Edumanom Forest Reserve, Protected forest reserve in Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Edumanom Forest Reserve is a protected area in Bayelsa State covering 9,324 hectares of freshwater swamp forest within the Niger Delta. The landscape mixes open water with dense forest stands, creating a unique environment where trees and waterways intertwine.
The reserve was established in 1970 when the Rivers State Government designated it as one of 11 forest regions under Eastern Nigeria's Forestry Law. This early conservation effort helped protect the swamp forest ecosystem from rapid development.
The forest takes its name from the Edumanom family of Otuabagi, who continue to hold significant land within the protected area. For local communities, this reserve represents a connection to their ancestral lands and forest traditions.
The site is not accessible by standard roads, requiring visitors to travel through creeks and along established paths near pipelines. Essential gear like compasses and sturdy boots are needed for safe movement through the wetland terrain.
The reserve harbors Nigeria's last remaining chimpanzee populations, a species that has vanished from nearly everywhere else in the country. Alongside these primates live specialized species like the red-faced guenon and rare red colobus monkeys found nowhere else in the region.
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