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Viewing cable 09ABUJA2293, BALANCING DEVELOPMENT WITH CONSERVATION AT YANAKARI GAME

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09ABUJA2293 2009-12-18 12:21 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Abuja
VZCZCXRO0205
RR RUEHAST RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHSL
RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHUJA #2293/01 3521221
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181221Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7800
INFO RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 2529
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 002293 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W, OES/PCI 
STATE PLEASE PASS FOR USAID/AFRICA/SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DAVID 
ATWOOD 
ACCRA FOR REO FISHMAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV TBIO EAGR ECON NI
SUBJECT:  BALANCING DEVELOPMENT WITH CONSERVATION AT YANAKARI GAME 
RESERVE 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - DO NOT DISTRIBUTE OUTSIDE USG. 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1. (SBU) Regional Environment Officer (REO) and ESTH Officer visited 
Yankari Game Reserve November 19-20 to assess wildlife and forest 
conservation efforts in the state.  The game reserve, Nigeria's most 
well-known wildlife park and home to one of West Africa's largest 
remaining elephant populations, is facing the twin challenges of 
improving its infrustructure and wildlife conservation.  Bauchi 
State, which took over control of the park from the Federal 
Government in 2006, is modernizing the park's infrastructure to 
attract tourists and generate revenue for the state's coffers. 
International NGOs are conducting training programs, with USG 
funding, to help beef up wildlife conservation in the park.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------------------- 
YANKARI:  NIGERIA's WILDLIFE TREASURE 
------------------------------------- 
 
2. (U) Yankari Game Reserve is Nigeria's oldest and best-known 
wildlife sanctuary.  The park was first designated as a game reserve 
by the British in 1956 and its administration oscillated between the 
Federal and Bauchi State Governments muliple times since then.  The 
State Government succeeded in wresting control over the park from 
the Federal Government in 2006.  The state aims to develop and 
modernize the park to turn it into an attractive tourist 
destination. 
 
3. (U) The vast park of more than 2,000 square kilometers consists 
of high-plateau savannah grasslands and scrub forests.  It is 
located about 186 miles northeast of Abuja but because of the poor 
state of the road leading to the park and heavy traffic, it takes 
about seven hours to get there.  (NOTE:  The last 50 miles of the 
road has been recently paved and is in prestine condition.  END 
NOTE).  The park is blessed with a diverse array of wildlife, 
including elephants, lions, hippos, crocodiles, warthogs, buffalos, 
baboons, various species of monkeys, hornbills, kingfishers, and 
bushbuck and waterbuck antelopes.  The park, with an estimated 348 
elephants, is home to one of the largest remaining elephant 
populations in West Africa, according to the most recent survey 
conducted in 2006.  The park boasts two additional draws for the 
potential tourist:  natural hot spring pools and man-made caves, 
which archaeologists believe were dug into sandstone cliffs as 
hiding places during the slave-trade era. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
INFRASTRUCTURE VASTLY IMPROVED UNDER STATE CONTROL 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
4. (SBU) The Bauchi State Government, since assuming jurisdiction 
over the park in 2006, has sunk millions of dollars into modernizing 
the park's infrastructure, which fell into disrepair during the most 
recent period of federal management from 1991 to 2006.  The Nigerian 
National Park Service, according to Yankari's Game Reserve 
management, did succeed in bringing electricity to the reserve 
during its last tenure, despite the general deterioration in 
infrastructure during that period. 
 
5. (SBU) The Bauchi State Government is constructing new guest 
chalets and a conference center.  It has also paved the main access 
road to the game reserve.  The State Government is hoping that all 
of the game reserve's renovations and upgrades will be completed by 
the end of 2010.  State officials expect to attract a steady stream 
Qthe end of 2010.  State officials expect to attract a steady stream 
of tourists and raise entrance fees and lodging rates to generate 
enough revenue to help repay the loans that the state incurred to 
upgrade the complex.  The state intends to transfer management of 
the game reserve to a private international game reserve management 
company, once renovations and upgrades are completed, according to 
the Permanent Secretary to the Bauchi State Government. 
 
-------------------------------- 
BEEFING UP WILDLIFE CONSERVATION 
-------------------------------- 
 
6. (SBU) Both the current game reserve manager and the Permanent 
Secretary to the Bauchi State Government conceded that the park 
rangers were better trained in wildlife conservation, protection and 
enforcement when the game reserve park was under federal management. 
 They said several experienced park rangers left when the state took 
over in 2006 because state salaries and benefits for rangers are 
 
ABUJA 00002293  002 OF 002 
 
 
lower than those paid by the federal government.  The state has 
hired one of Nigeria's most experienced wildlife conservationists, a 
30-year veteran of the National Park Service, to manage the game 
reserve.  But there is no middle management between the manager and 
the ranger staff. 
 
7. (U) The Bauchi State Government Permanent Secretary expressed his 
appreciation for the training and support that international NGOs -- 
with USG funding -- have been providing to park personnel since the 
state assumed jurisdiction over the game reserve in 2006.  The 
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has received financial support 
from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's African Elephant 
Conservation Fund over the past few years to carry out conservation 
and enforcement training in Yankari.  Experts from the North 
Carolina State Zoo, with support from the same fund, have provided 
Yankari with "cyber-trackers" and trained rangers on their use. 
(NOTE:  Cyber trackers are handheld digital devices equipped with 
specially designed wildlife management software and GPS navigation. 
The devices allow rangers to record key data on their patrols, 
including wildlife sightings and enforcement activities.  The data 
is automatically sent to a central database maintained by WCS and 
can be downloaded to a database at park headquarters.  END NOTE). 
Panthera, an international NGO dedicated to the conservation of 
wildcats, also conducted a survey on the park's lion population and 
provided guidance and training to rangers.  (NOTE:  Panthera 
estimates that there are 20-70 lions living in the park and their 
long-term viability is in question without enhanced conservation 
efforts.  END NOTE). 
 
8. (SBU) The game reserve is not enclosed with physical barriers, 
exposing the wildlife to significant threats from poachers and local 
communities that surround the park.  At least five elephants were 
killed by poachers in the last 18 months, according to the reserve's 
manager.  The game reserve employs a ranger staff of 150, including 
20 "reformed" poachers, with good knowledge of the reserve's animal 
population and topography.  However, the rangers lack adequate 
equipment for monitoring and preventing poaching.  The you also need 
training in guiding skills for tourists.  The game reserve also 
needs to upgrad its roads and bridges that make up the main safari 
routes for tourists. 
 
9. (SBU) Local cattle owners graze their cattle in the reserve and 
there is constant encroachement by farmers into the reserved area. 
Reserve officals said there are sometimes conflicts between 
elephants and farmers, when elephants stray outside the reserve into 
adjacent farmland.  Earlier conservation projects, funded by the 
Global Environment Facility, worked with local communities around 
the park to help lessen conflict between the park and cattle grazers 
and farmers. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
10. (SBU) The Bauchi State Government has gotten off to a good start 
in upgrading and modernizing Yankari's infrastructure for attracting 
tourists.  Yankari has great potential, especially if it focuses on 
attracting Nigerian tourists.  However, its remoteness, pricey 
lodging fees, the poor state of Nigeria's roads, and the lack of a 
public transportation system will be major impediments to most 
tourists.  Continued USG and international NGO engagement could help 
improve wildlife conservation, protection and enforcement practices 
Qimprove wildlife conservation, protection and enforcement practices 
at Yamkari Game Reserve. 
 
11.  Embassy Abuja cordinated this cable with ConGen Lagos. 
 
SANDERS