CERCONEWS November 2009 edition

1. CERCO-NEWS
V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 2 N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE: Forest adventurers encounter mysterious Red
Forest 1 primate
adventurers en-
counter mysteri- Red Eared The trip was then heard the calls of Putty-
ous Red primate Guenons were programmed to nosed guenons and mona
From the 2 among the last 3 days, but monkeys. Soon after, a Red-
Director many primate
actually took 4. capped mangabey was seen
species ob-
served and turned into and just after they had an
a real adven- excellent view of a large
Mottie’s passport 2 ture. Elephant trails con- group of Monas. The high-
to freedom fused our explorers, light of the trip how-
flooded rivers prevented ever, was when Osam and
them from returning to Sylvain both witnessed two
New addition to 2 camp, they had encounters different large red monkeys
family On the 11th of with dangerous snakes and and head a strange call
October, Sylvain, our Mona had to spend the night which sounded like a mona
Research Coordinator, and sleeping on the ground near monkey loud calling under-
Chief Etan 3 Osam, one of our patrolmen the Rhoko river when flood- water! We will definitely
spearheads the headed out from camp to ing prevented them from need more sightings and
push for action on
undertake a preliminary returning home. further evidence to be sure
climate change
survey of the Rhoko Despite all of the but preliminary identifica-
Leo; 4 Research Area and commu- many trials and challenges tion suggests they may have
CERCOPAN’s nity forest, contiguous to the the trip definitely proved seen a crowned guenon
inspiration
Cross River National Park. worthwhile. Sylvain and and…. a Preuss’s Red
This survey and Osam encountered a mixed Colobus! Don't forget to
Rescued 4 further surveys in December group of many different check out the February
youngsters get a and January aimed at monkey species, all spread edition of CERCONEWS
second chance
confirming the presence of across a 100m area. They when full results of the
Preuss’s Red Colobus in the first met Red-eared monkeys surveys will be revealed.
Green light for 5 Research area were funded
World
Environment Day by a grant from the I
2010 nternational Primatological
Society.
The purpose of this
Opportunity 5 initial 3 day trip was to
knocks
locate and map existing
trails and rivers, and to
gather information about
Want to be a part 6 human disturbance and
of it?
wildlife in preparation for a
future study. Osam at one of the hunter sheds

2. PAGE 2
From the Director
Welcome to the second certainly was hair-raising at our most beloved mon-
edition of CERCONEWS! times! New opportunities keys passed away, seeing
This month’s update of the and a chance to shine for staff react to the news was
comings and goings in our some of our most dedi- heartbreaking and re-
Calabar and Rhoko sites is cated staff and a few of minded me how much
a mixed bag of emotions. our monkeys too. I’m par- everyone here really cares.
There are heart warming ticularly excited about That in itself continues to
stories of new baby or- Mottie it looks like he will make me really proud of
phans, some coming from get a chance to come full what we are achieving as I
terrible conditions, getting circle in his turbulent life. I know a little bit of that
Claire Coulson, a new life and a second remember him arriving in a compassion rubs off on
CERCOPAN
chance at CERCOPAN HQ. terrible state; witnessing every visitor who walks
Director
We also have excitement such a change of fortunes through our gates. Enjoy
and adventure, and listen- makes wonderful news. this month’s offering and
ing to Sylvain’s recollec- We have, however, also check in next month to
tions of his 4 day explora- been touched by sadness follow everyone’s pro-
tion in the research area it this past month as one of gress!
Mottie’s passport to freedom
‘Originally 18
mangabeys were Our planned how he will get on with difficult even to discern
mona monkey release has the group. that he was a Mona mon-
moved to our been waiting on a suitable key. We all hope Mot-
When Mottie first
forest site but their male to lead the group for arrived at CERCOPAN in tie will prove himself as a
a long time now. Trials 2007 he had some serious good leader and make a
breeding has been with other males have so suitable release candidate.
health issues, mainly due
so impressive that far not yielded the re- to the inappropriate diet After the years spent con-
quired results to allow the given to him by his former fined as a pet it is exciting
we have nearly hit release to go ahead, but to think he may have a
owner. Poor mottie was in
the 50 mark!’ now we are trying with a such a neglected state he chance for ultimate free-
new male, Mottie, to see was almost bald and it was dom.
