Monthly Report
August 19
Limbe Wildlife Centre: August 2019 by Guillaume LE FLOHIC Manager (Limbe Wildlife Centre) & Country Director (Pandrillus Cameroon)
Published in September 2019 Limbe Wildlife Centre, P.O. Box 878, Limbe, Republic of Cameroon
Limbe Wildlife Centre is a collaborative effort between the 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 September 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
August 19
Content
FOREWORD AUGUST 2019 HIGHLIGHTS ACHIEVEMENTS AUGUST 2019 & OBJECTIVES SEPTEMBER 2019 1. Pandrillus-GoC Partnership| Public Relations| Project Management 2. Infrastructures and development| Material & Equipment 3. Capacity building 4. Community Conservation, Environmental Education & Ecotourism 5. Management of animal population and well-being 6. Rehabilitation and release programme 7. Research, Monitoring & Health Safety rules 8. Communication &Visibility 9. Revenues generated
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Foreword
Dear Friends and Supporters, The month of August 2019 is historical for the Limbe Wildlife Centre! On 20 August, the Limbe Wildlife Centre received a 2019 Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Geneva, Switzerland, in recognition of the remarkable efforts the LWC has made to help combat wildlife crime (p. 7). This is a great celebration of the long term, fruitful collaborative efforts of Pandrillus and the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) over the past 26 years to ensure the best management and highest conservation impact of the Limbe Wildlife Centre. This would not have been possible without the support from the local politicoadministrative authorities, the traditional rulers, and of course, the local community
of Limbe and all citizens interested in protecting wildlife in Cameroon. Pandrillus is engaged alongside the MINFOF to assist in day-to-day management on the ground, help provide a vision and develop projects. These three essential elements are unfortunately too often lacking in biodiversity conservation programmes. We hope that this international recognition will serve as a strong signal and a powerful tool to foster the development of new vocations in the next generation of foresters, and engage them to lead the wildlife protection nationwide. Our engagement alongside the MINFOF also progressed in Yaounde, where a team from the LWC made a presentation at the National Forestry School (NFS-ENEF) of Mbalmayo (p. 12). We believe that it is essential that the professional world increases its connections with the young Cameroonian students trained in Forestry
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and Wildlife, and help them envisage what their career will be. Our aim was to give them a better understanding of the activities run in conservation projects such as the Limbe Wildlife Centre, and how they can project themselves into it as future conservationists in their early career. Especially, we aimed at filling the gap existing in the knowledge and skills required for managing captive population and rehabilitating wildlife in Cameroon. We thank them all for their warm welcome, their interest in the LWC and all constructive discussions.
What’s more, for the fourth time this year our vet team travelled to the Littoral region to continue to provide mentorship to the new management team of the Association Papaye International, by conducting chimpanzee health checks, assisting and consulting on how to reach Primate Sanctuary minimum standards. And last, but not least, a new Conservator, Mr Mbelen A Rim Serge, was appointed by the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife in replacement of Philip Nkeng (p. 7). We also thank Mr Eneigho Kenneth Abegesah, who acted as Conservator during the transition. Conservator Mbelen A Rim Serge, previously Conservator of the Sanchou Wildlife Sanctuary, is warmly welcomed at the Limbe Wildlife Centre. We wish him all the best in his mission to maintain the health and welfare of the wildlife in rehabilitation, and contribute to maintaining the excellent reputation of one of the most internationally renowned conservation projects.
