Cross river national park
Encyclopedia
The Cross River National Park is a national park of Nigeria, located in Cross River State
, Nigeria
.
There are two separate sections, Okwangwo (established 1991) and Oban (established 1988).
The park has a total area of about 4,000 km2, most of which consists of primary moist tropical rainforests in the North and Central parts, with mangrove swamps on the coastal zones.
Parts of the park belong to the Guinea-Congolian
region, with a closed canopy and scattered emergent trees reaching 40 or 50 meters in height.
The park has one of the oldest rainforests in Africa, and has been identified as a biodiversity hot spot.
Sixteen primate species have been recorded in the park.
Rare primates include Chimpanzee
s, Drill
s and (in Okwangwo) Cross River Gorilla
s.
Another primate, the Gray-cheeked Mangabey, seems to have recently become extinct in the area.
Both divisions of the park are threatened by illegal logging, slash and burn farming and poaching.
Eco-tourism may support efforts to preserve the park fauna.
Assisting villagers in buffer zones to practice sustainable forestry also holds promise.
The World Wide Fund for Nature
- UK played a leading role for the plan to establish the park in two divisions separated by farmland and the Cross River valley, with a budget of $49.9 million.
The plan envisaged villagers in the buffer zone being involved in running the park and being given development aid.
The Cross River National Park (CRNP) was established by Federal Ministry Government Decree in 1991, with the Cross River Gorilla chosen as the theme animal.
The original plan was not fully implemented, and the park established in 1991 only included existing forest reserves. After a small amount of initial aid, the funding dried up and the villagers became hostile to the park administration.
An amending decree in 1999 converted the Nigerian National Parks Services, which runs the park, into a paramilitary outfit with increased powers.
The park management has established a station at Kanyang as a base for primate research and eco-tourism.
The Butatong Divisional Head Office, established with assistance from the European Union
and the World Wildlife Fund provides a base for rangers patrolling the Okwa and Okwangwo sectors of the Okwangwo division.
The park has four departments: Park Protection and Conservation, Ecotourism, Park Engineering and Maintenance, and Finance and Administration. In 2010, 250 of the total 320 personnel worked in Park Protection and Conservation, mostly male due to the rigors of the job, based at twelve ranger stations. This number is inadequate given the size of the territory to be patrolled. Despite attempts at training, many of the rangers are poorly qualified and are dissatisfied with pay, equipment, motivation and career prospects.
The Oban Hills
Division is 2,800 km2 in area, centered on coordinates 5°25′0"N 8°35′0"E.
The division shares a long border with Korup National Park
in the Republic of Cameroon, forming a single protected ecological zone.
The division has a rugged terrain, rising from 100 m in the river valleys to over 1,000 m in the mountains.
The soils are highly vulnerable to leaching and erosion where stripped of plant cover.
The rainy season lasts from March to November, with annual rainfall of over 3,500mm.
The northern part is drained by the Cross river
and its tributaries.
The southern parts are drained by the Calabar
, Kwa
and Korup rivers.
Typical tree species include Berlinia Confusa
, Coula edulis
, Hannoa Klaineana
, Klainedoxa Gabonensis
, African Mahoganey
and Red Ironwood
.
About 1,568 plant species have been identified, of which 77 are endemic to Nigeria.
These include 1,303 flowering plants, 141 lichens and 56 moss species.
Torben Larsen collected almost 600 species of butterfly in the Oban division in 1995, and estimated that there may be 950 species in total in the division.
Although the park has been poorly explored, over 350 bird species have been recorded. It is one of the two parts of Nigeria where Xavier's Greenbul
is found. Other species unusual in Nigeria include Bat Hawk
, Cassin's Hawk-eagle
, Crested Guineafowl
, Grey-throated Rail
, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo
, Bare-cheeked Trogon
, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide
, Green-backed Bulbul
, Grey-throated Tit-flycatcher
and Rachel's Malimbe
.
42 species of snake have been counted.
There are at least 75 mammal species, including the African buffalo
, the endangered African Forest Elephant
s, Chimpanzee
, Preuss's Red Colobus
and Sclater's Guenon
and the highly endangered Drill
.
The division may contain 400 chimpanzees, although no survey has been undertaken.
Illegal logging is a serious threat, and has been increasing.
