Nigerian conservationist wins award for monkey protection
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
Rachel Ikemeh, a conservationist in Nigeria, received a 2026 Rolex Award for her work with local communities to protect the critically endangered Niger Delta red colobus monkey, known locally as epieni.
The monkey population declined from an estimated 10,000 in 1993 to just hundreds by 2013 due to habitat loss and hunting. In 2021, Ikemeh and her colleagues established a 1,010-hectare community-protected area in Apoi, a town within the monkey’s range, and later expanded this model to neighboring communities.
By 2024, the monkey population within the protected forest doubled to between 180 and 200 individuals. Ikemeh believes this success stems from a shift in community attitudes, with residents now viewing the monkeys as a source of local pride. The Apoi community has already shared its conservation model with six other communities. Despite this progress, threats to the epieni remain, including oil pollution, logging, overfishing, hunting, and mining.
Ikemeh also noted that funding for conservation efforts is often limited to short-term projects and that economic hardship continues to pressure local communities. The $123,000 Rolex Award will allow Ikemeh’s team to establish four new community conservation areas around Apoi, including the region’s first locally managed marine conservation area, and launch a mobile environmental education program.