Our construction team was very productive this month, and was divided into three main teams working on a) the vet clinic/quarantine complex, b) the new African grey parrot aviary and c) urgent renovation work on the Olive baboon satellite cages in view of future health checks planned for later this year (p. 8-11). The construction team also completed some new structural enrichment projects and performed most needed maintenance, in collaboration with the animal carers. Thank you for your unfailing support, With very best wishes, Limbe, 31 August 2019
Guillaume LE FLOHIC LWC Manager, Pandrillus Foundation
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August 2019 Highlights □ The Limbe Wildlife Centre received a 2019 Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award at the 18th CoP to the CITES □ Mr MBELLEN A RIM SERGE was appointed new conservator to the Limbe Wildlife Centre □ Completed the building of the new structural enrichment in the Chimp Mainland enclosure □ Completed the improvement of the Drill enclosure escape-proofing □ Digital communication: +10,000 Facebook followers
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Achievements August 2019& Objectives September 2019 1. Pandrillus-GoC Partnership| Public Relations| Project Management □ The Limbe Wildlife Centre received a 2019 Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award at the Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Geneva, Switzerland, 20 August 2019(Image 1) □ Mr MBELLEN A RIM Serge was appointed new Conservator to the Limbe Wildlife Centre / Limbe Zoological Garden
Image 1. Madam MAHA Ngalie (front row, left), a Sub-director at the Directorate of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, who represented Cameroon at the Conference of Parties to the CITES, received the prize on behalf of the Limbe Wildlife Centre. awionline.org September 2019 objectives: □ Validate internal rules and regulations (pending)
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2. Infrastructures and development| Material & Equipment □ Continued to build the new African grey parrot aviary (Images 2-3) □ Completed the building of the new structural enrichment in the Chimp Mainland enclosure (Image 4) □ Completed the improvement of the Drill enclosure escape-proofing: setting up wire mesh and build new overhangs through the easy-to-escape route (Images 5-7) □ Started the restructuring of the vet clinic/quarantine/chimp nursery complex (Images 8-11) □ Started to re-build the Olive baboon upper satellite cage (Images12-14) □ Serviced the big angle grinder (Image 15) □ Purchased two new energisers (Image 16)
Image 2. Completion of second layer Image 3. Installing the welded rod mesh on of painting on the foundation frame. the main foundation frame and setting up main structure pillars.
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Image 4. Final view of the installed Image 5. Welding of overhang pipe that will metal staircase in the Mainland Chimp carry the electric fence wire and setting up enclosure. wire mesh around the area where the drills escape the most.
Image 6. Installing overhang power line Image 7. Final view of the Drill enclosure to prevent the drills from going out of with escape-proofing improvements. the enclosure.
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Image 8. View of the current and future organisation and division of the quarantine - vet clinic space. Bamboo screens will be used to isolate one section from another. Objectives: to better compartment each subsection of the area, and then enforce stricter rules depending on the bio security level of each sub-section Description: The vet clinic will be extended and an intensive care unit will be created with restricted access. The current quarantine/rehabilitation area will be kept for low risk animals requiring treatments, monitoring and for recovery, and for animals in rehabilitation awaiting transfer into other animal sections. Third, a specific Isolation with restricted access will be built for new arrivals and quarantined individuals. Fourth, the Chimp Nursery will become a new Special Care and Rehabilitation Section aimed at providing standard lifetime care and an enriched environment for disabled or deep-rooted stereotyped chimpanzees. Finally the enrichment section will also be separated to prevent any risk of disease transmission.
Image 9. Digging and planting of main Image 10. Building of blocks half around pillars. and concreting of pillar.
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Image 11. Form work preparation for Image 12. First layer of painting on the new the beam. Olive baboon satellite cage.
Image 13. Crafting of the main panel Image 14. Second layer of painting on the frame of the new Olive baboon panel of the new Olive baboon satellite satellite cage. cage by volunteer Payton (US) and Tesse (NL).
Image 15. Servicing and replacement Image 16. Thank you to all our donors who of broken parts on the big angle kindly sponsored two new highly necessary grinder. energisers to electrify our fences!
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September 2019 objectives: □ Continue the construction of the new African grey parrot aviary □ Continue the renovation of the Olive baboon satellite cages □ Continue restructuring the vet clinic/quarantine/chimp nursery complex
3. Capacity building □ A team composed of the acting Conservator, Head veterinarian, and the Head of Education made a presentation at the National Forestry School (ENEF), Mbalmayo (Image 17-18)
Image 17. Presentation was made by a former trainee from the ENEF (second from the right). Our Head of Education, Head Vet and Acting Conservator also explained the activities run at the LWC.
Image 18. Many students from the ENEF discovered the LWC and showed a lot of interest in our project. By meeting with them, we hope to improve their understanding of our missions and of wildlife rehabilitation.