The population of villages in the buffer zone is growing, and farmers are starting to encroach.
Levels of hunting, fishing and transitory cultivation are increasing, and damaging the ecosystem.
Chemicals used for fishing have affected fish stocks.
An approach to involving local communities in management of forests in the buffer zones has been tested with some success in the old and new Ekuri villages in the northwestern part of the Oban division.
The villagers have rights to about 250 km2 of forest land, and were living by subsistence agriculture and sale of high-value forest products, including the meat of endangered species such as chimpanzee and drill.
The Ekuri Community Forestry Project was set up with the help of park officials and foreign donors to improve management of the forest and access to markets.
With training and financial support, the villagers established ways to harvest the forest in a sustainable way, and now have a vested interest in its preservation.
This contrasts to the negative effects usually seen when external logging or plantation companies enter an area such as this.
It is made up of the former Boshi, Okwangwo and Boshi Extension Forest Reserves.
The division has an area of about 920 km2 at an altitude of 150 - 1,700m above sea level.
It is separated from the Oban division to the south by about 50 km of disturbed rainforest.
It lies south-west of the Obudu Plateau and immediately to the east of the Afi River Forest Reserve
, separated from this reserve by the Mbe Mountains Community Forest.
The Takamanda Forest Reserve in the Republic of Cameroon shares a border with the Okwangwo division to the east.
In November 2008 Takamanda was upgraded to a National Park through a joint project with the Wildlife Conservation Society
and the government of Cameroon, with protection of the endangered Cross river gorilla
a major objective.
The 676 km2 Takamanda National Park will also help conserve forest elephants, chimpanzees, and drills.
The ground is rugged, with rocky ridges and outcrops. The highest points are in the Sankwala Mountains
in the north (1,700 m) and in the Mbe Mountains in the south-west (1,000 m).
Annual rainfall may be as much as 4,280 mm, mostly falling in the wet season between March and November.
The division is drained by the Oyi, Bemi and Okon rivers, tributaries of the Cross River.
The high ridge-tops are covered in montane grasslands, with relict forests in the valleys.
Lower down, the division is covered by lowland rainforests, with areas of savanna where humans have destroyed the forests.
The soils in the highland and lowland areas are vulnerable to erosion and leaching when stripped of their plant cover.
The Okwangwo Division has richly diverse flora, with about 1,545 species representing 98 plant families recorded.
Some of these species are endemic to the area. Others were unknown until recently.
Over 280 species of birds have been recorded, including the vulnerable Grey-necked Rockfowl
, which breeds in the Mbe mountains and the Golden Greenbul
, rare in Nigeria. The Grey Parrot is near threatened.
The park is home to about 78% of the primate species that are found in Nigeria, including the vulnerable Common Chimpanzee
and Western Gorilla
, and the endangered Sclater's Guenon
, Preuss's Monkey
and Drill
, which coexist in the same areas of the park. Other large mammals include the endangered African Forest Elephant
and more common African buffalo
.
The division may contain 200 chimpanzees, although no survey has been undertaken.
The Gorilla habitat consists of semi-deciduous, montane and derived savannah environments in a complex of hilly escarpments with steep valleys, with peaks that rise as high as 2,000m.
The primary base for Gorillas is Mbe mountain, with a population of 30-40 individuals, not yet incorporated in the park.
In 2003 it was thought that the Boshi Extension Forest in the north of the division and the Okwa and Ononyi Hills in the south were together home to 50-60 individuals, generally living in isolated subpopulations and therefore at risk of genetic inbreeding.
The Gorillas are also vulnerable to hunting, but generally the Boki people of the region prefer smaller game.
However, during the period 1990-1998, perhaps two Gorillas were killed by hunters each year.
There are about 66 villages in the buffer zone surrounding the park, with the villagers dependent on the park for their livelihoods. With a growing human population, the forest is being lost to slash-and-burn agriculture and illegal logging. Some fishermen are using chemicals (gamalin 20, a herbicide) to kill the fish. It is thought that three species of primate have been extirpated.
Logging, both legal and illegal, in the buffer zone and the park itself have caused loss of habitat, and logging trails have opened up the forest to poachers. Snares set to trap smaller animals cause injuries to the larger species.
Fulani herdsmen have encroached into the reserve to graze their cattle along the Bushi-Ranch axis.