Our youngest Rhoko
mangabey with our eldest
male, Clyde
New addition to the family
We are pleased to age, but we are very happy selection criteria to select the
announce the birth of a new that they are reproducing so animals most suitable for the
baby mangabey at our Rhoko successfully. first release.
forest site! Blessing, a female Originally 18 man- You never know,
belonging to the group of gabeys were moved to our maybe this latest addition will
mangabeys living in our semi- forest site but their breeding be one of those chosen to
free ranging forest enclosure, has been so impressive that return to the wild and in the
gave birth last month We are we have nearly hit the 50 future this mangabey may be
still unsure of the sex of the mark! We plan to release a the proud parent of truly wild
baby as this is very difficult to group of mangabeys in 2010 born babies.
determine at such a young and are currently determining

3. VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 PAGE 3
“As part of Sub-
Saharan Africa,
Nigeria will be
one of the nations
most impacted by
the expected
climatic changes”
Chief Etan spearheads the push for action on
climate change
On the 21st of Oc- delegates from national and morning’s press event; Chief
tober 2009 Chief Nelson international media bodies Etan and Richard held pri-
E.A. Etan, Clan Head of Iko were treated to a series of vate media briefings and
Esai accompanied Rhoko stirring speeches, highlight- gave a poster presentation
Forest manager Richard ing the need for action to outlining the proposed ac-
Carroll to Abuja to present prepare those most at risk tivities and objectives in
CERCOPAN’s approved pilot for the unavoidable effects these regions.
project on Building Nigeria’s of Global Warming. As part The project aims to reduce
Response to Climate Change of Sub-Saharan Africa, Nige- the vulnerability of target
(BNRCC). The event organ- ria will be one of the na- communities by building
ised by the Canadian Inter- tions most impacted by the awareness, facilitating com-
national Development expected climatic changes. munity adaptive capacity Chief Etan at the High
Agency (CIDA) and NEST With many of her people and providing income diver- Table for the Media
(Nigerian Environmental still dependent on natural sification through a range Conference
action/study Team) was the resources, such as Rainfor- of alternative livelihoods
official launch and media est and mangrove systems, such as fish farming, bee-
forum for the upcoming 2 there is an urgent need to keeping and the domestica-
year programme of activi- put in place methods of tion of traditional forest
ties aimed at building reducing pressure and halt- products.
awareness and adaptive ing the degradation of these By protecting Nige-
capacity to the impacts of resources. ria’s forests this project has
climate change in Nigeria. CERCOPAN in part- an obvious benefit for the
Seated at the high nership with Coastal Life entire planet in the struggle
table for the morning’s me- Initiative (COLIN) and Devel- to control the levels of car-
dia presentations, Chief opment In Nigeria (DIN) are bon in the global atmos-
Etan represented Nigeria’s one of five pilot projects phere.
rural households in this im- accepted for the BNRCC The event was a major suc-
portant watershed event programme. Each project cess and highlighted the
which has great implications focuses on a different eco- benefits of NGO and Com-
for the lives of many of Ni- zone within Nigeria; our munity partnerships in tack-
geria’s most vulnerable focus being the Rainforest ling such major issues.
communities. and Coastal communities.
