The African Conservation Foundation and the Environmental and Rural Development Foundation are beginning a campaign to raise awareness about the plight of this rare gorilla. They seek to raise funds to help protect the dwindling population. As human encroachment upon gorilla territories and global warming are the main causes of the Cross River Gorilla's decline, it is hoped that by spreading knowledge, real action can be taken towards their conservation.
The Cross River Gorilla is a type of Western Gorilla that is currently critically endangered. It is among the top 25 most endangered primates worldwide. It is only found in a small area, 12000 square kilometers, around the Cross River, the division between Nigeria and Cameroon. While there are several wildlife preserves in Cross River Gorilla territories, sanctions for those who enter, camp, and hunt illegally have been lax. The Cross River Gorilla website mentions, "Gorillas, here as elsewhere, are targeted not just for meat, but for their bones which are used in traditional medicine and as fetishes, and infants, if captured alive may be sold as pets."
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