CERCOPAN has established several new livelihood projects for communities in Iko Esai, including a piggery and plans for an abattoir. The piggery involves 10 people in a collective and already has pregnant sows. CERCOPAN has also partnered with the National Wildlife Humane Society in the US to raise publicity and funding. Locally, CERCOPAN helped rebuild a vital bridge for the community. CERCOPAN is increasing its online presence through Facebook pages to share updates and photos.

1. CERCO-NEWS
V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4 A P R I L 2 0 1 0
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE: Three Little Piggies Came From Market...
Three Little 1
Piggies Came CERCOPAN has Our Community
From Market been working closely with Conservation
the people of Iko Esai and Manager, Rachel,
Agoi Ibami, to reduce their with the new pigs
dependence on the natural
resource base and
From the 2
encourage alternative
Director
sustainable livelihoods. A group
number of livelihood constitution
projects, funded by IUCN, outlining the
From Seas to 2 CIDA/NEST and Toronto Zoo roles of
Trees
are now in the individuals,
implementation phase the expectations of the group of hunters to develop
following a multitude of members and how any an abattoir. This facility will
Hands across the 3 income will be managed by enable the local processing
discussions and workshops
sea the group. and storage of meat, which
to identify the needs of
community members. It is expected that is currently impossible due
A collection of the sale of pork in the village to the lack of refrigeration
Building Bridges 4 hunters from Iko Esai will reduce the group’s facilities. The former hunters
identified a piggery as their dependence on low income will all be trained in humane
preferred alternative and increasingly unreliable techniques, butchery and
livelihood strategy and after slash and burn farming, basic accounting.
a month of intensive work whilst also increasing the In combination
Up, Up and Away 4
the sty is now ready and amount of protein in the with a range of other
complete with pigs! The sty diet of villagers (which planned projects it is hoped
has both a wallow and a currently falls far below that these initiatives will
covered area to protect the recommended daily levels) greatly improve the diet of
Cool Schooling: 4
animals from the elements. Protein is usually sourced community members whilst
Rhoko Outside
The pigs were purchased from bush meat but this is protecting wildlife and
Classroom
from a nearby village and generally unsustainable and providing a steady income
hadn’t had a wallow in their can involve vulnerable for those employed. Check
previous accommodation species whose population back next month to hear all
Find Us On 5 and seem very happy with numbers are dwindling. about the poultry projects
Facebook their new found access to In order to further simultaneously being run
cooling mud! encourage and support the with vulnerable women led
One of the sows is alternative protein initiative, households .
New Arrivals at 5
already pregnant and we are CERCOPAN is
CERCOPAN
hoping to welcome a litter of also helping a
healthy piglets into the separate
family in the coming
Want to be a 6 months. Three
Part of It?
Ten people are members of
involved in the collective Ubhena farms
(Ubhena Farms) and they with their
have developed a binding pigs

2. PAGE 2
From the Director
In my work a day month we took our up readily as a result of our
doesn't go by when I'm not partnership with Iko Esai to continuing efforts to
reminded of the value of new levels. leverage the latest
partnerships. On the front page, read technology to raise our
Our relationship about the newly opened profile.
with Iko Esai, is definitely piggery and the abattoir I've had a great
one of the aspects of our under construction in the deal of fun in setting up our
work that makes me most village. The youths Facebook Fan page (see
proud. While it would be embracing this initiative are page 5), and I have to
much easier for the seeking an alternative admit it's not been without
community to accept the livelihood that maintains a few technological
Claire Coulson status quo, our work to their income but reduces hurdles. Want to try a
CERCOPAN promote environmental their former impact on the technological hurdle of your
Director conservation in the village forest. own? Try accessing http://
is met with an open mind In terms of www.facebook.com/
and a keen willingness to numbers of people CERCOPAN and become
work with us to the same involved, our e-network is a fan!
ends. Thanks to the our largest partnership.
generous support of IUCN, Read on page 3 about our
Toronto Zoo and CIDA/ new and exciting alliance
NEST, and the energy and with the National Wildlife
hard work of our new Humane Society. Such
Community Conservation mutually beneficial
Manager, Rachel, this relationships are springing
“This is an amazing
project, run by
some ferociously
From Seas To Trees
passionate people.
I have lived and quiet streets of due to its ‘frontline’
This is a place among many cultures in a Calabar, each State seems conservation mission and
where you hit the multitude of countries but to have its own feel. the wonderful relationship
nothing prepared me for CERCOPAN , it has with Iko Esai, its host
ground running my arrival in Nigeria! based in Cross River State community.
and I love that” Nigeria is an incredible is an amazing organisation, My partner,
and fascinating place, from run by some ferociously Grace, as you will have
the hustle and bustle of passionate people. This is read from the March
a place where you hit the CERCO-NEWS, arrived
ground running and I love ahead of me and had
that. The charity is looking already started immersing
to grow and there is herself in both CERCOPAN
definitely more than and the community.
enough dedication here to We both bring a
Grace
make sure they achieve it. wealth of knowledge and
My background is experience to the project
and
very different from many and look forward to the
Alex
of the current long-term challenge ahead. We have
back in volunteers. I am an already fallen in love with
the UK elasmobranchii (shark) the people of Esai, the
biologist from the UK. Up rainforest and of course
until a few months ago I the monkeys!
had the honour of holding
the post of curator at - Alex Gerard
Brighton SEA LIFE Centre. I
Lagos to the clean, green was drawn to CERCOPAN

