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In a bid to reduce the impact of unsustainable human activities in the Mak-Betchou forest, the Environment and Rural Development Foundation (ERuDeF) through its Biodiversity and Conservation Program, has engaged in the training hunters as bio-monitors in wildlife data collection.
Two hunters around the Proposed Mak-Betchou Chimpanzee Sanctuary area have been trained as Bio-monitors for wildlife data collection by Biologists from the Environment and Rural Development Foundation (ERuDeF). The Former Hunters, Chief Forbang Timothy and Anuchem Victor from Njoagwi and Essoh-Attah respectively were trained on wildlife data collection in the Southern part of the Proposed Mak-Betchou Chimpanzee Sanctuary.
The 3-day training workshop that took place from March 25- 28 was based on the use of bio-monitoring equipment such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), wildlife data collection and recording in a designed data sheet, distance and nest height estimation and summarizing of data collect.
After the training, the two hunters who have been hunting in the Mak-Betchou forest area for more than ten years said “we are now different from our fellow hunters; thanks to the training we have acquired”. They promised to be ambassadors of wildlife conservation in their respective communities.
ERuDeF’s approach of training these men has as objective to involve local people in conservation of wildlife and other natural resources through their participation in such activities as bio-monitoring.
By Enokenwa Allen Tabi