The CrossRivergorilla is the most western and northern form of gorilla, and is restricted to the forested hills and mountains of the Cameroon-Nigeria border region at the headwaters of the CrossRiver. The CrossRiverGorilla Programme supports the conservation of the world’s rarest great ape through research, community partnerships, habitat protection, and long-term resilience. Through the CrossRiverGorilla Initiative, we will support the next generation of conservation leaders in WestAfrica by supporting graduate students who will conduct research relevant to the conservation of the CrossRivergorilla. Jan 2, 2024 · NCF continues to work with its partners to mobilise stakeholders and muster support to preserve the remaining population and their habitat to prevent the extinction of the gorilla in Nigeria. The extraordinary sightings mark the first successful photos since three graduate students at the University of Calabar in Nigeria began studying this elusive subspecies last year as part of the CrossRiverGorilla initiative. Deep in the misty mountains between Nigeria and Cameroon lives one of the most elusive primates on Earth: the CrossRivergorilla. Sep 24, 2025 · CrossRivergorillas were long believed extinct after Nigeria’s civil war in the late 1960s. Their rediscovery in the 1980s, when a handful were sighted along the banks of the CrossRiver on both the Nigerian and Cameroonian sides, was hailed as a scientific triumph.