3. VOLUME 2, ISSUE 4 PAGE 3
Hands across the Ocean
Patrick Webb delighted when our Director,
President of Claire, was invited to serve on
National Wildlife the NWHS Wildlife Advisory
Humane Soceity Council to provide both
primatological support and
field-based environmental
NWHS conservation experience to
“NWHS
invited NWHS.
CERCOPAN as Read more about
invited
one of two NWHS's work in wildlife care
organisations at www.humanewildlife.org
CERCOPAN
based in Africa to and visit CERCOPAN’s page at
feature on their http://
as one of two
website as an www.humanewildlife.org/
alliance partner. cercopan.html
organisations
In addition to the
Just within the past publicity NWHS can provide
based in
few weeks we have for us on the other side of the
established a promising new Atlantic, the
Africa to
alliance with a like-minded website also
conservation organisation in provides the
feature on
the United States. The means for
National Wildlife Humane donors to
their website
Society (NWHS) is dedicated provide
to reducing suffering among federal tax-
as an alliance
captive and non-captive deductible
wildlife. donations to
partner”
Patrick Webb, CERCOPAN,
President, founded the Top of both mailed
the Rock Wildlife Sanctuary in and on-line.
1990, in Arkansas, U.S.A.
Species such as tigers, It's a great
mountain lions, jaguars, and bonus to us
the snow leopard have been to have an
rescued within the US, and active Visit
brought to the sanctuary to advocate for
receive specialised long-term our cause on
www.humanewildlife.
care. But in addition to another org/cercopan.html
providing sanctuary for non- continent,
US-native threatened and and this step
endangered species, the forward fits
organisation also promotes right in with
wildlife conservation groups our strategy
that share its vision of a more to continue to rapidly expand A Mountain Lion rescued
humane world for wildlife. our publicity using the latest by NWHS
That's where we come in. on-line media. We were also

4. PAGE 4 Cool Schooling: Rhoko outside classroom
Our education centre can be conserved through with bright, bold,
at Rhoko has a distinct and sustainable practices, gets weatherproof information
key role within our high impact when set boards and activity displays.
Environmental Education immediately within Natures Many of us
programme: it complements order. devoted to the conservation
facts-based teaching by Thanks to a grant cause can point to the time,
providing an experiential from the International and sometimes even the
encounter with conservation Primatological Society event, when we were won
in action. A day visit at the (Lawrence Jacobson over. A revamped education
site combines a Nature Trail Educational Development centre employing modern,
walk and a visit to the Award), we have the colourful media, will provide
observation platform of the opportunity to liven up the the best opportunity in the
large open-topped layout and the materials area for members of the
Rhoko managabey enclosure, all within the centre, to create a surrounding communities
Education Centre within a few steps and centred vivid event for our visitors. to gain just such a gift. Once
on the education centre. The Time and weather have taken the renovation is complete,
key messages their toll on the original and provided further funding
of forests disappearing, the materials. A technology uplift allows, we are planning to
natural and livelihoods loss in the meantime means that transport rural schoolchildren
that goes with it, but how they we can recreate the message in for regular Day Out events
at the site.
Up, Up, and Away
“In the recent Up at camp we have months at a time and help us with his special expertise
often envied the monkeys and out with the skills they bring. and we are very happy that
past we've had their ability to climb, swinging Joe is our latest volunteer at he chose to share it with us
from tree to tree and Rhoko, and he's a too. Now that we've seen
authors, tax experiencing life in the rich professional tree climber. him at work we've come to
canopy Many of us wish to get Being able to work at height, realise how much we can
up there and have a look safely, has immediately benefit from these skills,
inspectors, around ourselves, seeing the allowed us to have much- and he is working to pass on
world from their eyes. needed maintenance work his techniques, and indeed
doctors and Although we have a specially performed. While this is the is donating his specialised
designed static tree platform priority, we hope in the 8 equipment to our staff at
now a tree- at one location, it doesn't weeks he spends with us that camp.
permit you the freedom to go he will also be able to gather In the recent past
where you like. But Joe Brophy data for our biodiversity we've had authors, tax
climber from Oregon, USA does it all survey work, as information inspectors, doctors and now
the time! on canopy ecology is a gap in a tree-climber volunteering
volunteering We enjoy a steady our work to date. their skills. Who next?
stream of volunteers who Joe has regularly helped YOU?
their skills. Who come for a few weeks or projects around the world
next? YOU? “ Building Bridges
A simple but effective from the bridge as a vital change in the interests of
role we often play in our link to its markets, and as all. Sustainable forest
Community is to facilitate users ourselves, and with management practices are
The original bridge collective action when it's tourist visitors in mind as to the benefit of the
before its recent collapse needed. In village life well, we also needed a majority of the village who
where family subsistence result soon. It didn't take rely on the forest's
dictates the order of the long to negotiate supply of resources for their
day, we can help when the materials needed, and livelihood. Through long-
activities require a shared with our own staff joining term education and
response. the labour force the negotiation, we have
When the main rebuild was quickly facilitated a change in
bridge on the road in to Iko underway. traditional practices, and
Esai failed due to the strain A relatively small the enactment of new by-
it was under from every matter and a laws such as the ban on
day use in harsh conditions, straightforward way out, logging. Whether the
it wasn't immediately clear yes. But it reminds us that impact is small or large,
who was going to repair it. with our presence in the this is the way we operate.
The whole village benefits village we can make
CERCO-NEWS