September 2019 objectives: □ Continue with the above ongoing activities □ Organise monthly staff workshop: Why the Protect Wildlife Campaign in Limbe? Outcomes, partners and future steps, by Cyril Delfosse (Pandrillus Community Awareness & Education Programme Coordinator)
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4. Community Conservation, Environmental Education& Ecotourism □ Nature Club: 2019-2020 Nature Club will resume in September 2019 □ School outreach programme: 2019-2020 programme will start in October 2019 □ Community-based Green Economy: 15 ex-hunter members sustainably harvesting wild herbaceous plants: 861.0kg of Aframomum stems and 730 kg of Costus stems; 45 women members harvesting crop by-product: 1,200kg of cassava leaves, 4,781kg of papaya leaves, 3,236 kg of potato leaves, 653kg of invasive Trumpet wood shoots, corresponding to 146 trees hand-cut; 1 144 525 XAF (€1,747) paid directly to the local community association this month; 7 610 780 XAF (€11,620) contributed to alleviate local poverty in 2019.
September 2019 objectives: □ Continue with ongoing programs □ Organise the Final session of the Batoke Family Nature Club □Organise an outreach event with local children, in partnership with the UNESCO
5. Management of animal population and well-being Ongoing activities □ Maintained frequency and diversity of enrichment in each section □ Chimpanzee: Continued the new positive reinforcement training plan to improve behavioural and social skills of Ngambe (adult female): stimulated social play behaviours with Mayos (adult handicapped female) Specific activities □ None
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□Vet cares (August2019): ◌16 Primate individuals treated; 5 anaesthesias performed; 22 individuals sampled (1blood samples for haematology analysis, 22 faecal samples for coprology analysis); 1 contraception; 0 identification with microchip; 12 drug therapies: 33% dietary supplements, 33% anti-inflammatories, 25% antibiotics, 8% painkillers; 1 health check: Drill (1; Image 19); 0 death; 0 euthanasia
Image 19. Over the past two years, more than 80 drills have been equipped with microchips to ensure accurate individual identification by the vet team. This identification work has been done in close collaboration with the drill caretakers, who have been trained at recognizing each drill based on strict physical criteria. September 2019 objectives: □ Continue with the ongoing activities □ Chimpanzee: Continue the new positive reinforcement training plan for Ngambe (adult female) □ Vet cares: General health checks: None; Contraception: None
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6. Rehabilitation and release programme Arrival & quarantine □ None
Behavioural rehabilitation □None
Social rehabilitation □ Patas monkeys: Continued the social integration of Leonie and Coco (2 subadult females) to the savannah-dwelling guenon group
Release (ecological & environmental rehabilitation) □ None
September 2019 objectives: □ African Grey Parrots: Continue the rehabilitation process of the new arrivals □ Patas monkeys: Continue the social integration of Leonie and Coco to the savannah-dwelling guenon group
7. Research, Monitoring& Health Safety rules Ongoing activities □ None
Activity achievement □ None
Data analysis □ Continued the analysis of the data collected on our gorilla groups, in partnership with AKONGO | Wildlife connection (www.akongo.fr)
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September 2019 objectives: □ Continue with the above ongoing activities □ Continue the analysis of data collected on the gorilla groups
8. Communication &Visibility □ Digital communication (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter): Social media reach up substantially on last month to: 123,128. Biggest reach was through Facebook reaching more than 63,000. We were pleased to surpass 10,000 Facebook likes in August.
□ Media coverage: 3 local and international reports made Several reports were made on the Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award won by the Limbe Wildlife Centre, among which: o Online report: Wildlife law enforcement leaders honored at CITES, Animal Welfare Institute, 20th of August 2019 (available here) o Online report: Limbe Wildlife Centre wins prestigious award in Geneva, The Post, 26th of August 2019 (available here) o Newspaper: Limbe Wildlife Centre wins Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award in Switzerland, The Star, 2nd of September 2019
September 2019 objectives: □ Continue advocating the missions of the LWC within the Central African Conservation Landscape in Cameroon
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9. Revenues generated â–Ą Entrance fees (August 2019): 876,900 XAF (2,066 visitors; 64% adults, 36% children) 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 Aug-18 Sep-18 Oct-18 Nov-18 Dec-18 Jan-19 Feb-19 Mar-19 Apr-19 May-19 Jun-19 Adult Nationals
Children Nationals
Adult Foreigners
Children Foreigners
Figure 1.Visitor statistics August 2018-August 2019
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