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Mission:
Prevention of extinction of drills through in situ captive breeding, research, education,
habitat protection and future release. Promotion of drill as a flagship species in habitat
area.
Principal Research Programs: Recovery, rehabilitation & captive
breeding of orphaned drills with goal of eventual release of drill groups; project
maintains >65% world captive population. Project also provides sanctuary to
chimpanzees. Involved in general conservation work in SE Nigeria including creation of
protected area(s), community outreach & education.
Training Opportunities: Project recruits non-national volunteers for
one-year tenures. Persons with practical skills are encouraged to apply; minimum 25 years
of age. Research by Nigerians and other habitat country students or researchers is
encouraged. Field research at adjoining protected area, or of the captive drills and
chimps, by non-nationals must show clear benefits to project and/or conservation locally.,
Financial aid considered for nationals of drill habitat countries only.
Number of Staff: 40 national staff; 2-4 non-nationals
Species Supported: "Mandrillus leucophaeus" (73); "Pan
troglodytes" (16)
Associated Field Sites: Project is based wholly in Nigeria at permanent
field site at Afi Mountain, Cross River State.
Comments: Pandrillus is a Nigerian-registered trust which is also
involved in operation of Limbe Wildlife Center in Cameroon.
Publications: "Drill Ranch Newsletter"; "DRBC Annual
Report"
Information
from http://www.colszoo.org/Conservation/2000/Africanforest/drillcon/drillcon.html
The DRBC was founded in 1991 to recover captive drills orphaned when their
mothers were shot for bush meat. Drills are donated by local citizens or handed over after
seizure by authorities; no animals are purchased or removed from the wild. The project has
rehabilitated 47 wild born drills (Dec. 98) into 3 breeding groups, with 28 successful
births to date. The DRBC maintains over half the world's captive drills. In 1996, most
drills were moved to a new permanent site in the Afi River Forest Reserve, Boki LGA, where
they live in multi-acre solar powered enclosures of natural habitat.
The DRBC also provides sanctuary for needy chimpanzees, although they are
not allowed to breed. The chimps enjoy a semi-natural life in a 5 acre plot of forest at
the Afi site and contribute immensely to conservation education efforts.
The DRBC is the first captive breeding program for a primate in Africa and
is funded solely on personal and institutional donations, grants and awards. It is working
actively with agencies such as the Cross River State Ministry of Agriculture and Water to
attract international attention for wildlife and conservation in Nigeria and to establish
sustainable protection for the fauna and natural resources of the Afi Mountains.
In 1993 the DRBC
began working with communities at the new site, especially the home village of Buanchor,
to promote protection of the rugged Afi Mountains where wild drills, gorillas, chimpanzees
and other endangered species survive. The communities are realizing that the Afi Mountain
forests are a valuable resource for water, materials, food, medicine and as a magnet for
international attention if it is protected.
A ranger program, sponsored by Pandrillus, (a nonprofit wildlife
conservation organization) employs former hunters to protect the Afi Mountains and serve
as eco-tour guides. This scheme won the prestigious Whitley Award and has shown remarkable
results in curbing hunting. To encourage better land management, the project initiated
small-scale developments as pilot schemes including agroforestry, tourism and production
of alternative protein sources. Local youth are employed to maintain the community access
road and repair bridges resulting in the first taxi reaching the village in over 15 years.
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