There is continued trans-border poaching of elephants between Nigeria and Cameroon.
The main targets for illegal logging are Carpolobia
, Garcinia
and ebony
, woods that are scarce outside the park.
The police have made efforts to discourage these activities, but are handicapped by lack of funding.
Land ownership in the region rests with the native authority, which must obtain community consent for land transfers. The local people, with reason, are suspicious of government promises that they will receive long-term economic assistance in exchange for giving up their land, and instead demand exorbitant cash payment. This has frustrated efforts to incorporate the Afi River Forest Reserve
and the Mbe Mountains Community Forest into the park, preventing more effective conservation efforts.
Programs to establish backyard farming of bushmeat species have been successful in other parts of the state, with villagers raising rabbits, poultry, duikers, porcupines, cane rats, giant rats, pythons, crocodiles and snails.
In these areas, hunting and poaching of wild bushmeat has declined dramatically. The approach holds promise for the area surrounding the park. Other ways to protect the endangered species include creating corridors or eco-ducts, highway diversion and improved policing. All would be expensive and depend on committed government officials at the state and federal levels.
The Federal government is courting investors to develop the eco-tourism potential in this and other national parks.
The park has been given the motto "The Pride Of Nigeria".
The Kanyang tourist village, about one hour's drive from Calabar
, will give visitors a base from which to view the park, with a lodge, restaurant and wildlife museum.
Activities include game viewing, bird watching, gorilla tracking, mountaineering or hiking, sport fishing, boat cruising and the Botanical garden and Herbarium in Butatong.
Attractions include the Kwa Falls, in a narrow, steep gorge near the headwaters of the Kwa River.
The deep plunge pool at the foot of the waterfall was hidden under the thick canopy of the tropical rainforest before deforestation. The Agbpkim Waterfalls on the Cross River descend in terraces through the tropical rainforest. There is a mini zoological garden housing species of animals rarely found in Nigeria, which has helped save some rare species from extinction.
Cross River State
Cross River State is a coastal state in southeastern Nigeria, bordering Cameroon to the east. Its capital is at Calabar, and it is named for the Cross River , which passes through the state...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
There are two separate sections, Okwangwo (established 1991) and Oban (established 1988).
The park has a total area of about 4,000 km2, most of which consists of primary moist tropical rainforests in the North and Central parts, with mangrove swamps on the coastal zones.
Parts of the park belong to the Guinea-Congolian
Congolian forests
The Congolian forests are a broad belt of lowland tropical moist broadleaf forest which extends across the basin of the Congo River and its tributaries in Central Africa...
region, with a closed canopy and scattered emergent trees reaching 40 or 50 meters in height.
The park has one of the oldest rainforests in Africa, and has been identified as a biodiversity hot spot.
Sixteen primate species have been recorded in the park.
Rare primates include Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
s, Drill
Drill (mammal)
The Drill is a primate of the family Cercopithecidae , closely related to the Baboons and even more closely to the Mandrill.-Description:...
s and (in Okwangwo) Cross River Gorilla
Cross River Gorilla
The Cross River gorilla is a subspecies of the western gorilla that can be found on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon, in both tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests which are also home to the Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee, another subspecies of great ape...
s.
Another primate, the Gray-cheeked Mangabey, seems to have recently become extinct in the area.
Both divisions of the park are threatened by illegal logging, slash and burn farming and poaching.
Eco-tourism may support efforts to preserve the park fauna.
Assisting villagers in buffer zones to practice sustainable forestry also holds promise.
History
The park was first proposed in 1965, but serious planning did not start until 1988.The World Wide Fund for Nature
World Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
- UK played a leading role for the plan to establish the park in two divisions separated by farmland and the Cross River valley, with a budget of $49.9 million.
The plan envisaged villagers in the buffer zone being involved in running the park and being given development aid.
The Cross River National Park (CRNP) was established by Federal Ministry Government Decree in 1991, with the Cross River Gorilla chosen as the theme animal.
The original plan was not fully implemented, and the park established in 1991 only included existing forest reserves. After a small amount of initial aid, the funding dried up and the villagers became hostile to the park administration.
An amending decree in 1999 converted the Nigerian National Parks Services, which runs the park, into a paramilitary outfit with increased powers.
