Organization of The Day: Pandrillus

One of Africa’s most endangered primate species are drills, and they are listed by the IUCN as the highest conservation priority of all African primates. Not much is known about their behavior or ecology. However, we know that their entire world range only consists of about 40,000 km within the Cross River State, Nigeria. Their population is approximated to be anywhere from 3,000 to 8,000. These animals are another victim of the bushmeat trade, which often leads to young being orphaned when their mothers are killed. These orphaned drills are then taken into captivity.

 

Photo credit: Cyril Ruoso/Pandrillus

Pandrillus was part of a landmark achievement in 2003 when two adolescent female gorillas were smuggled into Nigeria from Cameroon and later seized by government authorities. The two governments collaborated in the protection of wildlife smuggling and coordination on environmental issues. Nigeria is sadly a large center for wildlife trafficking, and Pandrillus works with law enforcement to try to reduce such activities. Pandrillus also played a vital role in the permanent closure of the Calabar Zoo, removing its last captive animal and transporting it to their Afi Mountain Drill Ranch facility. Pandrillus houses a Drill rehabilitation and breeding center, where animals that have been orphaned or held in captivity are nursed back to health. The center has recorded over 250 births, making the project the world’s most successful captive breeding program for an endangered primate. This center is also treats and serves another bushmeat-effected primate, Chimpanzees.

Rescued Chimpanzee at the Drill Ranch

After being rehabilitated or having matured, the primates are then introduced to the Drill Ranch at Afi Mountain, the project’s field site that serves as a highly protected wildlife sanctuary. Pandrillus recognizes the importance in the cooperation of surrounding communities and has created an education program for the surrounding 17 villages, bringing them together for a conservation-based interest for the first time. The organization’s efforts do not stop there. They work directly with Limbe Wildlife Center to create a drill ranch where natural indigenous plants and trees are grown to inspire emulation of the primates’ natural habitat. Pandrillus is ceaseless in their efforts to conserve wildlife, and their achievements have been remarkable.

Photo credit: Cyril Ruoso/Pandrillus

 

To learn more, please visit their website.

Organization of The Day: Watamu Turtle Watch

Local Ocean Trust Watamu Turtle Watch

Many factors have contributed to the steady decline of sea turtle populations around the world, but the poaching of both adults and eggs for food and money has contributed greatly to their demise. The Watamu-Malindi Marine Park and Reserve on Kenya’s northern coast serves as one of the country’s most important sea turtle nesting areas. Beginning in the 1970’s, Kenyan naturalist, Barbara Simpson, made efforts to conserve and protect the sea turtles nesting on the Watamu and Malindi beaches.

In 1997, the Watamu Turtle Watch (WTW) was established to further her efforts. Early in the organization’s history, it became apparent that the health of the area’s surrounding marine environment directly impacted the survival of the turtles. In response, the Local Ocean Trust (LOT) was launched in 2002 to better protect and improve the quality of this local marine ecosystem as a whole, thereby strengthening its turtle conservation efforts. WTW’s nest protection and monitoring program guards the important nesting beaches day and night from potential poachers and other illegal activities, patrols the beaches for nests and nesting turtles, tags adult turtles and collects valuable data as a part of their research. The organization offers a monetary incentive to encourage local community members to participate in this program.

WTW’s also offers a financial incentive to local fisherman to call the organization when they discover a sea turtle entangled in their fishing nets, as opposed to slaughtering the animal. WTW responds to these calls, frees the turtles from the net, tags them (for monitoring and tracking), and releases them back to the ocean. Thanks to this program, the WTW has been able to save 5,700 net-entangled turtles since its establishment, 857 of those in 2009 alone! The organization also has a rehabilitation center which allows for the treatment of sick and injured turtles.

WTW relies on LOT to educate local communities, schools, and fishermen about conservation and the importance of this biosphere’s health and existence. Through LOT’s community development program, the organization has been able to work with local fishing communities to identify and address conservation issues, and to develop and encourage participation in community conservation groups. Such groups work to establish and promote sustainable use of natural resources. WTW’s efforts have not only saved turtles, but have helped to develop a sense of pride in the area’s marine ecosystem amongst local communities.

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