Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary

The Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary is a nature reserve in the north-eastern Nigerian state of Cross River. It occupies an area of 117 km ² in the administrative area of ​​Greater community buoy Boke, in up to 1,281 meters high Afi Mountains.

The Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 2000 and, together with the Mbe Mountains Community Wildlife Sanctuary, the Afi Mountains Forest Reserve, the Okwangwo sector of the Cross River National Park and the Takamanda National Park in Cameroon a biosphere corridor. This is with the administration in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society Nigeria since 2011 by the Cross River State Forestry Commission ( CRSFC ). The purpose of the cooperation is mainly the protection of people living in Nigeria primate species and also involves the local resident population with a. The project of international organizations, among others, by BirdLife International and the German Association Rescue is supported drill eV

The topography of the nature reserve is considered extremely mountainous, with steep cliffs, deep gorges and elongated ridges. On the western mountain flanks an extensive lowland region follows, in the receive up to 20 million migratory birds from the northern hemisphere, particularly swallows from Europe, their wintering quarters in the winter months. The annual rainfall is between 2,000 to 2,500 mm, depending on the intensity of the West African monsoon. A pronounced dry season prevails from November to February.

Fauna and Flora

The flora of the Afi Mountains is determined by a lowland rain forest in which the tree species occur Berlinia confusa, Coula edulis, Hannoa klaineana, Klainedoxa gabonensis, Khaya ivorensis and Lophira alata. In the dry season bush fires break out, the clearings in which to create a wide range of herbs and grasses grow, in turn, form an important food source for the Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli ). The living there 25 to 40 animals comprehensive group marked the westernmost limit of distribution of the Cross River gorillas. Others living in the area simians are the Drill ( Mandrillus leucophaeus ), the Nigerian - Cameroon subspecies shear chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti ) of the commons chimpanzees and Rotnasenmeerkatze ( Cercopithecus erythrotis ).

Conservation

Through illegal farms for banana and cocoa cultivation in the conservation area flora and fauna are also threatened. In 2013, reports of about 600 illegal farms decimate with nets and traps the animal populations in adjacent areas of missing biotope network. With Cyber ​​tracking and environmental education in the schools try the 17 Ranger to protect the endangered species.

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