A professor of Wildlife Resources Management, Herpetology and International Management consultant, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom
State, Edem Eniang, has lamented the rate at which mountain gorillas are being hunted as bushmeat in Nigeria.

He regretted that instead of the government making conscious efforts to generate ecotourism traffic from the viewing such gorillas, their very species which are endemic to Nigeria are being hunted and their habitat destroyed.

Eniang who stated this in his office in Uyo, the state capital on Friday, said Nigeria despite being the third richest country in terms of primate species diversity in Africa, was yet to harness the enormous potentials from the sub-sector.

He said while countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo DRC are earning billions of dollars in foreign exchange from mountain gorillas based eco-tourism alone, Nigeria with its very rare and critically endangered species of gorilla globally recognised as Cross River gorillas which is a distinct sub-species of Western Lowland gorilla and endemic to Nigeria /southwestern Cameroon are being hunted for food as bushmeat.

According to Enaing, “Nigeria is losing billions of Dollars for not making conscious efforts to develop the wildlife-based eco-tourism subsector.
In Uganda, an average of one thousand dollars is paid per person on the average to view mountain gorillas for just an hour.




“But Nigeria has a unique species of gorilla, that is, the Cross River gorilla found in four localities of Cross River State namely; Afi mountain wildlife sanctuary, Mbe mountain, Okwangwo sector of Cross River National Park and Obudu escarpment near the Obudu Cattle Ranch/Resort though down at the moment.

“So what conscious effort has the relevant governments/agencies made at the moment to generate eco-tourism traffic of the country based on this critically endangered great ape?

“We must appreciate the fact that this all-important species of Ape have been given to us as heritage, rather people are shooting them and destroying their habitats instead of conserving them to generate much-needed revenue as done in some parts of East and Central Africa.”

The neglect of the sector, the professor said has scared away potential investors, adding that a Japanese Primate Research Organization had invested in many countries of Africa such as Uganda, Congo DRC and Rwanda for up to 60 years in gorillas and Chimpanzees, shunning Nigeria and indeed West Africa with rarer species of those great apes.

He called on both the Federal and state governments and relevant agencies to take urgent positive steps and take stock of all the globally important wildlife species and draw a Nigeria eco-tourism map that shows direction and pinpoint the localities of all the site of eco-tourism potentials as well as how to access them.

The Professor also called on the Akwa Ibom State Government to take advantage of the numerous endemic wildlife species found in the state and establish either a Biosphere or Game reserve to boost Wildlife conservation and Eco-tourism in the state.

https://pulzenaija.com/news/mountain-gorillas-expert/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LGmz9EYTNY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSmFhOCOKvQ


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbDiPlO9eFc

Gorillas must go!

They are a danger....they should relocate to the congo.

We need that land for RUGA.







Say no to Gorillas, say yes to RUGA.

Kok

Gorilla... so we should be rearing them like goat ....

Someone here may need the info on my signature, kindly check it out...

Everything is bushmeat!

My beloved country wen nor day use eye see animals

Eating gorillas is just pure cannibalism. Those are our close relatives. It's just like eating Obasanjo

without wildlife we cannot get to experience the beauty of the nature , we can also show the uniqueness of nature to our future generation.

Yes, wildlife generates awesome revenue for a particular country but in our country Nigeria... We no even know how the revenues generated from the wildlife conservation take dey go seff

Something that resemble human being still sweet people to eat

In america hunters go hunting for the fun of it and they call it "game" and when they kill an animal they call their friends and enjoy the kill together.. but in Nigeria, hunters hunt as a means of surviving

If u have not eaten for 2 days as a hunter and you have school fees to pay wont you shoot anything that looks gorilla?

They have their economical value

This article is too painful to read.

You call yourself a professor, yet you talk as if you don't know that Nigerians don't have brain.

SO what about the money we have been generating for the past 50 years?

Food don ready crew has finished us

No thanks. We don already lose everything in this country.

Creating awareness isn't just enough in this country. What are the adequate measures set aside to reduce the slaughter oga proff ?

ANYONE HUNTING AND EATING THIS MAMMALS ARE CANNIBALS.

Beef replacement solution.......

Diswan na country...anybody that eats gorilla, Chimpanzee, monkeys or indeed any primate is a carnibal QED.

Why the lamentation? Are they your kinsmen?

Wahala dey 4 naija

Sunofgod:
Gorillas must go!

They are a danger....they should relocate to the congo.

They are taking all ur jobs n women abi?

gaetano:
Eating gorillas is just pure cannibalism. Those are our close relatives. It's just like eating Obasanjo

Hahah you're very funny though

I did not read up to two lines but as an environmentalist ,I know the motive. Killing animal is more or less killing our economy but I can't blame hunter but blame Nigeria govt that do not expose them to the value of wild animals

Don't you know everything is food to Nigerians due to poverty