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About CERCOPAN |
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Founded in 1995 by Canadian Zena Tooze, CERCOPAN is now one of the
leading environmental non-profit, non-government organizations working
for conservation in Cross River State, Nigeria, with excellent
relationships with government at both state and federal levels, and with
a support organisation in the UK (registered charity 1116955). Our
primary areas of work are primate rehabilitation, environmental
education, community rainforest conservation, and research. CERCOPAN has
two sites, our administrative and primate rehabilitation headquarters in
Calabar, and our international research and education centre at Rhoko,
Iko Esai (our community partners). Partners include the Cross River
State Forestry Commission, the Cross River National Park and the
University of Calabar.
Zena came to Nigeria in 1991 to work as a CUSO volunteer for the newly
formed Cross River National Park - this is when she became passionate
about the plight of primates in West Africa. Out of this passion, and
her combined background in veterinary nursing and zoology, CERCOPAN was
born, which always had education and primate conservation as its primary
purpose. Zena's vision was always to form a international centre where
young people of Nigeria could learn from each other, in partnership with
the international community, and appreciate different way of thinking
about their environment. In Nigeria, there wasn't a lot of time left -
but there was a love of life and welcome from the Nigerian people which
made it all seem possible...
Our Administrative headquarters is in Calabar, the capital of Cross
River State, Nigeria. A bustling and busy Nigerian city, Calabar is
steeped in history, and a clean and friendly place to live. Here we also
have an extensive education outreach and visitor programme, along with
our quarantine and major initial rehabilitation programme for orphan
primates. Visitors are welcome to the centre 7 days per week, 9am to
5pm. Over 130 primates have been rescued over the past 12 years,
primarily through donations and often as a direct result of our
education programme. These primates are in varying stages of
rehabilitation at CERCOPAN, and serve as ambassadors for the
conservation of their species.
Source: Official web of
CERCOPAN (2008)
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