Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos Professor Tanko Ishaya has disclosed that the A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, University of Jos Biological Conservatory, has been converted to a Centre of Excellence and equipped to commence PhD programmes,
He said the university’s senate had approved the conversion following the institute’s strides in the last 20 years and the expansion would allow students to pursue a Ph.D in Ornithology, fostering a new generation of research leaders.
He disclosed these during a public lecture organised by the A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI) University of Jos Biological Conservatory to mark its 20th anniversary which was held at the Naraguta Campus of the University where he urged researchers in the institute to continue to ensure their works impact on society.
Professor Ishaya noted that the institute’s 20 years of existence was more than just a celebration as it signified APLORI’s maturity, exceptional achievements and its prominent role in the field of Ornithology which have attracted talented individuals from across the globe, and placed the University of Jos on the global map.
Speaking on the topic: “Here, There and Back: The Intra-African Migration Story of Woodland Kingfisher” the guest speaker, Dr. Samuel Osinubi, highlighted the importance of collaborative research and the interconnectedness between humans and the natural environment.
Osinubi, who is the project coordinator for the Yukon Salmon sub-committee, Canada and former coordinator of the Conservation Programme, Birdlife Africa called for the restriction on the act of tree felling, saying more trees should be planted to guard against endangering the lives of wildlife and humans.
He pointed out that human activities, animal activities and other natural phenomena are factors that combine to push birds into migration and explained the types of bird migration to include complete, partial, differential and interruptible, adding that Woodland Kingfishers’ movement commonly found in Africa, especially in South Africa could be predictable, cyclic or benefit-based.
Director of APLORI, Professor Adams Chaskda, said the institute was recognised as a major hub for ornithological training and research in Africa, attracting students from across West Africa and recently Zimbabwe.
