As part of its efforts to contribute to the protection of threatened species in the country, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), in collaboration with a science-based conservation organisation, Wilder Institute, has donated some equipment to the Cross River National Park, Cross River Forestry Commission, and the University of Calabar.
The equipment, it is believed, will boost the ongoing research project on the conservation and preservation of the Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli).
“Cross River gorilla is a critically endangered subspecies of the western gorilla. Endemic to West Africa, they live in small areas of highland forest that span the border of Nigeria and Cameroon. Now, more than ever before, the Cross River gorilla faces threats associated with habitat loss and hunting.
“It is estimated that there are at most 300 Cross River gorillas left in the wild. NCF continues to work with its partners to mobilise stakeholders and muster support to preserve the remaining population and their habitat to prevent the extinction of the gorilla in Nigeria,” a statement by the NCF read.
The equipment donated include digital cameras, desktop computers, laptops, projector and projector screen, video conferencing gadget, 65-inch flat screen Hi-sense TV, 4K PTZ professional Video Conference Camera, MC3000 USB HD PTZ Auto Rotate Tracking Voice Camera.
Others are built-in four digital microphone array and 10Meters voice pickup, 2.2million pixels, 1/2.8” HD color CMOS sensor, 1920*1080HD display, walkie-talkie, still cameras for project partners, GPS handsets and drones.
Items such as the TV and computer equipment will support video conferencing for remote steering committee meetings at the University of Calabar while the GPS, camera traps, drones and other camera equipment will support the student research projects.
The Cross River Gorilla Initiative, which commenced in 2022, will award scholarships to one Ph.D. student and four master’s degree students at the University of Calabar for the period of five years.
At the time of filing this report, one PhD and two MSc students from the Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Calabar have resumed their three months internship programme with NCF.
The interns are expected to have practical hands-on experience in the use of field equipment such as camera traps, GPS handsets, drones etc. in data collection and monitoring as well as maintenance of such equipment.
They will also understand how to conduct field surveys with respect to Focal Group Discussions (FGD), Key Informant Interviews (KII), Participatory Rural Appraisals (PRA) and Community Work Skills (CWS), as well as strategies for developing, distributing, and collecting of questionnaires for effective research work and analysis, among others.
The NCF also disclosed that it recently organised a two-day training on gender and conservation at the University of Calabar to provide a robust understanding of the importance of gender in the conservation of the Cross River gorilla and its applicability to their field research work as a guide to the development of their research instruments.
The workshop, which was facilitated by Senior Advisor, Community Conservation at the Wilder Institute, Dr Mary Liao, and co-facilitated by a gender specialist from the University of Calabar, Dr. Brenda Akpan.
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