Education
NCF trains six researchers to help prevent extinction of critically endangered Cross River gorilla – EnviroNews
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The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) says it is training six researchers in order to prevent the extinction of a critically endangered gorilla specie in Cross River.
Mr. Adedamola Ogunsesan, the Director, Technical Programmes, stated this on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at the fifth-year review of the project in Calabar.
Ogunsesan said that five-year international scholarship programme was being implemented in partnership with Wilder Institute Calgary Zoo, Canada, and the University of Calabar (UniCal).
He said that the initiative was aimed at building local expertise, strengthening conservation research, and developing sustainable strategies to protect the endangered species.
Ogunsesan said that under the Community Conservation Graduate Student Scholarship, NCF had supported one doctoral student and five masters students with full scholarships.
“They are to undertake research on the endangered gorilla specie in Cross River, its habitat and environmental threats to survival,” he said.
The NCF official said that the programme was designed to empower young Nigerians with the knowledge and technical capacity to address biodiversity challenges.
He said that the students’ research area covered critical conservation issues such as gender, land-cover changes, habitat degradation in the Afi Mountains and other environmental pressures.
According to him, the project, valued approximately 200,000 Canadian dollars, covers tuition, accommodation, living expenses and medical costs of the beneficiaries.
“The programme has been a good award for the students because it takes care of almost all their needs, from medicals to accommodation and tuition fees,” he said.
Ogunsesan further said that the beneficiaries had also enjoyed international exposure through exchange programmes in Ghana and other academic engagements.
He expressed optimism that some of the masters graduates would proceed to doctoral programmes, and eventually emerge as conservation professionals.
Also speaking, Dr. Andrew Macintosh, a Senior Scientist for Wildlife Conservation at Wilder Institute, Calgary, Canada, said that the partnership with NCF was established to strengthen local research capacity, and promote practical conservation of the Cross River gorilla.
Macintosh described the species as one of the world’s most critically endangered apes, with a very small population restricted to mountainous forest areas along the Nigeria-Cameroon border.
He said that the institute’s involvement was informed by the need to extend conservation efforts beyond zoos to protecting endangered species in their natural habitats.
“The Cross River gorilla is one of the most critically endangered apes on the planet, with one of the lowest population numbers that we can find anywhere in the world,” he said.
He stated that supporting local researchers and engaging communities remained essential to understanding the threats facing the species and developing sustainable conservation strategies.
Macintosh cautioned on expecting an immediate increase in the gorilla population from the five-year scholarship intervention, saying that conservation required sustained and long-term commitment.
According to him, the impact of research, community engagement and capacity development could take decades to translate into measurable improvements in wildlife populations.
“Our five-year programme is a starting point that hopefully will allow these students and new conservationists to become future professionals who can make a lasting difference for the Cross River gorilla,” he said.
He noted that other conservation organisations such as the Wildlife Conservation Society Nigeria, had continued to work with communities around the Afi and Mbe mountains to address threats to wildlife.
Dr. Blessing Ntamu, the Head, External Relations, UniCal, and the university’s project coordinator, described the partnership as a significant achievement in conservation research and academic development.
Ntamu said that the project had recorded a major breakthrough with the first camera documentation of a Cross River gorilla in several decades, describing the development as an important contribution to knowledge about the endangered species.
She said that the university would work with other partners to ensure that recommendations from the students’ research were considered and implemented to strengthen conservation efforts.
Ntamu urged Nigerians, particularly communities living around the gorilla’s habitat to support efforts to protect the country’s natural resources.
Similarly, Mr. Uchenna Achunine, the Director of Business Development and Partnerships, NCF, and Chairman of the Project Advisory Committee, described the programme as “life changing”.
Achunine said that the project was implemented through a seven-partner collaboration involving NCF, Wilder Institute Calgary Zoo, UniCal, Afi Mountain communities, and Cross River National Park
He also listed the Cross River Forestry Commission and the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation Research, Ghana as partners.
The director explained that the project advisory committee met every six months for progress assessment and provision of strategic guidance.
According to him, the initiative has generated valuable research findings and recommendations on human-wildlife interactions, habitat protection and the conservation of the Cross River gorilla.
Achunine said that the project would be concluded in 2027, and expressed hope that the established partnerships would continue beyond the scholarship period.
According to him, Cross River gorilla, a sub-species of the western gorilla, is restricted to forest areas along the Nigeria-Cameroon border, and recognised as one of Africa’s most threatened great apes.
“Its survival is threatened by habitat loss, forest degradation, hunting and increasing human pressure on its natural environment.”
By Ehigimetor Igbaugba
