On World Gorilla Day, conservationists urge urgent action to protect one of Earth’s rarest great apes, as Wild Africa calls for stronger laws and community collaboration.
By Bunmi Yekini
As the world marked World Gorilla Day 2025, leading conservation NGO Wild Africa has raised alarm over the survival of Nigeria’s last 100 Cross River gorillas, describing them as “part of our national heritage” that must be urgently protected.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Lagos, Mr. Festus Iyorah, Nigeria’s Representative for Wild Africa, said the critically endangered gorilla species remains one of the rarest great apes on Earth, with fewer than 300 individuals surviving globally.
“About 100 of these gorillas are found in Nigeria, living across three protected landscapes in Cross River State, Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, the Mbe Mountains, and the Okwangwo Division of Cross River National Park,” he said.
Iyorah recalled that the species was once believed extinct after Nigeria’s civil war in the 1960s before being rediscovered in the 1980s. He, however, warned that the gorillas continue to face grave threats.
“Poaching, illegal bushmeat trade, and habitat loss from agricultural expansion are pushing these animals closer to extinction. Wire snares set for bushmeat often injure or kill gorillas, and this remains a particularly severe challenge,” he said.
Beyond conservation, Iyorah highlighted the ecological importance of the species.
“Gorillas play a vital role in seed dispersal and forest regeneration. As umbrella species, protecting them safeguards countless other endangered wildlife that share the same fragile ecosystem,” he added.
Wild Africa also pointed to the potential of sustainable gorilla-based ecotourism as a driver of economic opportunities for local communities, foreign exchange earnings, and national pride in Nigeria’s biodiversity.
On policy, the group urged the Federal Government to expedite the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill 2024, which recently passed third reading in the House of Representatives.
“Once enacted, this law will strengthen enforcement against wildlife crime and reinforce habitat protection,” the NGO said.
Calling for a united front, Iyorah stressed:
“This is no longer just a conservation goal, it is a national responsibility. Protecting Cross River gorillas requires collaboration from government, local communities, and every Nigerian. Together, we can ensure these remarkable primates do not vanish from our forests.”