla in Cameroon and Nigeria With fewer than 300 individuals Little is known about just how many The Cross River gorilla was first remaining the Cross River gorilla Cross River gorillas may have once named as a new species in 1904 but Gorilla gorilla diehli is recognized roamed this area. However a recent was largely neglected by the outside by IUCN as Critically Endangered genetic study suggests that the Cross world until the 1980s when the first and is the most threatened taxon of River gorilla population has under‑ systematic surveys of this unique ape in Africa. Restricted to a small gone a marked reduction in size with‑ ape began in Nigeria. The Wildlife mountainous area located at the in the last 100–200 years, probably as Conservation Society (WCS) has headwaters of the River Cross strad‑ a result of the introduction of modern supported long‑term research on the dling the border between Cameroon firearms. The population today is Cross River gorilla since 1996. Initial and Nigeria, the Cross River gorilla is at a perilously low level and gorillas work focused on ecological studies the most western and northern type survive only in the most rugged areas, and surveys but has since expanded of gorilla. Spread across an area of protected by their own adaptability into a broad program of research and about 12,000 km2 Cross River gorillas and by the relative inaccessibility of conservation activities in both Nigeria are today found in roughly 11 discrete the region and/or where local com‑ and Cameroon. This program now sites, most of which are separated munities have strong local beliefs involves government agencies, uni‑ from each other by 10 km or more. favouring their protection. Much versities and NGOs (in particular, the This landscape ranges in altitude from of the montane forest that once Wildlife Conservation Society, the Ni‑ 200 m to more than 2,000 m with harboured gorillas in the past has gerian Conservation Foundation, the corresponding changes in vegetation been lost, and further fragmentation World Wide Fund for Nature, Fauna from lowland to montane forest. of the remaining habitat threatens to and Flora International, Pandrillus, isolate the gorillas in their mountain San Diego Zoo, the North Carolina refuges. As the surrounding human Zoo and Cameroon’s Environment population continues to grow, and and Rural Development Foundation). as development has led to new road With support from a variety of donors building and to an increased demand significant progress has been made for farmland and forest produce across the gorilla’s range in terms of (including bush meat) the gorillas’ protected area creation and manage‑ status has become critical. Although ment, capacity building, the develop‑ cases of devastating diseases such as ment of infrastructure, the provision Ebola and anthrax have not yet been of essential biological information recorded Cross River gorillas often and increased community involve‑ live in close proximity to humans and ment in conservation efforts. A series their livestock and so are at risk to of international workshops have been a variety of pathogens and parasites, organised by WCS to plan for more moreover the small sizes of the effective conservation of the Cross The population remaining Cross River gorilla groups River gorilla. As a result of these renders them extremely vulnerable workshops (Calabar 2001, Limbe 2003 today is at to the effects of introduced disease and Calabar 2006) a Regional Action (Oates et al, 2007). Plan for the Conservation of the Cross a perilously River gorilla1 for 2007–2011 was pro‑ duced. Although many of the activi‑ low level and ties specified in this plan have already been completed much still