By Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The Conservator of Parks (CP) of Gashaka Gumpti National Park in Taraba State CP Joseph Ntui on Saturday disclosed that lions, hippos and Cheetahs are feared locally extinct at the park as they have not been sited for several years despite intensified surveillance.
The CP disclosed this at the Gashaka Gumpti National Park while interacting with journalists who are currently conducting a tour of the park at the instance of Africa Nature Investors (ANI), a Non Governmental Organisation with interest in conservation and climate change mitigation.
Ntui said that the park remains the largest, most scenic and most diverse park in the country with several species of birds, fishes, butterflies, mammals and plants and other unique life forms that has made it a living laboratory for research and experimentation.
He noted that the disappearance of the Wildcats and hippos may not be unconnected to activities of poachers and hunters as well as farming and other illegal encroachment on the parks which may have forced the animals to take up refuge elsewhere.
“So far, we use to have cheaters and lions here but we have not sited them for a long time now despite improved surveillance. Our last siting of hippopotamus at the Hippo pool was about Five years ago. And so we are tempted to believe that they are locally extinct.
“You know, conservation generally is a difficult job in Nigeria because of the attitudes of the people. People are yet to come to terms with the overwhelming need for conservation. And so they feel their common heritage is taken over and handed to the control and benefits of a few people.
“We have the problem of people still going into the park to hunt these animals for meat. We have poachers at their game. We have farmers wanting to encroach at all cost and herders insisting on grazing on the park lands. In fact, the grazers will tell you that the grass on the park is more palatable than the one outside the park. All these are factors that drive wildlife away. The idea of a park is for them to be able to operate in their natural habitats without undue human interference”.
He further disclosed that, with the intervention of ANI, the rangers are better trained and equipped to patrol the park and tackle threats to life of the park.
“ANI is an NGO that partners with the park service to support conservation works within the national park by providing financial and technical support. The partnership has brought funding for training and purchase of equipment. We have more patrol vehicles, canoes and an helicopter.
“We had a situation where rangers walk for several days to get to certain locations. That has been taken care of. The helicopter is a game changer. It makes it easier to drop rangers at locations for patrols. The coming of ANI has improved our operational efficiency and effectiveness. The helicopter is for patrol and surveillance and deployment of rangers”.
The CP further disclose that “the UNESCO Volunteer team is currently conducting studies that will enable the park to be upgraded to a World Heritage Site. They were in the state a few days ago and will be coming back in a week’s time to continue with the process. There are some things they need to be sure about before they can develop the template that will qualify us as a world heritage site. So we are open to partners for the development of the park in any significant ramification”.
