I have been tasked to do a research about an endangered animal and make a story board about it. I choose to learn about Cross River Gorillas - they are Africa's most endangered great apes.
Cross River Gorillas live in mountainous border area between Cameroon and Nigeria at the top of the Cross River, after which they are named. The entire population is spread over an area of about 3000 sq miles.
The tiny remaining population of the Cross River Gorilla means that genetic diversity is low, leaving the population less able to adapt and cope with diseases, and vulnerable to inbreeding, which can make successful reproduction more difficult.
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The remaining Cross River Gorillas are under threat as their habitat continues to be lost as a result of deforestation. Even though they are a protected species, hunting for bushmeat continues to be a problem, with an estimated 1-3 Cross River Gorillas lost to poachers every year.
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These Gorillas have been hunted extensively in the past, meaning the remaining population is shy and avoids human contact. Sightings are very rare.
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Conservation programmes in Nigeria and Cameroon are attempting to prevent the extinction of this gentle giant. They are focusing on building local community support for the protection of this species and landscape-scale habitat conservation, which involves maintaining and restoring ‘corridors’ of forest to connect up the main sanctuaries and National Parks where these gorillas reside.
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