1. CERCO‐NEWS
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 12 D E C 2 0 1 0
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
Begin with end in 1
Begin with the end in mind
mind
On Jan 1st 2011, we will that take multiple years to of the Plan’s release, we can
From the 2 publish CERCOPAN’s 2011‐ come to fruition. say that a critical strategic
Director 2016 Strategic Plan. You will And in our case, we also element of the Plan involves
find the document on our must address the reality that an alliance with the
Bottled mischief 2 web site www.cercopan.org key members of our University of Calabar
immediately the New Year organisation, especially our (UNICAL).
begins, and it will lay out the international volunteers, will Presently our captive
Appointment 2 programme for all in our only be with us for 2‐3 years, care primates are housed on
1/1/11 organisation (and its support so we have to provide a rented premises, and with
network) on a long‐term ground plan that survives our growth over the years
Sowing the seeds 3 basis. the incumbents of particular we are at full capacity, with
of change The need for a Strategic positions. no recourse to address
Plan, while important to any The Strategic Plan not future intakes. Furthermore,
Slow food 4
organisation, is even more only establishes the Goals economic growth in Calabar
necessary in our we need to achieve for the is putting pressure on the
circumstances. While most next 5 years to steer land to be used for
business in a company gets decision‐making within the alternative purposes, so we
A sweet way to 4 done on a day‐to‐day basis organisation so that it is face the constant spectre of
earn a living dealing with short‐term always pointed in a uniform eviction.
issues, meaning that focus direction, but it also gives Land donated by UNICAL
Our man in 5 on consistent themes credence to those who will readily accommodate
Havana provides efficiency and provide funds for our work. our needs, and a planned
effectiveness, for us it is Often when we make educational partnership with
especially vital that we know grant applications, we are the University will be the
Back at the 5
where we are heading, since asked about sustainability cornerstone of a drive to
double
in the conservation world for the future. How will the build capacity within Cross
we are dealing with issues successes from one year of River State to manage its
Want to be a part 6 funding play out into globally significant
of it ? the future? Will the environmental treasures.
work die once the funds The move, long‐planned,
are spent? will have to be conducted in
The answer is that one stages, given the nature of
year of funding will project‐based funding that
Our Strategic Plan contribute vitally, we remain reliant on. The
document encom‐ precisely because the threat of being moved from
passing Strategies donation is directed at a our present site is very real
component of a and acute, and we urgently
and Goals for the
programme, and not a seek donations, support,
next 5 years one‐off event. That contacts, and leads for
argument becomes funding mechanisms to be
abundantly clear once able to take the first steps of
you have a Strategic securing the site. Please see
Plan in view. the back page for points of
Without giving too contact if you are able to
much away in advance help
2. PAGE 2
From the Director
For my friends who They are about the size cease to charge my
have never visited Nigeria, of a small rat and make a imagination.
my life is a constant source very popular dish across I’m not sure yet what
of amusement. Even with the country. They also new story the Christmas
three sources of provide an excellent season will bring me to
electricity, I am usually source of protein in rural keep my friends’ spirits up,
without, but when one is communities that can but in wishing you, our
on I can get electrocuted substitute for bush‐meat. supporters, all the very
by touching fruit! They Once you have the back‐ best at this time of year, I
don’t realise that these ground it all makes sense! can only hope that some
things are quite normal. Mysterious tales of of you have as much fun as
The concept of ‘black magic’ Juju can I know I will in the coming
Claire Coulson
teaching women in a frequently confound and weeks.
CERCOPAN
remote village to farm bemuse new visitors to And in celebrating the
Director
snails (see below) might Nigeria. But with careful New Year please take our
seem to fall into the same research and explanation tip for your resolutions
category if you’ve only (see our article on the further down on this page!
ever eaten snails as penultimate page), these
‘escargot’ in a fine French practices can be a
restaurant. But no, the fascinating source of
snails here, like many interest, and long chats
things, are different. with my staff here never
Would you like
a groom?
Bottled mischief
This month saw the for her to recover and now often flip suddenly onto
arrival of another she is full of spirit and a her back for a belly rub if
orphaned monkey. little obsessed with any people are around.
