Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary

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Summary

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• Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes ellioti) & Cross river gorillas (Gorilla gorilla diehli) are present in Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary.
• The population sizes are unknown.
• The great ape population trend is unknown.

Site characteristics

Other sympatric primate species include the endangered white-throated guenon (Cercopithecus erythrogaster), the Nigeria mona monkey (Cercopithecus mona).

Table 1. Basic site information for Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary

Species	'Pan troglodytes ellioti, Gorilla gorilla diehli
Area	104 km²
Coordinates	Lat: 6.311318928189273 , Lon: 8.990745590209793
Type of site	Protected area (Wildlife Sanctuary)
Habitat types	Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest, Subtropical/tropical moist montane forest, Rocky areas (inland cliffs, mountain peaks)
Type of governance	Governance by government

IUCN habitat categories Site designations

Ape status

Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary

Species	Year	Occurrence	Encounter or vistation rate (nests/km; ind/day)	Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI)	Abundance estimate (95% CI)	Survey area	Sampling method	Analytical framework	Source	Comments	A.P.E.S. database ID
'Gorilla gorilla diehli	2017	Present	0.049				Reconnaissance walk		Mengnjo & Imong 2017	Only nest sites/km (0.049) and sightings/km (0.0012) reported
'Pan troglodytes ellioti	2017	Present	0.006				Reconnaissance walk		Mengnjo & Imong 2017	Only nest sites/km (0.006) and sightings/km (0) reported

Threats

Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary

Category	Specific threats	Threat level	Description	Year of threat
5 Biological resource use	5.1.2 Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target)	High (more than 70% of population affected)	Illegal hunting is widespread within the wildlife sanctuary, particularly the setting of wire snares to catch smaller animals such as rock hyrax (WCS website, Mengnjo & Imong, 2017).	1996-Ongoing (2024)
2 Agriculture & aquaculture	2.1.2 Small-holder farming	High (more than 70% of population affected)	At least 1,000 illegal farms (cocoa and bananas) inside the sanctuary destroy available habitat for Cross River gorillas and other key species. Farming outside the sanctuary threatens the viability of the habitat corridor between Afi and Mbe Mountains (WCS website, Mengnjo & Imong, 2017).	Ongoing (2024)
5 Biological resource use	5.3 Logging & wood harvesting	High (more than 70% of population affected)	In addition to farming, logging outside the sanctuary threatens the viability of the habitat corridor between Afi and Mbe Mountains (Bukie et al., 2021, WCS website, Mengnjo & Imong, 2017).	Ongoing (2024)
10 Geological events	10.3 Avalanches/landslides	Low (up to 30% of population affected)	In July 2012, severe of at least 50 landslides damaged large patches of land at Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary (Berggorilla).	2012

IUCN Threats list

Conservation activities

Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary

Category	Specific activity	Description	Implementing organization(s)	Year of activity
2 Counter-wildlife crime	2.11 Implement monitoring surveillance strategies (e.g., SMART) or use monitoring data to improve effectiveness of patrols	Gorilla monitoring using CyberTracker/SMART.	Cross River State Forestry Commission, Wildlife Conservation Society	2011-Ongoing (2024)
2 Counter-wildlife crime	2.7 Provide better equipment (e.g., guns) to anti-poaching ranger patrols	WCS provides essential field equipment to ranger patrols.	Cross River State Forestry Commission, Wildlife Conservation Society	Ongoing (2024)
2 Counter-wildlife crime	2.8 Provide training to anti-poaching ranger patrols	WCS provides training ranger in SMART-based patrolling.	Cross River State Forestry Commission, Wildlife Conservation Society	Ongoing (2024)
2 Counter-wildlife crime	2.13 Provide sustainable alternative livelihoods; establish fish- or domestic meat farms	WCS trains farmers from Afi in bee keeping and African giant snail rearing as an alternative income source of income.	Cross River State Forestry Commission, Wildlife Conservation Society	Ongoing (2024)
4 Education & awareness	4.2 Involve local community in ape research and conservation management	WCS employs local communities around Afi as ‘gorilla guardians’ to help protect gorillas that exited the sanctuary.	Cross River State Forestry Commission, Wildlife Conservation Society	Ongoing (2024)
4 Education & awareness	4.5 Implement multimedia campaigns using theatre, film, print media, discussions	WCS outreach program uses radio drama and film shows to spread conservation messages around Afi.	Wildlife Conservation Society	Ongoing (2024)
4 Education & awareness	4.1 Educate local communities about apes and sustainable use	WCS provides conservation education and raises awareness within the communities surrounding Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary (27 school conservation clubs, field trips, exchange visits).	Wildlife Conservation Society	Ongoing (2024)
5 Protection & restoration	5.2 Legally protect ape habitat	Created by Cross River State Government.	Cross River State Forestry Commission	2000-Ongoing (2024)
7 Economic & other incentives	7.1 Provide monetary benefits to local communities for sustainably managing their forest and its wildlife (e.g., REDD, alternative income, employment)	WCS employs local communities around Afi as ‘gorilla guardians’ to help protect gorillas that exited the sanctuary.	Cross River State Forestry Commission, Wildlife Conservation Society	Ongoing (2024)
8 Permanent presence	8.1 Run research project and ensure permanent human presence at site	WCS has supported conservation and research at Afi since 1996.	Cross River State Forestry Commission, Wildlife Conservation Society	1996-Ongoing (2024)
8 Permanent presence	8.2 Run tourist projects and ensure permanent human presence at site		Cross River State Forestry Commission	2000-Ongoing (2024)
5 Protection & restoration	5.6 Habitat restoration (e.g., tree planting)	Restoration of the degraded Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary in Buanchor, Boki.	Cross River State Forestry Commission, Life Empowerment Foundation	2021-2022

Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)

Challenges

Table 5. Challenges reported for Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary

Challenges	Specific challenges	Source	Year(s)
1 Site management	1.1 Need for improved leadership	WCS	2000-Ongoing (2024)
4 Institutional support	4.2 Lack of government support	WCS	2000-Ongoing (2024)
2 Resources and capacity	2.4 Lack of continuous/long-term funding	Mongabay	Ongoing (2024)
4 Institutional support	4.1 Lack of law enforcement	Mongabay	Ongoing (2024)

Enablers

Table 6. Enablers reported for Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary

Enablers	Specific enablers	Source	Year(s)
1 Site management	1.3 Adaptive management practices	WCS	2011-Ongoing (2024)
3 Engaged community	3.6 Local community engagement and support	WCS	Ongoing (2024)
2 Resources and capacity	2.6 External partnerships that add expertise or resources	Mengnjo & Imong 2017; WCS	1996-Ongoing (2024)

Research activities

Cross River State Forestry Commission and Wildlife Conservation Society have been conducting research with various collaborators at the site since 1996. Research collaborators include among others University of Calabar, North Carolina Zoo in the US and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany.

Documented behaviours

Table 7. Behaviours documented for Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary

Behavior	Source
Not reported

References

Bukie, J.O., Ityavyar, E.M. & Inah, E.I. (2021). Illegal logging Big trees, abundance, distribution, Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary. Journal of Research in Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, 13(3),

Mengnjo, C., & Imong, I. (2017). AFI MOUNTAIN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY ANNUAL REPORT: JANUARY-DECEMBER, 2017. Cross-River State Ministry of Climate Change and Forestry, Report.

Page created by: Winnie Eckardt Date: 2024-11-28 08:36:00