The assembled Following the

4. PAGE 4
Leo; CERCOPAN’s inspiration
We were very sad what species he was! Pale, avoided fights, resulting in him
this month when Leo, CER- thin, and dehydrated when he never being an alpha male him-
COPAN’s first ever rescued arrived, he was not eating self – this never seemed to
monkey and the inspiration for solid food and taking very worry him and he got along
the founding of the organiza- little milk. As Zena was work- with all other monas he met,
tion, was taken ill quite sud- ing full time for the CRNP at including alpha males. Although
denly and discovered to have a the time, her rescued Alsatian, quite particular about who he
tumour. Leo’s enclosure was Lyka, became his adoptive liked in the human world, Leo
the first one seen when enter- mum. He would ride around had an extremely caring side
ing the CERCOPAN com- perched behind Lyka’s ears and made a fantastic adoptive
pound and there he could like a little jockey, clinging on father to all the young monas
welcome visitors while staff tightly, and sleeping with her who joined him over the years,
explained the start of CER- constantly. Little did he or despite never raising infants of
CERCOPAN COPAN and Leo’s huge role Zena realize what would start his own.
in the organization. as a result! Over the next year Leo was put to sleep after
founder Zena Tooze
Leo arrived in 1991 5 more monkeys joined Leo discovering the tumour, which
with Leo
after being confiscated from and the rest, as they say, is we could do nothing to
his captors as a tiny 4 week history. cure. He had a good, long life
old infant, weighing only 400 Despite his quite while at CERCOPAN and will
grams – the staff of the Cross hair-raising youth, full of es- never be forgotten by those of
River State National Park capes, Leo grew up to be a us who knew and loved him.
(CRNP) were even unsure very peaceful monkey and
‘He was painfully
thin and upon Rescued youngsters get a second chance
closer inspection This month we have getting on famously and are cleaned but unfortunately was
had two new putty-nosed constantly playing. They share too deep to leave without
had a deep guenons and one mona two bowls of milk that they stitches. He has now been
monkey join our resident continually get soaked in as moved in to our quarantine area
infected would in
population! they cling to each other to in an enclosure with much more
his leg and a sore Flexy and Delight , drink, often accidently dunk- space than he’s ever had before.
two putty-nosed guenons, ing each other’s head into the Extremely shy of others, espe-
band around the
were rescued from a milk! cially humans, he spends a lot of
stomach where the compound in Calabar where Our new mona mon- time in a small wooden shelter
they were being kept as pets key had a very unfortu- box, peaking nervously from
rope had cut in to and were about to be sold. nate past, and still has a way inside the door.
A team of four to go until a full recovery. We look forward to
his skin’
CERCOPAN staff went to When our staff went to pick the day when his wound has
confiscate the monkeys, as him up he was tied to a tree healed and he can be moved in
we believed there may be with a chain around his waist. with other monas, learning to
trouble if this was a He was painfully thin and upon socialize and building up his
commercial operation. closer inspection had a deep confidence. For now though, as
Luckily however, the hand infected wound in his leg and a his stitches are sore, he is gently
over went fairly smoothly as sore band around the stom- being welcomed to CERCOPAN
the owners of the monkeys ach where the rope had cut and observing his surroundings
knew about CERCOPAN and into his skin. wearing a protective bandage
the work we do. After some per- that resembles a small corset!
Now Flexy and suasion the owner allowed us
Delight have been moved in to take the monkey into our
Our corseted new-
bie on the road to with another four young care and he was immedi-
recovery putty-nosed guenons: Emma, ately attended to by our vet
Maya, Angel and one we have nurse, Austin.
yet to name. The six are The wound was
CERCO-NEWS
Flexy and Delight: the
adventurous duo

5. VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 PAGE 5
Green light for World Environment Day 2010!
Celebrations that this years theme of biodiversity, and the on-
from the last festivities will the-day speeches, parade, competi-
World be bigger and tions prize giving etc.
better!
Environment It will hopefully be
Day The attended by over 4000 teachers
theme for the and students from the 50
2010 event is ‘Biodiversity; our secondary and 20 primary schools
survival depends on it’. It will involved in our outreach
We are very excited to, involve pre-rally interactive programme. In addition the
yet again, have been chosen by conservation talks with message should reach
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical participating schools, awareness considerably more due to
Garden to receive a funding grant campaigns to visitors and the non-student attendees plus the ‘We would like
contributing towards CERCOPAN’s general public, competitions wide media coverage it receives via
annual ‘World Environment Day’ to say a huge
Including tree planting, 15 minute television, radio and newspaper
event. This year’s rally was a huge dramatizations based on the articles. congratulations
success and we are determined
to Austin,
Abakum, Egu
Opportunity knocks... and Matthew
who have all
received
We would like to say a education department Abakum animal behaviour course in the
promotions this
huge congratulations to Austin, became Education Officer in near future. Matthew will be
Abakum, Egu and Matthew who January 2009. He will be helping CERCOPAN with a captive month!’