Organization
The Nigeria National Park Service is an agency of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Housing & Urban Development. The Cross River National Park is headed by a Director under the guidance of a Park Management Committee.The park management has established a station at Kanyang as a base for primate research and eco-tourism.
The Butatong Divisional Head Office, established with assistance from the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and the World Wildlife Fund provides a base for rangers patrolling the Okwa and Okwangwo sectors of the Okwangwo division.
The park has four departments: Park Protection and Conservation, Ecotourism, Park Engineering and Maintenance, and Finance and Administration. In 2010, 250 of the total 320 personnel worked in Park Protection and Conservation, mostly male due to the rigors of the job, based at twelve ranger stations. This number is inadequate given the size of the territory to be patrolled. Despite attempts at training, many of the rangers are poorly qualified and are dissatisfied with pay, equipment, motivation and career prospects.
Location
Oban Hills
The Oban Hills are a range of hills in Cross River State, Nigeria.They lie within the Oban Hills Division of the Cross River National Park.-Geography:The hills are rugged, rising from in the river valleys to over in the mountains....
Division is 2,800 km2 in area, centered on coordinates 5°25′0"N 8°35′0"E.
The division shares a long border with Korup National Park
Korup National Park
Korup National Park is in the Southwest Province of Cameroon and extends over 1,260 km2 of mostly undisturbed primary forest. It is reputedly one of Africa’s oldest and richest rainforests in terms of floral and faunal diversity. It is the most accessible rainforest national park in Cameroon...
in the Republic of Cameroon, forming a single protected ecological zone.
The division has a rugged terrain, rising from 100 m in the river valleys to over 1,000 m in the mountains.
The soils are highly vulnerable to leaching and erosion where stripped of plant cover.
The rainy season lasts from March to November, with annual rainfall of over 3,500mm.
The northern part is drained by the Cross river
Cross River (Nigeria)
Cross River is the main river in southeastern Nigeria and gives its name to Cross River State.It originates in Cameroon, where it takes the name of the Manyu River....
and its tributaries.
The southern parts are drained by the Calabar
Calabar River
The Calabar River in Cross River State, Nigeria flows from the north past the city of Calabar, joining the larger Cross River about to the south. The river at Calabar forms a natural harbor deep enough for vessels with a draft of ....
, Kwa
Great Kwa River
The Great Kwa River flows through Cross River State, Nigeria, draining the east side of the city of Calabar...
and Korup rivers.
Biodiversity
The division is mostly covered with lowland rainforest.Typical tree species include Berlinia Confusa
Berlinia
Berlinia is a genus of legume in the Fabaceae family.The following species are categorize in Berlinia:* Berlinia coriacea* Berlinia hollandii* Berlinia korupensis* Berlinia occidentalis* Berlinia orientalis...
, Coula edulis
Coula edulis
Coula edulis is a tree in the genus Coula, native to tropical western Africa from Sierra Leone to Angola. It is plentiful in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. It prefers tropical regions and is tolerant of light shade...
, Hannoa Klaineana
Hannoa
Hannoa is a genus of plant in family Simaroubaceae. It contains the following species :* Hannoa kitombetombe, Gilbert...
, Klainedoxa Gabonensis
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
, African Mahoganey
Khaya ivorensis
Khaya ivorensis is a tall forest tree with a buttressed trunk in the Meliaceae family. It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria where it grows primarily in lowland tropical rainforests...
and Red Ironwood
Lophira alata
Lophira alata is a species of plant in the Ochnaceae family. It is found in Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical...
.
About 1,568 plant species have been identified, of which 77 are endemic to Nigeria.
These include 1,303 flowering plants, 141 lichens and 56 moss species.
Torben Larsen collected almost 600 species of butterfly in the Oban division in 1995, and estimated that there may be 950 species in total in the division.
Although the park has been poorly explored, over 350 bird species have been recorded. It is one of the two parts of Nigeria where Xavier's Greenbul
Xavier's Greenbul
The Xavier's Greenbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests...
is found. Other species unusual in Nigeria include Bat Hawk
Bat Hawk
The Bat Hawk is a raptor found in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia to New Guinea. It is named for its diet, which consists mainly of bats. It requires open space in which to hunt, but will live anywhere from dense rainforest to semi-arid veld.-Description:The Bat Hawk is a slender, medium-sized...
