| |
|
|
| |
About Drill Ranch |
|
| |
Founded in 1991 the DRBC is the region’s first primate rehab project.
Illegally held drills orphaned by hunting are donated by local citizens
or handed over after seizure by authorities; no animals are purchased or
removed from the wild. Over 75 drills have been recovered, and
rehabilitated to life with members of their own species, after thorough
medical screening. In western zoos, drills have reproduced poorly, but
the DRBC has recorded over 250 births to rehabilitated wild born parents
and their offspring, making the project the world’s most successful
captive breeding program for an endangered primate. Today, 286 drills
live in 6 family groups, each in their own natural habitat electrified
enclosure of up to 9 ha. There are plans to release the first group back
to the wild in 2008.
Drill Ranch is also home to 28 orphan chimpanzees. As man’s
closest relative, the chimpanzees add greatly to visitor education by
stimulating interest and sympathy for wildlife.
The project has two sites. The original site in Calabar, the
Cross River State capital is where it all began. Today, “Drill Ranch
Calabar” serves as the project headquarters, office, quarantine facility
for new animals and our veterinary surgery, with housing for the
directors and rotating volunteer staff. One of the project’s 6 drill
breeding groups is also here so everyone who lives in or visits the
state capital has the opportunity to see drills. This group now numbers
39 animals in 4 generations, including our first drill, named “Calabar”,
now a great grandmother.
Drill Ranch Calabar is also home to our chimpanzee nursery -
the project’s youngest chimps live here where they can receive the
round-the-clock care and supervision they need before moving to Afi at
age 6-8 years
Drill Ranch Afi Mountain is the project’s field site, and the
destination for animals clearing quarantine in Calabar. Here are 5 drill
groups, each in their own electric fence enclosure of natural drill
habitat. Most project drills, descendants of wild born orphans received
in years past, were born at Afi Mountain and have lived in the forest
all their lives. The chimpanzees have their own enclosure which is
undergoing a massive expansion and will be nearly 20 hectares of primary
forest once completed.
Both Drill Ranch project sites are open to the public free of
charge, 365 days a year. Thousands of people, mostly local citizens who
share the drill’s habitat, thus have the opportunity to see
natural-sized drill family groups and chimpanzees and learn about the
animals and the challenges these species face in the wild. Every visitor
receives a guided tour by a staff member and free handouts to carry
home. In Calabar, Drill Ranch is a popular excursion for nursery,
primary and secondary school students, and undergraduate and graduate
students from the University of Calabar and beyond. Conservation
education and awareness is a part of everything we do.
Drill Ranch Afi is in the Boki tribal or local government
area, and is a 4 hour drive north from Calabar. The project site is
nestled at the foot of Afi Mountain, and was designed to serve as the
impetus for a local conservation initiative. Pandrillus started with
full time staff there on the ground in 1993 and moved the first animals
there from Calabar in 1996.
Drill Ranch is the largest private employer in Boki,
providing alternative incomes to mostly young men who might otherwise
practice slash & burn agriculture, hunting or logging. Recently, Drill
Ranch has emerged as a popular eco-tourism destination helping support
the project, and attracting positive attention of government to the
potentials and needs of the area. Ecotourism developed as a partnership
between Pandrillus and the Cross River State government who supported
the construction of guest cabins and installed a world-class rain forest
canopy walkway nearby.
Source: Official web of
Pandrillus (2008)
|
|
|
|
|