Whisky is an 18 grooming herself, being The ever growing
month old female groomed and grooming crèche is now up to seven
mona monkey. anything with a pulse. youngsters. We teamed
She arrived with She is absolutely full of her up with Casper,
rope wounds energy and mischief and Chelsea, Flexi and Bingo,
around her waist spends her days bouncing as newbies Cranny and
and was very thin around her enclosure (and Ekun were finding her
and dirty. the office whenever she persistent grooming a little
It didn’t take long gets a chance) but will bit full on!
Appointment 1/1/11
Thinking ahead to a with all your friends, and and your totals raised are
“The new you fresh start in the new you’ll be raising money all taken care of by the
is only a few clicks year? Will it finally be the for charity at the same website.
time when you kick that time. With your friends
away!”
habit, or is it that you There are many committed to your cause,
need to kick yourself so websites that help you how can you not be?
that you get back into quickly build your If you go to both
shape at last? fundraising page. Then www.justgiving.com and
Well an excellent way you just choose your www.everyclick.com you’ll
to make your New Year’s charity, and share your find CERCOPAN already
resolutions easier to keep page with your friends. registered. The new you is
is to go public on them Your friends’ donations only a few clicks away!
3. VOLUME 2, ISSUE 12 PAGE 3
Sowing the seeds of change
CERCOPAN’s forest site,
Rhoko, has played host
again to students from
community schools in four Young visitors from the
villages this year. Visitors village of Owai at the
from Owai, Iko Esai, Agoi end of the Nature Trail
and Iko Ekperem all came at
various times to our camp
to listen and learn about
forest conservation and to
visit our monkey
inhabitants.
While we also routinely
visit the schools themselves
to give conservation
education talks, the visits to medicinal plants. These counts well below the level
the forest provide a much products will be available where they could possibly
more formative experience for ever, provided they are be hunted in any
for individuals. The not over‐harvested, and the sustainable way, we can
Education Centre, our semi‐ eco‐system is not stress the critical
free Red‐capped mangabeys irreparably damaged. importance of imposing a “Perhaps the most
and a nature trail through By comparing Rhoko ban on hunting monkeys,
the forest allow us to bring forest visually to the and working to reintroduce
important concept
home the benefits of forest immediately surrounding groups back into the wild to we can get across
conservation with much degraded neighbourhood, restore natural population to these young
greater impact. we can point out why levels.
Perhaps the most community agreements These efforts not only minds is that of
important concept we can such as a total ban on guarantee the species’ sustainable
get across to these young logging, barring outsiders survival, but benefit the
minds is that of sustainable from gathering NTFP general health of the forest management of
management of their products, and farm zoning as well. their forests”
forests. will allow sustainable future The schools day‐out
All of these school‐ use of the forest. programme is a continuing
children understand full well Our staff also work with success story, as young
how vital the forest is to the students to explain how generations learn about the
their families as a provider the forest is a totality of importance of forest
of income from Non‐Timber diverse inter‐dependent conservation and spread the
Forest Products (NTFP), e.g. species. word throughout their
cane rope, afang, and With monkey species’ communities.
Iko Esai school‐children
in front of the Education
Centre at Rhoko
4. PAGE 4
Slow food
This month CERCOPAN very good source of income Snails can lay up to 1,200
invited Concern Universal, that does not require a lot eggs in a year, and with the
an NGO based in Calabar, to of time or money, and can proper care all of these eggs
come to Agoi Ibami to train be done on a group or can survive to maturity to
a group of men and women individual basis. lay eggs themselves. Snail
on how to farm the African Nine people attended meat is very healthy and
Giant snail. this first training session provides a good source of
Snail farming can be a and all plan to start their protein for all the family.
own small snail The group members plan
farm with to build their own small
assistance from individual snail houses, and
CERCOPAN. The breed snails for sale in local
Classroom
training was markets where they are not
training on very interactive commonly available to buy.
snail farming and included Many people enjoy the
information on sweet meat of snails and the
how to breed, group all believe that this
manage and small business will help
sell snail meat them to support their
for the best families and improve their
profit. lives.
