Fewer than 300 Cross River gorillas are estimated to remain in the wild, in forests along the border of Cameroon and Nigeria. They are the rarest of the four gorilla subspecies.
Habitat loss, hunting and increasingly fragmented forests threaten their survival. Protecting these gorillas requires sustained conservation efforts and the involvement of the communities living alongside them.
The Gorilla Foundation partners with Community-Based Biosynergy Management (CBBM) in Cameroon to monitor and protect Cross River gorillas, helping the remaining population survive and, in time, grow.
From Empathy to Action
At the heart of this work are the Koko Guardians, members of local communities who learn about the intelligence, emotions and family lives of gorillas. Local educators share the Koko Signs app, videos of Koko and Michael, and stories like Koko’s Kitten and Michael’s Dream.
The goal is empathy. When people see gorillas as thinking, feeling beings with families and personalities, protecting them becomes personal.
Some Koko Guardians also serve as Koko Rangers, working in the forests where the gorillas live. They look for signs of gorilla activity, set and check camera traps, map where gorillas are living, contribute to population surveys, and help protect the gorillas and their forest.
Our Partnership
Dr. Denis Ndeloh founded CBBM in Southwest Cameroon in 2022. His connection to The Gorilla Foundation goes back more than two decades. In 2000, we honored him with our Wildlife Protectors Award, which supported his doctoral research on Cross River gorilla conservation. Today Denis is an experienced leader in conservation, community development and education, and a valued partner in protecting these gorillas for the long term.
Our work focuses on Cameroon and complements the efforts of organizations protecting Cross River gorillas in neighboring Nigeria.
Our Approach: Conservation through Communication
The Gorilla Foundation uses the stories of Koko and Michael to help people understand gorillas as intelligent, emotional beings and inspire those living closest to them to become their strongest protectors.
Education builds connection, while community-based conservation creates opportunities to turn that connection into action.
Where We Work
Our work began in the Mawambi Hills on the Cameroon side of the border. Field monitoring there has documented gorillas through camera traps, nests and other signs of their presence.
In 2026, the project expanded to Mone Forest Reserve and Mount Oku, bringing local monitoring and community engagement to three forest areas.
Our goal is to expand into additional Cross River gorilla habitats in Cameroon, supporting more local Koko Guardians, strengthening monitoring and gathering better information about where the gorillas live and how to protect them.
Over time, we hope to extend this community-centered model across the Cross River gorilla range, in collaboration with conservation partners in Nigeria.
How You Can Help
Protecting Cross River gorillas means keeping local conservation teams in the forest, providing equipment and training, and expanding monitoring into areas where these rare gorillas still survive.
Your support can help Koko Guardians continue this important work and give Cross River gorillas a better chance for the future.
We also welcome individuals, organizations and conservation partners interested in contributing expertise or collaborating with us.
If you would like to support the Cross River Gorilla Project, explore a partnership, or learn more, please reach out:
