The Cross River Gorilla is among the world‘s most threatened wildlife subspecies. So why did Cameroon’s Chief of Gendarmerie Brigade order the killing of one of these rare and endangered apes?
A wildlife expert with Environment and Rural Development Foundation (ERuDeF) said the adult male, found dead not far from Cameroon’s proposed wildlife sanctuary, was killed “in the name of self-defense,” without proper investigation to determine whether the animal posed any threat of harm to the local people.
According to reports, the gorilla was apparently tortured, beaten with stones and clubbed, in addition to being shot 45 times.
African Conservation Foundation says it's been working with ERuDeF to complete the Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, and now it wants Cameroon to speed up this process, along with community sensitization efforts near sanctuary borders, to hopefully prevent another horrible tragedy like this one.
Tell Cameroon to move quickly to stop the killing of Cross River Gorillas.
We, the undersigned, are horrified by the killing of this threatened and rare animal.
With less than 300 of these apes remaining near the Cameroon-Nigeria border, the death of this one adult silverback is a huge loss, and the way in which the animal suffered, along with its death, is a terrible tragedy that should have been prevented.
The African Conservation Foundation says the migration of this gorilla is evidence “of the intense human pressure that the remaining gorillas in the Tofala forests are facing. This pressure includes very high forest conversion to farms and poaching.” It is further evidence that another sanctuary is needed immediately to ensure their protection.
We ask that the Government of Cameroon speed up the completion of the Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary and do whatever else is necessary to stop the killing of this rare and critically endangered ape.
Thanks for your time.
