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ABUJA. – The tropical rainforest of Omo in southwestern Nigeria is facing environmental threats due to excessive logging, uncontrolled farming and poaching.
It is affecting a forest that UNESCO says is a habitat for endangered animal species including African elephants, white-throated monkeys, yellow casqued hornbill and pangolin.
Former poachers are now working as forest rangers, joining the work to protect the resources they once threatened.
As much as they have made progress, especially against poachers, the rangers say they are hindered by a shortage of manpower and the government’s lack of enforcement against environmental regulations.
Omo Forest Reserve, which is a preserved part of the rainforest, covers an area of 130 500 hectares.
To protect wildlife, 55,000 hectares ‑ more than 40% of the forest ‑ is designated as a conservation zone, said Emmanuel Olabode, a project manager for the nonprofit Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), which hires the rangers and acts as the government’s conservation partner.
The rangers are focused on nearly 650 hectares of strictly protected land where elephants are thought to live and is a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve, where communities work toward sustainable development.
For decades, the NCF has assisted in forest management, but hiring former hunters has proven to be a game changer, particularly in the fight against poaching.
For poacher-turned-ranger Sunday Abiodun, it offered a new life. – africanews.com
Online Reporter
dyton mupawaenda