1. CERCO-NEWS
V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 3 D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 9
Please unirate here!
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
on a patch of pee in large
Please unirate 1 numbers—more than 50
here! sometimes. You may have
seen a photograph of this
spectacular display, but now
From the Direc- 2 you know the cause!
tor
A very common sign all
over Nigeria is ‘DO NOT
The forest area we pro-
Out reaching to
UNIRATE HERE’ (yes—
2 tect, called Rhoko, is excep-
the minds of to- invariably spelt incorrectly).
tionally rich in wildlife. We
morrow Fortunately for me the only Graphium policenes, one of the
often host researchers who Swordtails
sign in Rhoko’s protected
come especially to this part
New Arrivals at 3 forest is ’NO HUNTING
of Africa to pursue their of 430 species in Rhoko,
CERCOPAN MONKEYS’.
studies. Following his recent around 20 of great rarity.
trip, visiting butterfly- Bait brings in butter- I’ve seen 2 species for which
enthusiast Robert Warren flies that we don’t normally only 3 sightings had been
Austin attends 4
writes: see. The best baits are rot- recorded before, ever.
PASA Veterinary
Conference ting fruit, and decaying crab
The number of butter- The growing Biodiversity
meat. The latter has an ap-
fly species in South-Eastern database being built by re-
palling smell that lingers,
Nigeria is staggering – al- searchers strengthens CER-
leading to banishment from
Congratulations 4 most 1,000, compared with COPAN’s case for stronger
camp in the evenings, and a
Martina!!! less than 80 in the U.K. My and broader protection of
lonely life.
work is to try and uncover Cross River’s forests, and I’m
how many species there are But it works. I have so glad to be part of that.
Welcome Edet!! 4 far confirmed the presence
in Rhoko Forest itself.
Consistent with the
popular image, I can be seen
Climate change 5 with a net in hand in hot
action in commu-
nities!
pursuit of my target. Less
commonly known is that
many butterfly species are
Visiting writer at 5
CERCOPAN
attracted to bait of various
kinds.
One excellent bait is
Want to be a part 6 urine. The large
of it? ‘Swallowtails’ and
‘Swordtails’ will congregate
2. PAGE 2
From the Director
As preparations for the tended family grew further species, and the next on our
Copenhagan International with the birth of a baby list for release into the
Conference on climate change girl to Martina amongst protected Rhoko forest. We’ll
get underway, rural our Education staff. You be working on that in the New
communities with can read about our extensive Year.
CERCOPAN’s help have begun on-going Outreach Thankfully, climate
programme in schools just
their own assessments and Change will never alter the
below. To the right we re-
action plans for dealing with patterns of the Festive
port the rescue of a new red-
the local impacts of global capped mangabey, as a direct Season! As we await the arri-
warming. consequence of one of our val of the most famous red-
school visits. This animal was capped one of all, let me wish
Here at CERCOPAN HQ, all our readers a very Merry
in response to an ever in a particularly sorry state
and brought tears to my eyes, Christmas and a Happy New
increasing number of Year from everyone here at
but I know he is safe now and
monkey adoptees, we wel- is becoming healthier by the CERCOPAN!
Claire Coulson: comed a new primate- day.
CERCOPAN keeper into the CERCO- The red-capped
Director PAN fold, and our ex- managabey is an endangered
‘Several showed Out reaching to the minds of
interest in
beginning their
tomorrow
CERCOPAN’s an- communities as well as the local rainforests within
own conservation nual outreach program has schools surrounding the Cross River State. We also
just been completed and Calabar area. encourage schools to start
club and now plans this year it included over ‘Conservation Clubs’, and
The aim of our
are underway to 50 secondary and 20 pri- program is to create help provide activities for
mary schools! Since the awareness of primates, them to do while advising
begin new groups 12th of October our Cala- rainforest, their relation- the group’s coordinator.
bar education staff, Aba- ship to one another, the We had a lot of
with exciting kum and Martina, have effects of deforestation positive responses by stu-
been very busy visiting and how it relates to cli- dents, with schools visited
activities in the several schools per day; previously anticipating our
mate change, and the im-
new term‘ reaching out to many rural portance of conserving return. Several showed
interest in beginning their
own conservation club and
now plans are underway
to begin new groups with
exciting activities in the
new term. CERCOPAN has
One of the also been invited as a
secondary guest speaker to the final
schools visited
Christmas meeting of sev-
eral conservation clubs.
on this year’s
We are really
Outreach pleased with how our out-
programme reach program is expanding
and we hope next year to
incorporate several more
schools!
