Worldwide, the major threats to non-human primates are habitat destruction and hunting. The way in which these factors affect primates is of increasing concern to conservation biologists. To date most studies of wild primates have occurred in habitats with little or minimal anthropogenic disturbance and where human predation is negligible, such as in wildlife sanctuaries. Studies that emphasize the human impact are less common, even though human-affected environments are ubiquitous compared to locations with little or no human effect. Consequently, conservation biologists urgently require data on how primates respond to disturbance and hunting in order to develop appropriate conservation strategies and spend limited funds wisely.

The endangered Nigerian monkey (or Sclater's guenon, Cercopithecus sclateri) is an ideal species through which to investigate such questions. The species is endemic to southern Nigeria -- a region of human density, environmental degradation, and oil production. At present, the Nigerian monkey has no effective protection across its entire range, except in three communities where it is culturally taboo to hunt monkeys. There are a few forest reserves in which the species occurs, but these offer no wildlife protection, and many have been converted into agricultural plantations. Additionally, although the Nigerian monkey is protected by national and international laws, there is essentially no awareness or enforcement of these laws.

This project comprises two studies, which occur in three areas considered conservation priorities for the species:

1) development and implementation of a sampling technique to estimate the occupancy of hunted monkeys in the Okoroba-Emago community forests in Bayelsa State, Niger Delta;

2) an investigation of changing attitudes toward the Nigerian monkey in two Igbo communities where the species is presently considered sacred due to traditional beliefs. The project also aims to train and empower local Nigerian assistants and students.

The project's objectives include the following:

1) determine percent of area occupied by the Nigerian monkey and other diurnal guenons in a Niger Delta forest;

2) evaluate covariates of human impact and habitat that most affect occupancy and habitat use of guenons;

3) identify key factors that influence attitudes of Igbo people toward locally protected monkeys (intra-site variation);

4) determine key factors that affect any differences in attitudes toward locally protected monkeys between two Igbo communities (inter-site variation).