The Cross River Gorilla Project is a non-profit charity that was founded by John Daniels in 2015 after John took a volunteering trip to Cameroon for his 70th birthday.
John was astounded by the incredibly rich biodiversity of the rain forest with the Cross River Gorilla, Nigerian/Cameroon chimpanzees and such smaller elements of the fauna and flora such as the butterflies and chameleons and so the Cross River Gorilla Project (CRGP) was born.
The Cross River Gorilla is the most endangered Gorilla on the planet and the founders of the CRGP recognised that more efforts were needed to preserve this species with less than 300 remaining in South West Cameroon.
This North-East based charity’s main aims are to help preserve the critically endangered Cross River Gorilla, protect the Lebialem Highlands a major habitat of the Cross River Gorilla, and to work alongside existing conservation efforts in Cameroon.
The CRGP has worked alongside Newcastle University since its creation, in a variety of different departments ranging from media and heritage studies to marine biology and law.
The project has offered many placement opportunities to Newcastle students in the last 5 years, and it has proven to be an enlightening opportunity for both the CRGP and the students, especially those wanting experience working with a charity and for those wanting to work in conservation. Newcastle Universities School of Natural and Environmental Science had four students working on dissertations alongside the CRGP this year.
“I have watched dozens of students from a variety of departments gain real world experience and skills that make them very well placed to enter the wiling world upon graduation” she adds “Climate change and species extinction have to be a top priority in today’s world and the Cross River Gorilla is the most critically endangered gorilla in the world. We have to do everything we can to prevent their extinction”.
Kellie Daniels a founding member of the CRGP and Newcastle University Public Relations lecturer explains
One particularly special element to the CRGP is their integrated approach to conservation, all the work they do working alongside The Environment and Rural Development Foundation (ERUDEF), in Cameroon that ensures the local people are happy and benefitting from the work of their charity while providing a solid understanding of long-term conservation, and while its name highlights the main focus of the charities efforts it is not limited to just benefitting the one species.
The CRGP have had an abundance of projects from education outreach to women’s empowerment and community surveys. Founder John Daniels even self-published a field guide for identifying butterfly species in the Lebialem Highlands.
“My placement with CRGP allowed me to open the door to a career path in science and media, using my experience with CRGP I was able to gain a voluntary position as a social media intern for an organisation called Reef Connect”.
Marine Biology student Bennath Chillingworth wanted to work alongside the CRGP for her marine Biology placement as she explains
“For CRGP working with students from Newcastle University has been a real bonus. We have appreciated their enthusiasm and engagement and the work they have done to investigate further aspects of the biodiversity of the Cameroon rain forest, particularly the fascinating and endangered Cross River Gorilla. Students have worked closely with us and raised funds through some very innovative approaches – eating a banana with your feet!”
explains charity founder John Daniels.
The Cross River Gorilla Project has provided Newcastle University with unique and invaluable experiences for students that have had longstanding benefits both to the Project and University.
Reflective of the natural environment this highlights a symbiotic relationship between Newcastle University and the Cross River Gorilla Project which is a wonderful metaphor to highlight how academia and education plays such a vital part in conservation efforts by non-profit organisations worldwide.
Recently the CRGP organised a 12-mile wild walk across Northumberland to celebrate both Northumberland’s natural biodiversity and coastline alongside educating the walkers about the Lebialem Highlands and the Cross River Gorilla. Hosted on Cross River Gorilla day (14th of May) the walk began at Berwick upon tweed with patron Lady Amelia Windsor in attendance with the walk ending at Cocklawburn beach providing the Northumberland community with an educational and fulfilling experience.
The work of the Cross River Gorilla Project truly highlights how small steps from home can have a worldwide impact. In continuing to work alongside Newcastle University the future goals for the CRGP are to gain special status for the Cross River Gorilla to make the animal the representative of the West African rainforest which will help to publicise the importance of the Cross River Gorilla and its endangerment.
By Darcie May Anne Rawlings.
