Dr Caleb Ofori - Boateng , founder and Director ofHerp Conservation Ghana , was recognized by the conservation charityTuskthis calendar week as he was a finalist for theTusk Award for Conservation in Africa . Having started the NGO Herp Conservation Ghana to raise awareness of the pauperization for drastic activity for amphibian preservation , his contributions have seen the discovery of several new species to science and the rediscovery of populations thought to have gone extinct .
Here , he tells us more about his work combating the amphibious defunctness crisis and some of his proudest moment from life in the field .
How does it feel to be shortlisted for the Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa ?
When I take up the challenge of conserving Ghana ’s amphibians , all that I ever wanted was the opportunity to be able-bodied to do something about the amphibious quenching crisis . So being shortlisted for an award really overwhelms me in a very confident sense . I am thrilled about it and I already feel very motivated to do more for species preservation in Africa .
Can you tell us about some of the key milestones on your projection so far ?
I guide the establishment of a enceinte , protected area for endangered frog in Ghana ( Onepone Endangered Species Refuge ) . This is the first time a protect country has been instal in my country for a frog . I am happy about this achievement because it took a mass of effort to realise . First , we have to help citizenry understand the economic value of amphibious conservation which stand in sharp contrast to their cultural beliefs . Second , we had to make a wad of people work together who normally will not figure out together ( politicians of different political inclinations , different kinship group , government agencies etc . ) to actualize this goal . The substitute now protects 11 IUCN peril species and several undescribed butterfly stroke and frog species .
I am inner to have been able to train and wise man over 50 young environmentalist in Ghana and across Africa . I provide training through a residential capacity - building course of study ( Ecology Field School ) that I established for young conservationists in Ghana in 2013 . At least five new preservation NGOs have been lay down by my mentees and beneficiaries of the programme .
I am also excited that my research has contributed to the discovery and verbal description of several new species to science . My excitement stem from the fact that these new discoveries are facilitate to canvas reenforcement and influence political determination for the conservation of not only frogs but other imperiled coinage . For model , because I have nominate the last two newly described frogs after local people and places , Ghanaians , specially the media , have become so concerned in their conservation .
In addition , one of the frog species I described and identify after my mother has become a trigger coinage for the Atewa forest reserve in Ghana to be recognized as an Alliance for Zero experimental extinction Site ( AZE ) . An expanse can experience AZE condition if 95 percent of the entire population of an endangered species live there . With the AZE status , the forest has become a no - go field for company and banking concern that adhere to the agreements for project financing of the International Finance Corporation . This means that hundreds of plant specie , more than fifty mammal metal money , 230 species of birds and 570 metal money of butterflies as well as the source of blank drinking water to five million Ghanaians would be protected .
I have also worked on the institution of a residential area - based ecotourism programme that leave economic opportunities for local communities whilst sustaining wildlife conservation efforts . The ecotourism programme is built around an autochthonic frog species ( Togo slippery frog ) , its waterfall home ground , hilly landscape painting and a canopy walkway .
From a young geezerhood to present mean solar day , what did it take to reach this pointedness in your career ?
Being discover to wildlife at an other age played an important role in getting me enthuse and at last passionate about species preservation . Beyond this , I benefit from experience and training that form my mentation and return me the tools that I believe are helping me succeed . One highlight of these experiences has to do with my personal battle with poverty following the other dying of my father . Not being sure when or where the next meal will come from has helped me to apprize the problems of resource victimization by rural piteous communities and therefore the pauperism for substitute livelihood interventions as part of my conservation employment .
My University Professors , William Oduro and Mark - Oliver Rödel , were a great inhalation to think outside the box in finding solutions to conservation challenge . In addition , I benefitted from a lot of capacitance construction programmes , each bestow on stratum of skill to the other . Most remarkable of these were four hebdomad ’ ecology training in Uganda organised by the Tropical Biology Association , a five - workweek conservation leaders course in Canada as part of the Conservation Leadership Programme award , and a preservation puppet training course of instruction in Kenya organised by the ZSL border of Existence programme .
In terms of internship , some of the most impactful ones were an donnish term drop with Prof. , EJ Milner - Gulland ( ICCS , University of Oxford ) , and a month with Prof. Ken Norris ( during his days at the Centre for Agri - Environmental Research ) , University of Reading . Other very utilitarian internship admit a three - week stay with Mark - Oliver Rödel at the Museums Naturkunde , Berlin and several research visit with a longtime friend and collaborationist , Prof. Adam Leache , University of Washington , Seattle .
Any funny stories from life in the subject ?
The tropic forest is full of stranger and sometimes what you do not know or understand can sincerely terrify you . One night , we heard something sing from inside a river . We were very singular and actually afraid . We conceive that some of the folktales we have listen about spirits inhabiting the forest were really coming true . after that nighttime after several bold searches , we found out that it was a new specie of toad , which we have recently described as the Atewa slippery frog ( Conraua sagyimase ) .
Any challenging moments on the caper ?
Sometimes fieldwork does not go as contrive . At one special time , we walked 12 - hour lost in the woods , hungry because our Global Positioning System could not get secure signal under the obtuse forest canopy to enable us to trace our way home or to the refugee camp . There are time we have to use our field car as an ambulance to help oneself get local hoi polloi in outback areas earlier to the infirmary . In one such event , I had a frightening accident on my paying back to camp .
What ’s one patch of advice you ’d give to someone wanting to embark on the same calling ?
I will say be affirmative , have an inspiring imaginativeness and keep your centre on it . It will help you overcome many obstacles along the way to realise your destination .
