Rare monkey's disappearance signals wider biodiversity crisis in West Africa, scientist warns

Professor Edward Wiafe Debrah, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), warned that the possible extinction of one of West Africa's rarest monkeys should serve as a wake-up call for governments and communities to protect nature before more species and the ecosystems people depend on are lost. He spoke during a virtual media engagement organized by the West African Journalists for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (WAJESHA). Professor Debrah stated, "The issue is for us to act now. Protect nature and secure our future."

The disappearance of Miss Waldron's red colobus monkey, once found in the forests of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, reflects growing pressure on biodiversity across the region. Scientists have not conclusively recorded Miss Waldron's red colobus in the wild for decades, and the species is now widely considered possibly extinct. Conservation experts believe intensive hunting and the destruction of its forest habitat largely drove its disappearance. Professor Debrah explained that biodiversity underpins agriculture, fisheries, forestry, tourism, medicine, and many other sectors that sustain livelihoods across West Africa. Nearly three-quarters of the world's food crops, he noted, depend at least part...