Hi all, Zena here. I have just returned from a manic 3 weeks in Nigeria and I wanted to share the experience of finally being able to release 3 mona monkeys (for those of you who know - July (see right - image captured from video), Nko and Bebi), all rescued orphans, into protected community forest.
The culmination of 12 years of highs and lows, impossible to summarize in a few words... I am very happy to say some of my family from Canada were there to witness the event (nephews Mathew and Nathan - their first time to Africa!), as well as former volunteer Jennifer (Schell) Snell. Chief Owai, (village head) and Chief Etan (clan head) of Iko Esai were also there, and the research assistants and keepers from Iko Esai who have been looking after them and observing them since they moved to Rhoko site in 2004. Other personalities from Iko Esai were also there, including Pastor Ankpor, as well as Etan from Cross River Broadcasting Corporation to record everything on film, and the Forestry Commission.
It was a finger biting week, as the official final letter of permission only was in our hands on Tuesday morning, the original scheduled day for the release! However, the night before we had discovered one of the radio collars placed on them 2 weeks before (July's - very key as the adult male!) was no longer working. AARRRGGHH. A call to Calabar and yet another postponement was necessary, and our vet Uche traveled up from Calabar on Tuesday evening in order to sedate July and change his collar - yes, luckily we had a spare! All went smoothly and new collar was working. And the release was now set for the Thursday November 1st.
Yet more nail biting, as our dignitaries coming from Calabar were over an hour late....yes, they got stuck on the road in! At 500pm they rolled up, just as I was writing a note that we would have to go ahead without them, as we wanted to give the monkeys time before dark to explore the outside environment and find a good place to sleep for the night. So after a brief introduction on what would happen and how to behave, we trooped off to the site of the release enclosure in middle of the protected forest.
One more drama on the day... Nko, a very experienced and intelligent female was first out (although looking a bit suspiciously at the suddenly opened door), followed closely by Bebi who stuck to her side throughout. However, July was very suspicious and paced back and forth for several minutes, probably thinking we wanted to catch him up again and having none of it. We all moved back even further out of sight to reassure him, but he still wasn't sure. Then Nko and Bebi went back to the door and seemed to encourage him, calling to him. He suddenly stopped pacing, looked... and then bolted through the door and down the Buttress trail with the females right behind him, and the research assistants hot on their heels. Suddenly it was over and they were all out of sight! Interviews by television followed immediately - I am afraid I have no idea what I said, but I was assured by others that it made sense. And then, only as we were on the way back to camp to entertain our visitors with pounded yam and melon soup did it hit me, and tears of relief and excitement came. Na wow. What a day.
Stay tuned here for stories about the trio's adventures, as they are being followed dawn to dusk by volunteer Sylvaine Lemoine and our three research assistants, Ayitu, Usor and Etan. And hopefully some pictures - it was so dim in the forest, and so exciting, that no one got any still photos! But a short film can be seen provided by Jenn- check out the news item on the website.
Also stay tuned to meet Claire, who will introduce herself when she is back from a well deserved leave in the UK.
No comments:
Post a Comment