Monthly Report
September 18
Limbe Wildlife Centre: September 2018 by Guillaume LE FLOHIC, Manager (Limbe Wildlife Centre) & Country Director (Pandrillus Cameroon)
Published in October 2018 Limbe Wildlife Centre, P.O. Box 878, Limbe, Republic of Cameroon
Limbe Wildlife Centre is a collaborative effort between Pandrillus Foundation and the Republic of Cameroon, Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, MINFOF Pandrillus Foundation is a non-profit making NGO specialized in the protection, rehabilitation and reintroduction of primates, as well as management and sustainable financing of conservation projects in Africa. Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife is in charge of implementing the national forest policy for ensuring sustainable management and conservation of wildlife and biodiversity over the national territory as enacted by forestry law No. 01/94 of 20 January which regulates all forestry, wildlife and fisheries activities
guillaume@limbewildlife.org limbewildlifecentre
+237 681 991 590 limbewildlife
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limbewildlife.org limbewildlife
Monthly Report
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Content
FOREWORD SEPTEMBER 2018 HIGHLIGHTS ACHIEVEMENTS SEPTEMBER 2018 & OBJECTIVES OCTOBER 2018 1. LWC-RoC Partnership 2. Basic documents 3. Administration, Human Resources & Finance 4. Infrastructures and development 5. Material & Equipment 6. Capacity building 7. Conservation and Environmental Education 8. Constituency for conservation 9. Conservation ecotourism 10. Management of animal population and well-being 11. Rehabilitation and release programme 12. Research, Monitoring & Health Safety rules 13. Communication & Visibility 14. Revenues generated
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4 6 6 6 7 7 7 10 10 11 12 13 13 15 16 16 17
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Foreword
Dear Friends and Supporters, First I would like to thank all the generous donors who contributed to make our Giving Day for Apes campaign a success. Thanks to you, we raised 4,000 USD to help provide essential care for Ghaa and Twiggs, two disabled great apes at the LWC who require life-long care and protection (p. 17). On their behalf, we thank you very much. Twice this month, I met with the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife and the Director of Forestry and Wildlife, in Buea and then Yaounde, to discuss the future of the Limbe Wildlife Centre and of the animals under our care (p. 6). The Minister and his collaborators appreciated our long-term vision, and especially the role that large forested enclosures - our main goal for the next three years - will play to help protect national parks and fully rehabilitate our animals in view of future reintroduction back into the wild. We also discussed how
the Limbe Wildlife Centre could use the upcoming African Cup of Nations – which will be hosted in Cameroon in June 2019 to improve the visibility of the activities run by the MINFOF and Pandrillus. Our relationship with the government is pivotal to the implementation and success of our current and future projects. New developments are taking form also in our Education department as we plan to continue professionalising our activities to make a bigger conservation impact. This year, we will begin a Family Nature Club project aimed at enhancing the knowledge, skills and attitudes of the Batoke community members towards the nature around them. We are thankful to Hanover Zoo and WAZA for making this important project possible. Through the community and this project, we aim to increase our positive impact on wider conservation and on the wildlife around Batoke, in the Mount Cameroon National Park. This new project will fall within our Green Project,
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for which the annual report is now available. This month, our construction team continued to work to renovate and enrich our animal infrastructures. After completing the Agile and Red-capped mangabey enclosures and the satellite cages last month, the team focused on the quarantine cages (p. 7-8). As soon as they are maintained, we will use them to reintroduce Ngambe to Mayos – two female chimpanzees. Mayos, unfortunately, has had to be transferred back to our veterinary department as her left eye, that was injured some years ago in a fight, has slowly degenerated and her sight has become too poor to remain in the island group (p. 13-14). We are saddened by this because she was successfully introduced and found her place in this group. Overall, she is in very good health and we are convinced that she will have a happy life back with Ghaa in the Nursery.
The month of October, during which the presidential elections will be held, will be very challenging as the crisis in the Anglophone regions continue to escalate. Transportation of staff, animal food and materials will be very difficult, but we will do our utmost to ensure our animals are not affected by the situation. No matter the socio-economical or political context, the animals’ health and welfare are our top priorities. Thanks to the efforts made over the past few months to improve our communication and marketing outreach, we have had some interesting articles published in widely read journals and magazine (16-17). What we do is good and we are proud of our team, but it is even better to share this with all of you! Thank you for your unfailing support, With very best wishes,
Limbe, 30 September 2018
Guillaume LE FLOHIC LWC Manager, Pandrillus Foundation
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September 2018 highlights □ Pandrillus country Director held two meetings with the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife and the Director of Wildlife and Protected Areas □ Published one-year report of Community-based Green project 2017-2018 □ Completed the re-enrichment of the Agile mangabey enclosure □ Shifted the fallow strip in the Mandrill enclosure □ Large media coverage of Bobga's story □ Giving Day for Apes: $4,040 raised thanks to 48 generous donors
Achievements September 2018 & Objectives October 2018 1. LWC-RoC Partnership □ Pandrillus country Director / Manager of the Limbe Wildlife Centre held two meetings with the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife and the Director of Wildlife and Protected Areas, on 14th in Buea and on 17th in Yaounde: discussed future of the LWC, reintroduction of our rehabilitated wildlife and improving visibility during the upcoming African Cup of Nations (Image 1)
Image 1. In his office, his Excellency, the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Mr NDONGO Jules Doret was awarded an honorary certificate of adoption for Batek, one of our 4 silverback gorillas cared for at the Limbe Wildlife Centre.
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October 2018 objectives: □ None
2. Basic documents □ Internal rules and regulations are under review □ Published report for Community-based Green project 2017-2018 (available online here)
October 2018 objectives: □ Validate internal rules and regulations
3. Administration, Human Resources & Finance □ None
October 2018 objectives: □ None
4. Infrastructures and development □ Completed the re-enrichment of the Agile mangabey enclosure (Images 2-3) □ Shifted the fallow strip in the Mandrill enclosure (Images 4-5) □ Resumed maintenance of Quarantine cages and chimp Nursery (Images 6-8) □ Maintained one tunnel sliding door in Gorilla Arno's group (Image 9) □ Maintained one complete sliding door in the Chimps mainland □ Maintained one complete sliding door in the Chimps Island maintenance □ Performed plumbing maintenance in gorilla Arno's enclosure □ Maintained the chimpanzee historic exhibition stand (Image 10)
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â–Ą Renovated the first of the three sections of the construction workshop roof (Images 11-13)
Image 2. Positioning, welding and painting of iron rod ring supports for the hanging of robs and hose in the Agile mangabey enclosure.
Image 3. Insertion of branches to provide climbing support and reproduce a more natural environment in the Agile mangabey enclosure.
Image 4. Removal of electric fence lines Image 5. Fencing a new strip to allow new in the Mandrill enclosure to open access plant growth in the Mandrill enclosure. to the densely grassed strip.
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Image 6. First and second layers of Image 7. Chimp nursery sliding door is painting in one of the 4 quarantine great need of maintenance: the door had cages under renovation. to be changed as well as the entire frame.
Image 8. Anti-rust paint (left) and the first Image 9. Cutting and dismounting of layer of green paint (right) on the Chimp damaged tunnel door rail in gorilla Arno's Nursery satellite cage satellite cage.
Image 10. Maintenance of the Image 11. Dismounting old roof over the exhibition panel in front of the Chimp construction workshop. Island enclosure
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Image 12. Nailing of roof rafter.
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Image 13. View of the new overhead roof in the construction workshop.
