Edumanom Forest Reserve
Nigeria
The Edumanom Forest Reserve is an area in the Niger Delta region of South East Nigeria that is home to some of the last chimpanzees in Nigeria. It covers part of the old Nembe Kingdom, which is now divided into the Nembe and Brass local government areas, in Bayelsa State and the Akuku Toru local gov
ernment area of Rivers State. The Edumanom forest reserve is a freshwater swamp forest with an area of 9,324 hectares (36.00 sq mi; 23,040 acres). The habitat has been degraded by the oil industry and logging operations. Although there are relatively few roads in the region, hunters can gain access to the forest through the creeks and along oil pipelines. The forest is also under threat from the expansion of oil palm plantations. A proposed federal road from Ogbia to Nembe would run between two of the patches inhabited by chimpanzees in the Edumanom forest. In 1995, hunter's reports suggested that there were 5-10 small chimpanzee groups in the general area, probably with no more than 50 individuals. Older hunters tended to avoid chimpanzee, but younger hunters boasted of killing them. Young chimps captured as a result of hunting typically are sold as pets or to zoos. A June 2008 report noted...
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- Federal University, Otuoke university · 19 km away