, Cassin's Hawk-eagle
Cassin's Hawk-eagle
The Cassin's Hawk-eagle is a bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is found in western, central and eastern Africa. They prefer dense, humid forests....
, Crested Guineafowl
Crested Guineafowl
The Crested Guineafowl is a member of the Numididae, the guineafowl bird family. It is found in open forest, woodland and forest-savanna mosaics in sub-Saharan Africa. It has a total length of approximately 50 cm and weighs . The plumage is overall blackish with dense white spots...
, Grey-throated Rail
Grey-throated Rail
The Grey-throated Rail is a species of bird in the Rallidae family.It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.-References:* BirdLife...
, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo
Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo
The Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and...
, Bare-cheeked Trogon
Bare-cheeked Trogon
The Bare-cheeked Trogon is a species of bird in the Trogonidae family.It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Nigeria....
, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide
Lyre-tailed Honeyguide
The Lyre-tailed Honeyguide is a species of bird in the Indicatoridae family. It is monotypic within the genus Melichneutes....
, Green-backed Bulbul
Green-backed Bulbul
The Green-backed Bulbul or Eastern Bearded Greenbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family....
, Grey-throated Tit-flycatcher
Grey-throated Tit-flycatcher
The Grey-throated Tit-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and...
and Rachel's Malimbe
Rachel's Malimbe
The Rachel's Malimbe is a species of bird in the Ploceidae family.It is found in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Nigeria.It is also known under the name Rachel's weaver...
.
42 species of snake have been counted.
There are at least 75 mammal species, including the African buffalo
African Buffalo
The African buffalo, affalo, nyati, Mbogo or Cape buffalo is a large African bovine. It is not closely related to the slightly larger wild Asian water buffalo, but its ancestry remains unclear...
, the endangered African Forest Elephant
African Forest Elephant
The African Forest Elephant is a forest dwelling elephant of the Congo Basin. Formerly considered either a synonym or a subspecies of the African Savanna Elephant , a 2010 study established that the two are distinct species...
s, Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
, Preuss's Red Colobus
Preuss's Red Colobus
Preuss's red colobus is a red colobus primate species endemic to the Cross-Sanaga Rivers ecoregion. An important population occurs in Korup National Park, Southwest Province, Cameroon, but the species' distribution is localized...
and Sclater's Guenon
Sclater's Guenon
Sclater's guenon , also known as Sclater's monkey and the Nigerian monkey, is an Old World monkey that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1904 and named after Philip Sclater. It is an arboreal and diurnal primate that lives in the forests of southern Nigeria...
and the highly endangered Drill
Drill (mammal)
The Drill is a primate of the family Cercopithecidae , closely related to the Baboons and even more closely to the Mandrill.-Description:...
.
The division may contain 400 chimpanzees, although no survey has been undertaken.
Concerns
The forest remains largely untouched in the less accessible areas, but around the margins it has been considerably affected by human activity. In some places, secondary regrowth has occurred, but other areas contain plantations of oil-palm and rubber.Illegal logging is a serious threat, and has been increasing.
The population of villages in the buffer zone is growing, and farmers are starting to encroach.
Levels of hunting, fishing and transitory cultivation are increasing, and damaging the ecosystem.
Chemicals used for fishing have affected fish stocks.
An approach to involving local communities in management of forests in the buffer zones has been tested with some success in the old and new Ekuri villages in the northwestern part of the Oban division.
The villagers have rights to about 250 km2 of forest land, and were living by subsistence agriculture and sale of high-value forest products, including the meat of endangered species such as chimpanzee and drill.
The Ekuri Community Forestry Project was set up with the help of park officials and foreign donors to improve management of the forest and access to markets.
With training and financial support, the villagers established ways to harvest the forest in a sustainable way, and now have a vested interest in its preservation.
This contrasts to the negative effects usually seen when external logging or plantation companies enter an area such as this.
Okwangwo Division
Location
The Okwangwo division is centered on coordinates 6°17′00"N 9°14′00"E.It is made up of the former Boshi, Okwangwo and Boshi Extension Forest Reserves.
The division has an area of about 920 km2 at an altitude of 150 - 1,700m above sea level.
