Liberia: Ecoguards patrol hundreds of kilometers on foot to protect chimpanzees
Rainforest Rescue has been working with the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF) for several years to preserve the habitat of critically endangered chimpanzees in Liberia. At the heart of this effort are the Ecoguard patrols. The men and women from villages on the edge of the Grebo-Krahn and Sapo national parks are doing an amazing job with tangible success.
1,050 kilometers – as the crow flies, that’s roughly the distance from Land’s End to John O’Groats. Last year, the 32 Ecoguards supported by Rainforest Rescue walked that distance in Grebo-Krahn National Park alone to help protect chimpanzees. Over 263 days, they trekked along an imaginary grid through dense jungle, fording streams and crossing hills.
During their patrols, the men and women from nearby villages discovered 2,142 “signs of human activity,” according to a report by the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF). Evidence documented gold prospecting, tree felling and illegal hunting in the protected area. Six poachers from outside the region who intended to sell bushmeat in Côte d’Ivoire were arrested.
The good news is that compared to 2023, observed “human activities” decreased by 35 percent.
This is a very encouraging sign that the joint efforts of Community Ecoguards and forestry authorities are making an impact.”
Annika Hillers
WCF Liberia
During their patrols, the Ecoguards logged 2,806 wildlife sightings in Grebo-Krahn National Park, including pygmy hippos, forest elephants, and chimpanzees.
Ecoguards also in Sapo National Park
22 Ecoguards were deployed by the WCF in Sapo National Park, with a particular focus on a zone open to tourism. These teams traveled 707 kilometers and detected 658 instances of human activity. 99 percent of these involved poaching. Here too, there was an encouraging decline – half as many cases compared to the previous year.
Creating awareness of nature
In addition to patrolling, the Ecoguards discussed the importance of rainforests and their protection with residents of 63 villages. They clarified what is permitted and prohibited in protected areas. After all, conservation efforts cannot succeed without community support.
Rainforest Rescue will continue collaborating with the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF) in 2025 – we are looking forward to another successful year!
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Protecting wildlife and its habitat
Our work protects iconic rainforest wildlife like gorillas in the Congo Basin, orangutans in Indonesia and jaguars in Brazil, as well as countless others.
Guardians of the jungle: protecting chimpanzee habitat
Chimpanzees are our closest relatives, yet we have pushed them to the brink of extinction. Preserving their habitat is a crucial part of protecting them. Conservation efforts can only succeed in close cooperation with local communities, and women are playing a key role in this work.
Biodiversity
Life on Earth originated around 4 billion years ago. While it initially existed only in the oceans, it later spread to the land and atmosphere. Since then, an unfathomable number of species have evolved, around half of which are insects. Numerous plant and animal species have yet to be documented, and many new ones are being discovered every day.