Meet the Conservationists Saving Primates in Nigeria

Nigeria’s rainforests and unique terrestrial ecosystems are home to some of the rarest, most endangered primates on the planet. Yet, habitat loss, commercial logging, and the bushmeat trade continue to push these remarkable species closer to extinction.

We are incredibly thrilled to highlight that Landscape News by the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) has featured the critical advocacy and conservation work being done right here on the ground by the Biodiversity Rescue Club (BRC) Nigeria to protect our primate populations.

Nigeria’s Primate Crisis: Species on the Brink

Nigeria holds critical populations of globally unique primates that exist nowhere else, or are limited to the border regions between Nigeria and Cameroon. Among these are:

The Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli): The most endangered gorilla subspecies in the world, with fewer than 300 individuals remaining in the wild across a fragmented habitat landscape.
Sclater’s Guenon (Cercopithecus sclateri): A rare, small monkey endemic entirely to southern Nigeria, threatened heavily by habitat fragmentation.
The Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus): One of Africa’s most endangered primates, heavily reliant on the intact canopy forests of Cross River State.

When these canopy forests are cleared or fractured, primates lose their migratory corridors, nesting sites, and foraging resources. Protecting them requires more than tracking the animals—it requires changing human behaviors and local perspectives.

BRC’s Strategic Response: Education and Mobilization

The Landscape News feature details how BRC Nigeria targets the root cause of habitat encroachment through community education, youth mobilization, and advocacy.

1. Reaching the Next Generation

Our team goes directly into schools to establish dedicated Conservation Clubs. By educating young children about the intrinsic value of local primates—not as bushmeat or pests, but as essential guardians of our forests—we are building a frontline defense system for wildlife.

2. Community-Led Protection

True conservation cannot happen top-down. BRC works directly with community stakeholders surrounding critical forest reserves to promote alternative livelihoods, ensuring that economic development doesn’t come at the cost of losing our natural biodiversity heritage.

“Primate conservation isn’t just about protecting wildlife; it’s about preserving the entire canopy ecosystem. Primates are key seed dispersers—without them, our forests cannot naturally regenerate.”

Elevating Local Impact to a Global Stage

Being recognized by an international platform like Landscape News validates our multi-pronged approach to environmental rescue. By connecting our local activities in southern Nigeria with global conservation frameworks, we can bring necessary resources, research attention, and systemic support to protect these vulnerable species before they disappear forever.

We thank the team at the Global Landscapes Forum for spotlighting our primate conservation efforts, and we remain deeply committed to ensuring a viable Earth where all life forms have an opportunity to co-exist safely.