A groundbreaking milestone has been achieved in wildlife conservation as the South-West/Niger Delta Forest Project captured the first-ever footage of a chimpanzee in the Ise Forest Conservation Area, located in Ise-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The rare footage, filmed from the tree canopy, shows a male chimpanzee foraging in the lowland forest.
According to the Project Director, Rachel Ikemeh, the footage is the result of four years of relentless conservation efforts, underscoring the need for continued commitment to safeguarding endangered species and their habitats.
“The achievement is a testament to the combined dedication and hard work of SWNDF, the Ekiti State government, and the Ise community who have been tirelessly monitoring and protecting these great apes,” Ikemeh said in a statement obtained by The PUNCH.
She noted that the forest faces constant threats from farmland expansion and illegal marijuana plantations, making the job of conservation rangers increasingly difficult.
“In 2024, the challenge of sustaining this conservation work, which began in 2021, intensified due to a re-emergence of armed marijuana planters who even issued death threats to the rangers and their families,” she added.
Ikemeh commended the leadership of Governor Biodun Oyebanji and the Ise community leaders for reinforcing their stance against the destruction of Ekiti’s forests and wildlife.
She also highlighted the uniqueness of the chimpanzee population in the Ise forest, explaining that years of isolation caused by geographic and environmental factors have led to significant genetic divergence from other chimpanzee subspecies.
“These unique genetic traits, now only found in the chimpanzee population in Ise forest and nowhere else in the world, highlight the importance of conservation efforts in Ise Forest Conservation Area. Protecting this isolated population is crucial to preserving their distinct genetic heritage and ensuring their survival,” she said.
The success of conserving the Ise forest, especially amidst challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, was attributed to the foresight of former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi.
Ikemeh described his decision to establish the conservation area as critical to preventing the total loss of Ekiti’s remaining wildlife and habitat.
The Programme Manager of the Ise Forest Conservation Area,Seun Adejuwon, expressed her joy over the development.
“I enjoy this work, especially when I see positive results. This is a long-awaited miracle, thanks to the tireless efforts of our Project Director and, above all, to God because we prayed earnestly and worked hard for this outcome. Without diligent protection efforts, these majestic creatures would have been bygone in Ise and, by extension, in western Nigeria,” Adejuwon said.
The Ise Forest Conservation Area spans 3,300 hectares and was established in February 2021 through a management agreement between the SW/Niger Delta Forest Project and the Ekiti State Government.
The area was officially gazetted on July 29, 2021, following years of chimpanzee-focused surveys that revealed a genetically distinct and highly endangered population.
The South-West/Niger Delta Forest Project is a grassroots conservation organization dedicated to providing sustainable solutions to ensure the survival of threatened species and habitats.
This historic footage marks a significant step in safeguarding the future of these chimpanzees and preserving the biodiversity of southwestern Nigeria.
PUNCH
