15 January 2009: Three projects aimed at countering the gorilla’s slide towards extinction were spotlighted as the international Year of the Gorilla (YoG) 2009 got underway with a “Gorillas on Thin Ice” event. The projects, which were drawn up by the UN Environment Programme Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UNEP/CMS), seek to boost the prospects for the Cross River Gorilla, which is Africa’s rarest ape.

One project involves gathering more scientific data on the Cross River Gorilla population in Cameroon and Nigeria to improve species and habitat conservation. Under the UNFCCC, governments are considering funding forests in order to reduce deforestation and the release of greenhouse gases, and the identification of suitable new habitat and the potential for accessing newly emerging multi-million dollar carbon funds could prove crucial for the long-term prospects of gorillas. The project is to assess whether Cross Gorilla habitat might prove attractive to investors, thus boosting conservation, local livelihoods and the fight against climate change. [UNEP Press Release]