have all received promotions this remaining in this position but will putty-nosed guenon study, looking
month! Also to Joshua, who has now be in charge of CERCOPAN’s at the welfare implications of
Austin
just finished his probationary pe- entire education programme, different enclosure designs.
riod and is now a permanent including our televised annual Joshua arrived in May
CERCOPAN staff member! event ‘World Environment Day’ and is the latest member of our
Austin, our vet nurse, and highly successful outreach Calabar Keeper team. We are Abakum
has worked at CERCOPAN for 11 programme. delighted to announce that after
years. He started at CERCOPAN as Egu has also been with his three month probationary
a keeper, progressed to Vet CERCOPAN for many years, having period he has been offered a
assistant and after showing a been employed by CERCOPAN in permanent staff position and we
Matthew
great deal of potential he is now a 1998. Earlier this year Egu was are all very pleased that he has
member of senior staff. In promoted to Head Keeper in agreed to accept it. Joshua has
addition to his veterinary respon- recognition of his excellent work become a valued member of our
sibilities, Austin will now be taking in this field. This position will now team, working hard alongside
on additional tasks including office be a senior staff position and he others. He is building up personal
management, administration, will be fully managing all other relationships with the monkeys in
writing blogs and adoption keepers and be in charge of our care and his favorite is Billy, a
Egu
newsletters ! CERCOPAN’s animal care male mona infamous for his
Abakum started work at programme and enclosure escape artist abilities.
CERCOPAN as a keeper in maintenance and construction. We welcome Joshua in
November 1999. He has been Matthew, a primate to the CERCOPAN family and hope
undertaking a degree programme keeper has also been given he will remain with us for a long
Joshua
part time at the University of additional responsibilities in light time, continuing to learn new skills
Calabar in Environmental resource of his hard work and effort . He and progressing within the
management. After showing recently undertook a primatology organization.
interest and promise in the course and will hopefully begin an

6. WANT TO BE A PART OF IT?
• Make a cash donation to CERCOPAN via our
website...every little helps!
• Stay in touch with our on-going programme
by bookmarking our home page • Buy a gift for friends or family from the
http://www.cercopan.org/ and our Blog site Good Gifts Catalogue (www.goodgifts.org).
http://cercopan.wildlifedirect.org/ You can buy a month's supply of fruit for
growing CERCOPAN orphan monkeys -
• Volunteer for CERCOPAN in either Nigeria or called in the catalogue 'A-peeling Monkeys'
the UK. We offer a range of different for only £20! The price of the gift is passed
programmes so there is something for on to CERCOPAN. So, it is an excellent way
everyone! Visit our website volunteer of solving your gift problems, and support-
section for further details. ing our work! Alternatively visit the CERCO-
PAN gift shop on our website today.
• Help CERCOPAN attain corporate funding. If
you work for a corporate sponsor who may • Donate useful goods and equipment such as
be interested in funding CERCOPAN please building and fencing materials, veterinary
contact claire.coulson@cercopan.org medicines, old laptop computers etc. or
services such as printing, blood testing and
• Undertaken a sponsored event to raise architectural design.
funds for CERCOPAN.
www.cercopan.org
http://cercopan.wildlifedirect.org
All photos in this newsletter were taken at CERCOPAN or Iko Esai
by staff, volunteers and visitors.
Photo Credits: Sylvain Lemoine, Amy Baxter, Richard Carroll, Sam Trull Oskar BrattstrÖm
© Copyright CERCOPAN 2009
Design & Layout by Claire Coulson; Written by Claire Coulson, Amy Baxter, Richard Carroll,
and Sylvain Lemone; Edited by Claire Coulson