It is separated from the Oban division to the south by about 50 km of disturbed rainforest.
It lies south-west of the Obudu Plateau and immediately to the east of the Afi River Forest Reserve
Afi River Forest Reserve
-Further reading:***...
, separated from this reserve by the Mbe Mountains Community Forest.
The Takamanda Forest Reserve in the Republic of Cameroon shares a border with the Okwangwo division to the east.
In November 2008 Takamanda was upgraded to a National Park through a joint project with the Wildlife Conservation Society
Wildlife Conservation Society
The Wildlife Conservation Society based at the Bronx Zoo was founded in 1895 as the New York Zoological Society and currently manages some of wild places around the world, with over 500 field conservation projects in 60 countries, and 200 scientists on staff...
and the government of Cameroon, with protection of the endangered Cross river gorilla
Cross River Gorilla
The Cross River gorilla is a subspecies of the western gorilla that can be found on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon, in both tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests which are also home to the Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee, another subspecies of great ape...
a major objective.
The 676 km2 Takamanda National Park will also help conserve forest elephants, chimpanzees, and drills.
The ground is rugged, with rocky ridges and outcrops. The highest points are in the Sankwala Mountains
Sankwala Mountains
Sankwala Mountains are mountain ranges in Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State in Nigeria.The Sankwala Mountains lie southeast of the town of Obudu,north of the Okwangwo section of Cross River National Park....
in the north (1,700 m) and in the Mbe Mountains in the south-west (1,000 m).
Annual rainfall may be as much as 4,280 mm, mostly falling in the wet season between March and November.
The division is drained by the Oyi, Bemi and Okon rivers, tributaries of the Cross River.
The high ridge-tops are covered in montane grasslands, with relict forests in the valleys.
Lower down, the division is covered by lowland rainforests, with areas of savanna where humans have destroyed the forests.
The soils in the highland and lowland areas are vulnerable to erosion and leaching when stripped of their plant cover.
Biodiversity
Some of these species are endemic to the area. Others were unknown until recently.
Over 280 species of birds have been recorded, including the vulnerable Grey-necked Rockfowl
Grey-necked Rockfowl
The Grey-necked Rockfowl is a medium-sized bird in the family Picathartidae with a long neck and tail. Also known as the Grey-necked Picathartes, this passerine is mainly found in rocky areas of close-canopied rainforest from southwest Nigeria through Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and southwest...
, which breeds in the Mbe mountains and the Golden Greenbul
Golden Greenbul
The Golden Greenbul is the only member of the Calyptocichla genus of greenbuls. It is not closely related to any of the other greenbul species, forming a separate clade from the two main clades which make up the bulbul family Pycnonotidae.-Physical description:The Golden Greenbul is brightly...
, rare in Nigeria. The Grey Parrot is near threatened.
The park is home to about 78% of the primate species that are found in Nigeria, including the vulnerable Common Chimpanzee
Common Chimpanzee
The common chimpanzee , also known as the robust chimpanzee, is a great ape. Colloquially, the common chimpanzee is often called the chimpanzee , though technically this term refers to both species in the genus Pan: the common chimpanzee and the closely related bonobo, formerly called the pygmy...
and Western Gorilla
Western Gorilla
The western gorilla is a great ape and the most populous species of the genus Gorilla.-Taxonomy:Nearly all of the individuals of this taxon belong to the western lowland gorilla subspecies whose population is approximately 95,000 individuals...
, and the endangered Sclater's Guenon
Sclater's Guenon
Sclater's guenon , also known as Sclater's monkey and the Nigerian monkey, is an Old World monkey that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1904 and named after Philip Sclater. It is an arboreal and diurnal primate that lives in the forests of southern Nigeria...
, Preuss's Monkey
Preuss's Monkey
Preuss's monkey , also known as Preuss's guenon, is a diurnal primate that lives terrestrially in mountainous forests of eastern Nigeria, western Cameroon and Bioko in Equatorial Guinea. It is sometimes classified as a subspecies of the L'Hoest's monkey Preuss's monkey (Cercopithecus preussi),...
and Drill
Drill (mammal)
The Drill is a primate of the family Cercopithecidae , closely related to the Baboons and even more closely to the Mandrill.-Description:...