October 2018 objectives: □ Complete the re-enrichment Red-capped mangabey enclosures □ Complete the maintenance of Quarantine cages and chimp Nursery □ Perform maintenance of wooden poles of the electric fence in the Chimp Island, Drill and Olive baboon enclosures
5. Material & Equipment □ None
October 2018 objectives: □ None
6. Capacity building Ongoing activities □ Professionalised & trained staff, students and volunteers on behavioural (quarantine & stage 1) and social (stage 2) rehabilitation □ Trained our vet nurse at capturing veterinary records in our database
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□ Trained one Drill caretaker to use positive reinforcement training methodology to better communicate with Drills and send them in satellite cage more easily
Specific activities □ None
October 2018 objectives: □ Continue with the above ongoing activities
7. Conservation and Environmental Education □ Nature's Club: the programme will resume in October 2018 □ School outreach programme: the programme will resume in October 2018 □ Started a new Family Nature Club programme with our partner community of Batoke to build the family bond with nature Milestones Education team prepare curriculum, materials, engage with chief and community and the select start date of the project Session 1: Community cohesion and relationship building session Session 2: Introduction to flora and fauna through a visit to LWC Session 3: Ecosystem education session in the forests in Batoke Session 4: Ecosystem education in Limbe Botanical Gardens Session 5: Human activity impact on ecosystems including hunting. The impact of the Green Project and alternative sustainable livelihoods. Session 6: Plastic pollution and recycling. Session 7: Water pollution Session 8: Monitoring and evaluation session and open event for the entire community Education team analyses data from monitoring and evaluation Project completed Table 1. Scheduled timeline for the Family Nature Club
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Period Oct-18 Nov Dec Jan-19 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug
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October 2018 objectives: □ Resume the 2018-2019 school outreach and Nature Club programmes □ Organise session 1 of the Family Nature Club
8. Constituency for conservation □ Community-based Green Economy: 15 ex-hunter members sustainably harvesting wild herbaceous plants: 2,100 Aframomum stems and 680 kg of Costus stems; 33 women members harvesting crop by-product: 746 kg of cassava leaves, 1,981 kg of papaya leaves, 2,826 kg of potato leaves, 644 kg of invasive Trumpet wood shoots, corresponding to 144 trees hand cut; 798,700 XAF (€1,219) paid directly to the local community association this month; 7,889,425 XAF (€12,045) contributed to alleviate poverty in 2018. □ One year statistics: 86,3 tons of crop-by products, wild herbaceous plants and invasive plants wood provided to 250 animals; €14,365 invested in alternative employment to hunting and animal trading, benefiting 500 local community members; 101 permanent community members, including 70% of women; the project employs the equivalent of 13 permanent staff from the community (for more details, please read our report here)
October 2018 objectives: □ Continue with the ongoing programme
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9. Conservation ecotourism □ Continued with the ongoing activities
October 2018 objectives: □ Continue with the ongoing activities
10. Management of animal population and well-being Ongoing activities □ Maintained frequency and diversity of enrichment in each section
Specific activities □ Drill: Continued the reintegration of Jomio (adult male), Ossing (adult female) and their baby back to the group: transfer in satellite cage □ Drill: started to train Chipo, young adult male and excellent escapee, to return to satellite cage using positive reinforcement training methodology □ Chimpanzee: because her left eye has degenerated in the past few weeks, we had to transfer Mayos back to the Nursery (Image 14), in spite of all efforts we made to successfully introduce her in the Island group. She will share the Nursery with Ngambe, Ghaa and Chinoise □ Mandrill: Opened access to the densely grassed strip left fallow and rotate (Images 15-16)
□ Vet cares (September 2018): ◌ 39 Primate individuals treated; 9 anaesthesia performed; 12 individuals sampled (6 blood samples for haematology analysis, 1 blood samples for biochemistry analysis, 9 faecal samples for coprology analysis, 1 exudate sample for microbiology analysis); 0 identification with microchip; 0 minor surgery; 0 laceration
repairs;
40
drug
therapies:
43%
dietary
supplements,
28%
antiparasitics, 13% arthritis supplements, 8% antibiotics, 6% insulin injections and
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other anti-diabetic treatments for diabetic individuals, 3% anti-inflammatories, 3% antifungals, 0% others; 3 health checks: Chimpanzee (3 adult females; Image 17); Mandrill (2 adult males); 3 contraceptions; 1 death: Mona monkey (1: Mona Mona (senescent adult female), old age); 0 euthanasia
Image 14. Because of her weak eye, Mayos, unfortunately, could no longer stay in the Island group, although she was doing well there.
