Grey-necked Rockfowl - Relationship With Humans

Relationship With Humans

In Cameroon, the Grey-necked Rockfowl is respected by the indigenous peoples and, in some cases, even feared. It is known by many names to the indigenous peoples of Nigeria, with most of the translating to "bird of the rocks" or "fowl of the stream". Hunters sheltering in the rockfowl's nesting caves have been known to kill and eat adult rockfowl, though it is generally thought to be too small to eat and is left for children to hunt. In the 1950s and 1960s, western zoos desired this species, leading to a large demand to collect the rockfowl for display. British conservationist and author Gerald Durrell made this species a target on two of his trips to Cameroon, which he describes in The Bafut Beagles and A Zoo in My Luggage. The trade of this species is non-existent today, and, as the zoo population did not sustain itself despite sporadic breeding, the last captive rockfowl died at the Frankfurt Zoo in 2009. The Grey-necked Rockfowl has been depicted on numerous postage stamps from Cameroon and Nigeria, as well as stamps from Benin and Togo, where it does not live. It is considered one of the most difficult species of bird to see in the wild. The Grey-necked Rockfowl is a symbol for both conservation and ecotourism efforts in its range. This species is considered one of the five most desirable birds in Africa by ornithologists.