, which coexist in the same areas of the park. Other large mammals include the endangered African Forest Elephant
African Forest Elephant
The African Forest Elephant is a forest dwelling elephant of the Congo Basin. Formerly considered either a synonym or a subspecies of the African Savanna Elephant , a 2010 study established that the two are distinct species...
and more common African buffalo
African Buffalo
The African buffalo, affalo, nyati, Mbogo or Cape buffalo is a large African bovine. It is not closely related to the slightly larger wild Asian water buffalo, but its ancestry remains unclear...
.
The division may contain 200 chimpanzees, although no survey has been undertaken.
The Gorilla habitat consists of semi-deciduous, montane and derived savannah environments in a complex of hilly escarpments with steep valleys, with peaks that rise as high as 2,000m.
The primary base for Gorillas is Mbe mountain, with a population of 30-40 individuals, not yet incorporated in the park.
In 2003 it was thought that the Boshi Extension Forest in the north of the division and the Okwa and Ononyi Hills in the south were together home to 50-60 individuals, generally living in isolated subpopulations and therefore at risk of genetic inbreeding.
The Gorillas are also vulnerable to hunting, but generally the Boki people of the region prefer smaller game.
However, during the period 1990-1998, perhaps two Gorillas were killed by hunters each year.
Concerns
Logging, both legal and illegal, in the buffer zone and the park itself have caused loss of habitat, and logging trails have opened up the forest to poachers. Snares set to trap smaller animals cause injuries to the larger species.
Fulani herdsmen have encroached into the reserve to graze their cattle along the Bushi-Ranch axis.
There is continued trans-border poaching of elephants between Nigeria and Cameroon.
The main targets for illegal logging are Carpolobia
Polygalaceae
The Polygalaceae or Milkwort family is a family of flowering plants in the order Fabales. They have a near-cosmopolitan range, with about 17 genera and 900–1,000 species of herbs, shrubs and trees...
, Garcinia
Garcinia
Garcinia is a plant genus of the family Clusiaceae native to Asia, Australia, tropical and southern Africa, and Polynesia. The number of species is highly disputed, with various sources recognizing between 50 and about 300 taxa as specifically valid...
and ebony
Ebony
Ebony is a dense black wood, most commonly yielded by several species in the genus Diospyros, but ebony may also refer to other heavy, black woods from unrelated species. Ebony is dense enough to sink in water. Its fine texture, and very smooth finish when polished, make it valuable as an...
, woods that are scarce outside the park.
The police have made efforts to discourage these activities, but are handicapped by lack of funding.
Land ownership in the region rests with the native authority, which must obtain community consent for land transfers. The local people, with reason, are suspicious of government promises that they will receive long-term economic assistance in exchange for giving up their land, and instead demand exorbitant cash payment. This has frustrated efforts to incorporate the Afi River Forest Reserve
Afi River Forest Reserve
-Further reading:***...
and the Mbe Mountains Community Forest into the park, preventing more effective conservation efforts.
Programs to establish backyard farming of bushmeat species have been successful in other parts of the state, with villagers raising rabbits, poultry, duikers, porcupines, cane rats, giant rats, pythons, crocodiles and snails.
In these areas, hunting and poaching of wild bushmeat has declined dramatically. The approach holds promise for the area surrounding the park. Other ways to protect the endangered species include creating corridors or eco-ducts, highway diversion and improved policing. All would be expensive and depend on committed government officials at the state and federal levels.
Tourism potential
The park has been given the motto "The Pride Of Nigeria".
The Kanyang tourist village, about one hour's drive from Calabar
Calabar
Calabar is a city in Cross River State, southeastern Nigeria. The original name for Calabar was Atakpa, from the Jukun language....
, will give visitors a base from which to view the park, with a lodge, restaurant and wildlife museum.
Activities include game viewing, bird watching, gorilla tracking, mountaineering or hiking, sport fishing, boat cruising and the Botanical garden and Herbarium in Butatong.
Attractions include the Kwa Falls, in a narrow, steep gorge near the headwaters of the Kwa River.
The deep plunge pool at the foot of the waterfall was hidden under the thick canopy of the tropical rainforest before deforestation. The Agbpkim Waterfalls on the Cross River descend in terraces through the tropical rainforest. There is a mini zoological garden housing species of animals rarely found in Nigeria, which has helped save some rare species from extinction.