Herakles Farms has previously claimed its project in the South West Region of the country would convert an area of little conservation value. But a new study by Dschang University supported by Greenpeace International and SAVE Wildlife has found that claim to be a severe misrepresentation.
The study found the area to be home to not only the chimpanzee, but also forest elephants, rare primates such as the endangered drill and the critically endangered Preuss’s red colobus monkey, plus a number of important fish species, one of which researchers believe to be “new to science.”
“The U.S. government has invested heavily in the conservation of the endangered Elliot’schimpanzee, one of our closest relatives,” said Rolf Skar, Forests Campaign Director with Greenpeace.
“It is therefore both ironic and tragic that Herakles Farms, an American company, is set to bulldoze forest that’s critical to the survival of these chimpanzees.”
Recent field research by Greenpeace in the proposed plantation zone also found evidence of chimpanzee nests. The project zone is bordered by four protected areas including the iconic Korup national park and acts as a vital corridor for animals.
The forested area is located within the Guinean forests of West Africa, an area known as a biodiversity hotspot.
The Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (known as the Elliot’s chimpanzee) is listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as endangered with scientists estimating as few as 3,500 surviving in the wild. The drill is one of Africa’s most endangered primates and 80% of the world’s remaining population is estimated to be living in a relatively small forested part of Cameroon.
“The results of our survey show that the proposed concession area is of high conservation value, while some parts could even act as a chimp sanctuary,” said Dr Kadiri Serge Bobo of Dschang University, Cameroon. “They also show that prior studies presented by the company were inadequate and failed to confirm the presence of threatened mammal species.”
The Herakles Farms project in the South West region has been beset with controversy since it was first announced in 2009. The plantation has been operating illegally and linked to corrupt practices and many Cameroonian and international groups are calling for the cancellation of the project.
The project has also been developed without the adequate consultation or free prior and informed consent of residents, many of whom oppose the project and risk the loss of their customary land and livelihoods.
Click here to read the report summary
Click here for more information on the threat to the Nigerian-Cameroonianchimpanzee
Click here for pictures from the proposed Herakles Farms concession area
For press enquiries:
Kat Clark, Greenpeace USA Media Officer (currently in Washington DC), +1 415 5290941 [email protected]
Dr KadiriSerge Bobo, Dschang University Cameroon, +237 7508 5663,[email protected]
