FOREWORD

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | PROJECT MANAGER

Of men and monkeys

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Like sun rays brightening the end of the dry season as well as the school year, May was marked by several joyful events touching people as much as the LWC primates.

The month started with the celebration of Labor Day on the 1st of May, which was the perfect occasion to thank and reward the best workers of the Centre for their efforts and commitment. No one was forgotten, thanks to the distribution of printed tshirts that arealways worn proudly by the staff, which carry the core idea of LWC #ProtectWildlife. To mirror this festivity for adults, the children participating in the LWC Outreach Programme were also celebrated and rewarded with an event organised at the Limbe Botanical Garden. In association with the cultural centre Da Nzimbistic, and partners African Marine Mammals Conservation Organisation (AMMCO), the LWC made sure to combine entertainment, traditions and conservation messages, all in one great outdoor afternoon. Seven schools were represented that day, reaching close to 500 children, who took as much pride in presenting prepared choreographies, as receiving their education certificate. Such joyful gathering

aims to deepen the positive feeling of this new generation toward the conservation concepts they have been sensitized to throughout the year and the work of the LWC.

It will indeed take both education and personal implication to achieve the end of illegal pet possession that is still occurring in the city. As a blatant example of this ongoing practice, an infant Preuss monkey was voluntarily deposited at the Centre this month, by a civilian who felt overwhelmed by the demanding behaviour of the 8 weeks old orphan. Classified endangered by the IUCN red list, wild Preuss' monkey (Allochrocebus preussi) roam in a limited range within Cameroon, Bioko island in Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria. There is currently no known Preuss monkey in captivity(Muea, our last individual of the species and last known representatives of the species in captivity in the woirld, died in 2019 aged of 20), making this a more complex than usual, as there is not much available information on the rehabilitation of these animals. Fortunatley, the LWChas very talented and experience staff that will adjust to the behaviour of this very unique species that differs form the other guenon species by several morphological, ecological and behavioural characteristics. Luckily, he arrived in good health. Camfor (his given name, meaning “Welcome” in one of the many local dialects) has been doing very well and his rehabilitate has started to enable him gain te necessary behavioural and social skills to be rapidely integrated into a group of guenononce weaned.

In this domain, the Centre showed successful results this month with the effective integration of female adult Mona monkey Edogue into her new group, as well as the reunification of the entire mandrill's population, of whom two males, Nimbus and Malengo, were isolated due to injuries. Such population management requires patience, group dynamics knowledge and careful observation for each new inmate to avoid unnecessary stress, serious wounds and group instability.

Finally, regarding infrastructure progresses, the council excavator finally finished its work in the Centre. Its goal was to broaden the river beds surrounding Chimpanzee Island and the Guenon section in the prevision of the rainy season to avoid massive flooding. However, the bulldozer also hit several structures in the process, bending the poles of the aviary, overturning fences and trees as well as weakening the bridge to Chimp Island, the damages are not without consequences to the safety of the staff and animals. A cost to repair that the government of Cameroon must look at to to prevent further degradations, along with the repairs for the protective wall, as the rainy season is getting closer.

Because several engagement of the government have not been met, this month, our management team and the

conservator met with the senior MINFOF staff in yaounde, including the Director of Wildlife and Protected Areas, responsible for the oversight of all activities in all protected areas in the country, including the Limbe Zoological Garden where the education and conservation project of the Limbe Wildlife centre has been run in partnership with Pandrillus since 1993. We are now expecting actions from the Ministry to help solve some long lasting issues.

While the rains are settling progressively in Limbe, I sincerely hope that wherever you are, the incoming summer brings along a intermission in the sanitary restrictions of your country, making your life and works sunnier and more enjoyable.

Stay safe and healthy!

Peggy Motsch

Project Manager