3. VOLUME 1, ISSUE 3
PAGE 3
New Arrivals at CERCOPAN
CERCOPAN has always were able to confiscate the indi-
taken a multi-dimensional ap- vidual.
proach when it comes to the con- Upon arrival we exam-
servation of wildlife; incorporating ined the mangabey who turned
rescue and rehabilitation, commu- out to be a male. It has been very
nity development, environmental hard to determine his age; he is
education, research, and ecotour- the size of a juvenile but he is
ism. It can often be difficult to extremely malnourished and this
assess which of these aspects is seems to have severely stunted
making a difference to the overall his growth.
cause, but we are pleased to say It hasn’t just
Now at CERCOPAN we
we have just had a success story
hope to greatly improve his health been the
with our environmental education
and nutrition. After a few months
program. monkey variety
in quarantine we look forward to
The program is currently being able to begin socializing him Monkey business gone bird-
we have rescued
undertaking its annual school brained; a baby owl arrival
with other mangabeys. It is nice
outreach aspect, and recently this month
to think that on this occasion our broken wing is not available at our
visited a new rural school from a environmental education program rainforest camp) he made a fan- though…..it’s
neighboring village close to our certainly made a difference for tastic bandage and set to work
forest site. The lesson taught and this monkey. also been
finding appropriate food.
discussed environmental issues,
It hasn’t just been the A search amongst our feathered
including why primates should not
monkey variety we have rescued spartan food supplies revealed
be kept as pets. We encourage friends we’ve
this month though…..it’s also been only a tin of corned beef as a
the children to report any
feathered friends we’ve gained! potential food item; hardly ideal, gained!
incidents they may see in the
This month one of the research but more palatable to an owl than
future to CERCOPAN , so we can
assistants at our forest site, Usor, potatoes or instant noodles. Varia-
make a rescue attempt.
found a baby owl on the trails of tions were attempted and hours
It wasn’t long after this our protected forest. It seemed were spent attempting to con-
visit that our Education Officer the owl had fallen from a height vince this fussy little eater that,
received a call from one of the and badly broken it’s wing. really, a mix of tinned meat, fish,
students who knew of a family
Our camp manager, raw egg and maggots was very
keeping a pet mangabey. After
Richard, immediately took him in tasty.
several attempts at rescuing the
and called Calabar HQ to gather as Now the owl is at Cala-
mangabey, every time finding the
much information as possible on bar HQ being fed on meaty steak
family absent from the village, we
the best course of action. We and egg shells. With steak every-
eventually met with them and
searched online for tips on mend- day it’s eating better than the
ing broken wings volunteers! The bandage is now
as well as the off and the wing has been checked
food we should by a vet who thinks that Orville (as
Our newest
be feeding this he is now known) will still be able
monkey
specialized bird. to fly after adjusting to the slightly
arrival at CER-
With differently shaped wings. We look
COPAN,
the help of some forward to seeing how that goes,
rescued after
handy websites although it may still be a while
an before this fledging gets overly
and Richard’s
environmental ambitious again and leaves its
innovation
education Calabar nest.
