Cross River National Park received and reintroduced 5 White-bellied pangolins at the Erokut axis of the Park.
These scaly endangered mammals were intercepted and confiscated in Ikorodu by Nigeria Customs Ogun1 Command – as a result of awareness from the Nigeria Customs Special Wildlife Office supported by Focused Conservation.
While practically reintroducing these species and offering prayers for them to multiply, the Conservator of Parks; CRNP, CP Joseph Assam Ntui, appreciated men of the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders in the fight against Wildlife trafficking and reiterated the Services’ resolve to collaborate with other agencies (both government and non-governmental) to checkmate illegal wildlife trafficking of species across the Nigerian borders, while providing a safe haven for them.
Also in their reactions, Lindsay Maess of Focused Conservation – in representation of Nigeria Customs Special Wildlife Office, and Dr. Tochukwu Anigbo (Greenfingers Wildlife Conservation Initiative), stressed the need to protect these endangered species, which face imminent danger of extinction if the activities of traffickers are not checked over time. They also pledged to do more at ensuring wildlife species are protected from illegal trade across the Nigerian borders.
This marks the third batch of releases of the White bellied pangolin in Cross River National Park through Inter-agency collaboration between National Park Service, Nigeria Customs Service , Focused Conservation, Greenfingers Wildlife Conservation Initiative and Wildlife Conservation Society .