Image 15. Once more the Mandrills enjoyed the grassed strip. This time, we also panted potatoes: they consumed the leaves as well as the tuber.
Image 16. The dominant male of the Image 17. During her general health Mandril group, Ndolo, enjoying some check, chimpanzee Eve, an adult female foraging time in the grassed strip. of the Island group, also receive a contraceptive implant.
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October 2018 objectives: □ Continue with the ongoing activities □ Reintroduce Aggie (Red-eared monkey) to multispecific forest dwelling guenon group □ Vet cares: General health checks: None; Contraception: None; Microchip identification: None
11. Rehabilitation and release programme Arrival & quarantine □ None
Behavioural rehabilitation □ Western lowland gorilla: Continued behavioural rehabilitation of Bobga
Social rehabilitation □ Chimpanzee: Continued social rehabilitation of Ngambe (adult female) in the Chimp Nursery with Mayos (adult female)
Release (ecological & environmental rehabilitation) □ None
October 2018 objectives: □ Western lowland gorilla: Continue Bobga's behavioural rehabilitation □ Chimpanzee: Continue Ngambe social rehabilitation with Ghaa, Chinoise and Mayos
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12. Research, Monitoring & Health Safety rules Ongoing activities □ Drill: Continued daily monitoring of Monday (diabetic adult male) glycaemia, continued training for insulin injection
Activity achievement □ None
Data analysis □ None
October 2018 objectives: □ Continue with above ongoing activities
13. Communication & Visibility □ Digital communication (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter): Overall social media reached was 153,000; our engagement rate increased by 138% (68,000 engagements in September); the total of subscribers raised to 11,400 (+6.6%); Twitter reached 54,600 (+24%). □ Website: Continue to add new content and update some out of date content. □ Media coverage on Bobga's story: ○ Adorable orphaned gorilla baby cuddles up to keeper after losing mother to illegal wildlife trade, 27 August, StoryTrender (available here) ○ Orphaned gorilla demands to be snuggled — And gets exactly what he wants: Bobga will never have to be alone again, 6 September 2018, The Dodo (available here) ○ Orphaned baby gorilla cuddles up with carer after his mother was killed in bushmeat trade, 10 September, Pickle (available here)
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○ Orphaned baby gorilla just wants to be snuggled, 12 September, Animal Channel (available here) ○ Orphaned baby gorilla found in tiny box now has room to grow — And a center full of 'Parents', 18 September, People (available here)
October 2018 objectives: □ Continue advocating the missions of the LWC within the Central African Conservation Landscape in Cameroon
14. Revenues generated □ Giving Day for Apes: $4,040 raised thanks to 48 generous donors for providing longlife care to our disabled chimpanzee Ghaa and gorilla Twiggs
Image 18. At arrival in 2006, chimpanzee Ghaa was unable to move his arms or legs. Thanks to special care, we managed to restore his upper body mobility, but the wounds inflicted by poacher left him crippled for life. Despite that, Ghaa is a great surrogate father to baby chimpanzees and pivotal in their behavioural rehabilitation.
Image 19. Gorilla Twiggs was smuggled from Cameroon to Nigeria while she was a baby, but fortunately was rescued in 2004 and then went back to her country of origin. Due to her right arm paralysis, she has always been weaker than other gorillas but did find her place in her new group. She is now part of a group of six led by silverback Chella.
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â–Ą Entrance fees (September 2018): 535,800XAF (1,495 visitors; 71% adults,29% children) 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 Apr-18 May-18 Jun-18 Jul-18 Aug-18 Sep-18 Adult Nationals
Children Nationals
Adult Foreigners
Children Foreigners
Figure 1.Visitor statistics September 2017-September 2018
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