NCF and UniCal Graduate Four in Gorilla Conservation

The Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) and the University of Calabar have collaborated to produce four postgraduate graduates in Cross River gorilla conservation. This partnership, disclosed by Mr.

Uchenna Achunin, Director of Business Development at NCF, has resulted in one PhD holder and three master's degree graduates, with two additional postgraduate students expected to complete their programs by the end of the year. The initiative is part of a broader scholarship scheme aimed at building local capacity in wildlife conservation research, particularly to safeguard the critically endangered Cross River gorilla.

The project is currently in its final implementation phase, with the next Project Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for November to review progress. The partnership, which began in 2022 and is set to conclude in August 2027, is funded by the Wilder Institute and Calgary Zoo in Canada, focusing on strengthening conservation efforts for one of the world's rarest primate species.