In a rare sighting, conservationists have captured new images of the world’s rarest gorillas with several babies in southern Nigeria. The Cross River gorillas were spotted in the dense Mbe Mountains in Cross River state on a camera set up by the Wildlife Conservation Society. The subspecies is critically endangered and at one point only about 300 were known to be alive within the mountainous area in Nigeria and Cameroon, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The gorillas tend to avoid humans and their few populations have been the target of hunters in the past. Images of the gorillas were also captured in 2012 in Cameroon’s Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary. The latest sighting is proof that Cross Rive gorillas are “well protected and reproducing,” after decades of being targeted by hunters, Inaoyom Imong, director of Cross River Landscape for Wildlife Conservation Society Nigeria said in a statement. The society said it has been working with several communities to ensure the gorillas’ protection and since 2012, no deaths of the subspecies have been recorded or reported in Nigeria.
SOURCE: CNN
More Stories
Rukky Ladoja & Building a Responsible Nigerian Fashion Brand
How to Write About Africa: Collected Works’ Shows Binyavanga Wainaina’s Legacy
Amapiano to the World: The Next Cultural Shift in Mainstream Music
Feeling at Home at New York’s Contemporary African Art Fair
Mr. Eazi on African Music’s Role in Developing and Stimulating the Creative Economy
8 Lisbon Restaurants for Discovering the City’s African Diaspora
Silversea Cruises’ Extended Indian Ocean Island and Southern Africa Programme
Events Specifically Dedicated to Celebrating Black Music and Culture in Europe
Namibia Offers a Wealth of Experiences for Adventurous Travellers
Top Destinations to Visit in Africa
Establishing Manufacturing Nodes across the Continent and Leveraging on the AfCFTA
The Agritech Innovators Bringing Transformative Change to the Continent’s Green Economy