By Ediale Kingsley
This reporter was quite embarrassed when a visiting American friend on her last day of a four-day visit said,
‘I was hoping to see some real Africa, I was hoping to see Elephants and the likes, since this was my first time in Africa’
It dawned on Ediale Kingsley that he isn’t African enough. Why?
Ediale has lived all his life in Africa and majorly Nigeria. But he has never seen an Elephant live. Unless, of course, on TV or the net.
Like Ediale many Nigerians haven’t seen live elephants.
The scary part is soon, if nothing is done, they may never see a live one in Nigerian soil (or forest).
Populations of forest elephants are in dare need of protection in Nigeria. Only about 200 of them remain in the wild in five sites in southern Nigeria. Though also threatened, the savannah elephants in northern Nigeria have received more attention than the forest species in the south.
Some of the major problems of the Nigerian Forest Elephants are forest conversion for other uses, habitat loss and fragmentation, and poaching for their ivory, among others. Only organised conservation work, public support and enlightenment and good habitat management are capable of saving the forest elephant species from extinction in Nigeria in the medium term (10-20 years).
The five sites where forest elephants are found in southern Nigeria are the Omo Forests in Ogun State, the Okomu National Park in Edo State, the Cross River National Park in Cross River State, the Idanre Forests and Osse River Park in Ondo State and the Andoni Island in Rivers State.
But there seem to be a group called The NCF who are interested in helping to protect the animal.
“NCF Forest Elephant Alive Campaign is designed to direct national attention to the species and to use the species as a springboard for other conservation initiatives where the forest elephant populations are found” says the NCF Leader.
This will be achieved through a programme of activities aimed at protection of the elephants and working with the forest edge communities for a sustainable forest use and livelihood enhancement.
According to the NCF program, benefits to sponsors/please includes:
Partners being promoted as key Partners in the delivery of high priority conservation action on globally threatened species.
Sponsors are promoted through NCF awareness campaigns and the goodwill this local initiative offers.
Lsting on NCF Annual Report & Website.
Partners receive an annual Distinguished NCF Presidential Award as key contributor to national and global efforts on environmental management.