A sweet way to earn a living
In the build up to The beekeeping group in
Christmas, the prices in Iko the village have just
Esai’s market have been harvested four litres of
rising. Whilst this would honey from one of the
usually be cause for beehives provided by
complaint, this month there CERCOPAN, and believe
are quite a few people in they can make a bumper
the village who are pleased profit due to the season.
by the turn of events Not only is the honey itself More beehives under construction
because as a result of useful, beeswax from the
CECOPAN’s efforts in the honeycombs can be used to women have to become
community they have goods treat wood, including the m o r e f i n a n c i a l l y
to sell. new hives that are being independent.
constructed by a local Whilst bee‐keeping is
carpenter for the group. relatively inexpensive, there
When we organised a are real costs involved for
workshop to increase the wood and carpentry work
number of people in the Nevertheless, the demand
community benefiting from for honey in the community
beekeeping, over 15 young far exceeds the available
women indicated interest. supply, and we expect that
They will be provided with with the provision of eight
Joy Ekpe group hives once the more beehives, the group
with the first training is completed. The will be able to build their
harvest income from beekeeping business to the level that it
can be substantial and it is can fund its own future
one of the few means young expansion.
5. VOLUME 2, ISSUE 12 PAGE 5
Our man in Havana
When it comes to years studying the Cross River
holidaying in Africa, the Ékpè culture and its influence Osam revealing
numbers show that the in the Americas, in particular the Cuban con‐
preferred destinations are on the Cuban Abakuá culture. nection
Morroco, Egypt, Kenya and He visited Rhoko recently to
South Africa. So you might further his research.
expect that cultural During his visit to our site,
influence on the rest of the Dr Miller interviewed one of
world from Nigeria, since it our patrol staff, Osam, about
is much less visited, would his experiences with Ékpè. The
be rather low. Ékpè society, highly secretive,
But this is not the case. is very intertwined with the
The Nigerian diaspora country’s belief in Juju – a
caused by the slave trade type of magic and spirit belief.
means that long‐standing Osam comes from a family
beliefs and practices west of with strong Juju ties and many
the Atlantic from Brazil to of his forefathers (and some and filmed by Dr. Miller but he,
Cuba can be tied back to of his current family) were and the rest of us at “….long‐
deep‐rooted Nigerian Juju practitioners. Osam’s CERCOPAN, are pleased that
cultural traditions. stories of past events have Osam could be such help, and standing beliefs
Dr. Ivor Miller from the always been a highlight to we are looking forward to and practices
African Studies Center in volunteers and visitors passing reading Dr. Miller’s study upon west of the
Boston University and also through, and offer excellent completion. Atlantic from
working in the Department insight into the ways of the If you are interested in Brazil to Cuba
of History for the University Ékpè culture. finding out more, check out
of Calabar, has been in Osam was surprised to http://afrocubaweb.com/ can be tied back
Nigeria now for several find his interview recorded ivormiller/ivormiller.htm to deep‐rooted
Nigerian cultural
traditions”
Back at the double
Tjark Plat, a short‐term enough e n c l o s u r e
volunteer originally from construction and maintenance
the Netherlands returned to jobs to keep him very busy
Nigeria this month for the during his time here.
first time in ten years. In Another second‐time
2000 he spent three months volunteer, Joe Brophy, is also
working at CERCOPAN back in‐country. Joe was here
building Rhoko Camp, and in the early summer offering
from there he became the his amazing tree‐climbing
Site Maintenance Manager skills at our service.
and later Facilities Manager Joe is also no ordinary
at Wild Futures, a primate handyman himself, and we
sanctuary in the U.K. took full advantage of those
At Wild Futures Tjark is capabilities last time around.
responsible for the design But on this visit, we are researchers. Tjark (left) already
and construction of monkey hoping that Joe can spend For example, many butterfly
hands‐on after a
territory, along with overall more time in the canopy on species are confined to living
site maintenance. A perfect the end of a rope. within a few tens of metres of 10 year gap
fit for our needs! There is a lot more to learn ants nests built high up on tree
We are delighted that he about the ecology of the trunks. And our understanding
has decided to return for canopy, and now we have a of the feeding ecology of our
two months to volunteer his rare chance to gather new monkey species will benefit
skills and expertise for us, data that is normally from gathering samples from
and we already have unavailable to o u r the levels where they forage.
