Five UNICAL Students receive scholarship to research Gorillas in Cross River.
The Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), in collaboration with Wilder Institute Conservation Calgary Zoo, has provided a scholarship award to five UNICAL Students.
The beneficiaries of this scholarship scheme are four Master’s students and one PhD student from the University of Calabar.
The selection committee has selected these students to conduct research on the endangered Cross River Afi Mountain gorillas.
Purpose of the Scholarship
These students have been selected to conduct research on the endangered Cross River Afi Mountain gorillas.
In addition to conservation efforts, the program also explores the relationship with local communities living near the mountain.
Details of the NCF Program.
Furthermore, during the presentation at the 5th Park Meeting for Community Conservation Graduate Students Scholarship Program, which focuses on the conservation of the Cross River gorilla.
Mr. Uchenna Achunine, the Director of Business Development and Communication at NCF, led the discussion on the scholarship program.
He noted that the initiative is part of a five-year project funded by Wilder Conservation Calgary Zoo, which began two years ago.
Focus on Conservation Effort
Achunine emphasized that the scholarship program aims to preserve the rare species of Cross River gorillas.
These gorillas are found only in the Afi Mountain and neighboring Cameroon, along with other parts of Africa
He also serves as the Chairman of the Cross River Gorilla Project.
Recipients of the Nigerian Conservation Fund Scholarship.
The scholarship recipients include three students already involved in the project:
Ayambem Akumjom (PhD student),
Agabi David (Master’s students)
Adekambi Adeyinka Master’s students),
Isaac Bisong (Master’s student,Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology),
And Peace Okon Ita (Master’s student, Environmental and Resources Management).
These students have received the scholarship to further their research.
Partners in the NCF Conservation Initiative.
The Wilder Institute Calgary Zoo, along with its partners, provides funding for the scholarship program.
They include;
National Conservation Fund(NCF),
The University of Calabar,
The Centre for Biodiversity Conservation Research in Ghana,
Cross River National Park,
The Cross River Forestry Commission,
And the Afi Mountain Community in Boki.
Importance of the Program
Achunine highlighted the significance of the scholarship initiative in addressing the conservation of the Cross River gorilla.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the Cross River gorilla as a threatened species.
The program aims to study the gorillas’ habitats and human-animal interactions, which are crucial for their protection.
Dr. Mary Liao, the Conservation Program Manager at Wilder Institute Calgary Zoo, expressed her satisfaction with the selected beneficiaries and their research projects.
She noted that the goal of the scholarship was to build sustainable capacity in local conservation researchers who could eventually become leaders in the field.
Academic Support for the Scholars
Professor Francis Bisong, a project supervisor and Professor of Conservation Biogeography at the University of Calabar, praised the initiative and the program for supporting the students and fostering future conservationists.
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