(bearing in mind
lesson all the equip-
ment re-
quired to mend a
4. PAGE 4
Austin attends PASA Veterinary Conference
We were very happy number of seminars and with lots of enthusiasm to try
when our Vet Nurse, Austin, talking to other new methods in many
was invited to attend a PASA representatives from different aspects of veterinary
(Pan African Sanctuary Alli- sanctuaries located around care and has already
ance) veterinary conference Africa. organized meetings with
held in Kenya this month. Seminar discussions keepers to discuss new
Austin had just included disease transmis- routines. He additionally
been promoted to senior staff sion, tuberculosis outbreaks, returned with various
in October and so we were parasitic problems, behavior, veterinary consumables given
really pleased that he could enrichment, and a number of out by PASA that will be
be additionally rewarded with other related topics. These particularly helpful in the
Austin carrying out this trip. conferences allow different coming months. We look
veterinary work at sanctuaries to compare forward to seeing all the
Traveling with vet-
CERCOPAN problems and discuss improvements Austin hopes
erinary staff from a neighbor-
different solutions each have to make here at CERCOPAN!
ing primate organization,
Pandrillus, Austin spent a tried and their effectiveness.
week in Kenya attending a Austin has returned
~Austin has
Congratulations Martina!!!
returned with CERCOPAN is very anticipating the birth as it
lots of excited to congratulate had been imminent a
Martina on her new month ago, and we were
enthusiasm to try arrival! After doing a fan- starting to get very
tastic job of still visiting worried that it might even
new methods in schools despite her heavy occur while at work!
many different bundle, she has finally As Martina begins
given birth to her first in- her maternity leave we
aspects of fant, a baby girl, on Friday wish her and her husband hood. We especially look
27th Nov. well as they enjoy their forward to meeting the
veterinary care ~ new arrival in the not-to-
We had long been first months of parent-
distant future!
Welcome Edet!!
We are delighted to quired to do additional tasks to our forest site, we are very
welcome Edet, who began to their usual duties. pleased to employ another
working as a primate keeper Edet had been in- Agoi resident, already having
in Calabar at the start of terviewed on a previous re- a Research Assistant at our
November, to the CERCOPAN cruiting period and had made forest site from the village.
Edet feeding our infant putty- family. a very good impression, being We hope he will
nosed guenons Edet arrived to remembered when this new enjoy his time at CERCOPAN
assist our keepers now that position became available. and are all very pleased with
several of them have had Coming from one of the progress he is making.
promotions and will be re- the rural communities close Keep up the good work!
CERCO-NEWS
5. VOLUME 1, ISSUE 3 PAGE 5
Climate change action in communities!
As part of the CIDA result of the impacts of cli- in the communities to assist in
funded ‘Building Nigeria’s mate change. overcoming the hardships
Response to Climate Change’ This stage of the around the corner. Weather
program (BNRCC) we have project also allows them to extremes and a drastic depar-
been visiting our target com- identify those sectors of their ture from the usual patterns of
munities Iko Esai and Agoi society who will feel the cur- seasonality in recent years have
Ibami to begin participatory rent and future effects most already had a major impact on
assessments and awareness keenly. crop yields and traditional farm-
campaigns. ing methods. To cope with this,
The visits were a
The men and people increasingly resort to
resounding success and, de-
women of the villages are harvesting forest products to
spite the long hours put in by
supplement their income. One
encouraged to carry out a the participants, enthusiasti- Richard carrying out a
series of analysis activities in of the aims of the project is to ‘needs assessment’ in
cally received. The results
building up a greater under- reduce this over reliance and local vilaages
gathered from the visits will
standing of the challenges exploitation by offering alterna-
be used to inform and direct
they are likely to face as a tive solutions to the problems.
what measures are adopted
“Weather
extremes and a
drastic departure
from the usual
patterns of
seasonality in
recent years have
already had a
major impact on
crop yields and
traditional farming
methods”
Visiting writer at CERCOPAN
CERCOPAN was very information for her third book ing months while she works
excited this month when based in the rainforest. hard to get her creativity on
writer, Lucy Christopher, came Having spent 2 paper.
as a short-term volunteer to weeks at our forest site she Our short-term vol-
gather inspiration and infor- has now experienced life in the unteer program is now proving
mation for her new book. rainforest first hand and will be very successful, with 3 volun-
Lucy, having already able to give detailed descrip- teers staying this month.
published ‘Stolen’, now nomi- tions of the surroundings of Places are still available for
nated for several book awards, her characters. We all wait in February, March and April Lucys first novel
and with a second book in anticipation for this new novel 2010 - check out our website “Stolen”
press, is currently gathering and wish her well in the com- for further details!