5. VOLUME 2, ISSUE 4 PAGE 5
Find Us On Facebook
Despite the slower communities in which we
internet here in Africa, our work. They can interact
online presence is gradually directly with CERCOPAN staff
increasing and now, in and volunteers on the
addition to the website, blog Facebook wall and discussions
and twitter pages, we have page or they can check out
both a Facebook Cause and forthcoming activities under
Facebook Fan page! These the events tab. quickly and easily using our
Our Facebook fan
pages can be used to follow A direct link to the Cause page in association with
page http://
our day to day activities, with shop and feeds from our blog the Pan African Sanctuary www.facebook.com/
regular one line status updates and the Directors twitter page Alliance (who handle and CERCOPAN
and frequent blogs. mean that site visitors can directly pass on all donations
Readers can flick catch up on everything pledged on the site). Why not
through photos showing our CERCOPAN in one place. They become a fan today?
camp, the monkeys and the can even make donations Oh, and don’t forget to “At CERCOPAN,
whenever a
NEW ARRIVALS AT CERCOPAN baby is born it is
always given a
desperate to groom or play her baby to all who pass.
name starting
with him. The baby doesn’t Our final recent
have a name as yet, but you mother Odudu, is one of our with the same
can help us choose by visiting oldest females and lives at letter as it’s
our CERCOPAN Facebook fan Rhoko, our bush site, with the
page (see above article for future mangabey release mothers . This
details on accessing our group. She is unlikely to be system helps us
Facebook pages) and joining released due to her age, but
the baby naming poll. There she has had many infants over easily keep track
are seven names to choose the years and recently became of each animals
from, each beginning with Q. a great-grandmother so some
Quality and her baby boy
At CERCOPAN, whenever a of her family will definitely family tree”
The CERCOPAN baby is born it is always given experience life in the wild!
primate family now has an a name starting with the same
additional three mouths to letter as it’s mothers . This
feed as Quality and Odudu, system helps us easily keep
two female mangabeys, and track of each animals family Odudu
Let It Be, a female putty-nosed tree. and yet
guenon, have all given birth another
Let It Be, also housed
this month! branch
at CERCOPAN HQ, arrived in to her
Quality who was born 2003. Her former owner was family
here at CERCOPAN Calabar HQ training her to perform tricks tree
has grown up in our largest to earn money, but thankfully
mangabey group and is the CERCOPAN staff persuaded
daughter of Queen, our him to give her up. She is a
dominant female. Her infant, a very proud mother and sits by
baby boy, is thriving and the edge of the enclosure
everyone in the group seems most of the day showing off

6. WANT TO BE A PART OF IT?
• Make a cash donation to CERCOPAN via our
website...every little helps!
• Stay in touch with our on-going programme
by bookmarking our home page • Buy a gift for friends or family from the
http://www.cercopan.org/ and our Blog site Good Gifts Catalogue (www.goodgifts.org).
http://cercopan.wildlifedirect.org/ You can buy a month's supply of fruit for
growing CERCOPAN orphan monkeys -
• Volunteer for CERCOPAN in either Nigeria or called in the catalogue 'A-peeling Monkeys'
the UK. We offer a range of different for only £20! The price of the gift is passed
programmes so there is something for on to CERCOPAN. So, it is an excellent way
everyone! Visit our website volunteer of solving your gift problems, and support-
section for further details. ing our work! Alternatively visit the CERCO-
PAN gift shop on our website today.
• Help CERCOPAN attain corporate funding. If
you work for a corporate sponsor who may • Donate useful goods and equipment such as
be interested in funding CERCOPAN please building and fencing materials, veterinary
contact claire.coulson@cercopan.org medicines, old laptop computers etc. or
services such as printing, blood testing and
• Undertaken a sponsored event to raise architectural design.
funds for CERCOPAN.
• Join our Fan page http://
• Follow us on twitter ‘cercopanhq’ www.facebook.com/cercopan
www.cercopan.org
http://cercopan.wildlifedirect.org
All photos in this newsletter were taken at CERCOPAN or Iko Esai
by staff, volunteers and visitors.
Photo Credits: Alex Gerard, Rachel Hemmingway, Oskar Brattström.
© Copyright CERCOPAN 2010
Design & Layout by Claire Coulson; Written by Claire Coulson, Amy Baxter, Alex Gerard,
Rachel Hemmingway; Edited by Claire Coulson