Rachel Ikemeh

{{Short description|Nigerian conservationist}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Rachel Ashegbofe Ikemeh

| image = Rachel Ikemeh 00.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Rachel, June 2021.

| other_names = Ashegbofe

| birth_name = Rachel Ashegbofe Ikemeh

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Nigeria

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Nigerian

| education = Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. University of Kent, UK

| occupation = Conservationist

| years_active = 2005–present

| organization =

| known_for = Wildlife conservation and forest preservation.

| notable_works = Primatology

| awards = She won a Whitley award in 2020.

}}

Rachel Ashegbofe Ikemeh is a Nigerian conservationist{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldatlas.com/news/rachel-ikemeh-the-conservationist-battling-all-odds-to-save-a-fast-vanishing-monkey-in-nigeria.html|title=Rachel Ikemeh – The Conservationist Battling All Odds To Save A Fast-Vanishing Monkey In Nigeria|last=Nag|first=Oishimaya|date=23 April 2021|website=WorldAtlas|language=en-US|access-date=6 June 2021}}{{Cite web |date=23 April 2021 |title=Rachel Ikemeh – The Conservationist Battling All Odds To Save A Fast-Vanishing Monkey In Nigeria |url=https://www.worldatlas.com/news/rachel-ikemeh-the-conservationist-battling-all-odds-to-save-a-fast-vanishing-monkey-in-nigeria.html |access-date=2 March 2022 |website=WorldAtlas |language=en-US}} who won a Whitley award in 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sunnewsonline.com/nigerian-conservationist-rachel-ikemeh-earns-whitley-award-for-protecting-newly-discovered-chimpanzees/|title= Rachel Ikemeh earns Whitley Award for protecting newly discovered chimpanzees |last=Jukes|first=Becky|date=29 April 2020|website=Sunnews Online|language=en-US|access-date=6 June 2021}}{{Cite web |last=Uzor |first=Franklin |date=19 May 2020 |title=Nigerian Bags Global Conservation Award |url=https://www.nipc.gov.ng/2020/05/19/nigerian-bags-global-conservation-award/ |access-date=20 March 2022 |website=Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=17 May 2020 |title=Nigerian bags global conservation award |url=https://punchng.com/nigerian-bags-global-conservation-award/ |access-date=20 March 2022 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US}} She is the director{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rachel_Ikemeh|title=Project Director, SW/Niger Delta Forest Project|website=ResearchGate|language=en-US|access-date=6 June 2021}}

of South West and Niger Delta Forest Project, a conservation program for endangered primates as the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee, Red colobus monkey (Piliocolobus epieni) and Benin potto in the respective regions.{{Cite web |date=31 March 2020 |title=Inside the fight to save the Niger Delta red colobus |url=https://news.mongabay.com/2020/03/inside-the-fight-to-save-the-niger-delta-red-colobus/ |access-date=20 March 2022 |website=Mongabay Environmental News |language=en-US}} She has actively been in Nigeria conservation for the past 15 years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelashegbofe/?originalSubdomain=ng|title=Years of Experience in Conservation|website=LinkedIn|language=en-US|access-date=6 June 2021}}{{Cite web |title=Meet the Team |url=https://swnigerdeltaforestproject.org.ng/our-team/meet-the-team/ |access-date=27 February 2022 |language=en-US}}

Ikemeh has been involved in the establishment of two protected areas in Nigeria: a IUCN category II PA in Ekiti State{{Cite web|url=https://news.mongabay.com/2020/04/nigeria-declares-new-conservation-zone-for-most-threatened-chimpanzee/|title=IUCN category II PA in Ekiti State|website=Mongabay|language=en-US|access-date=20 June 2021}} and a community conservation area in Bayelsa State,{{Cite web|url=https://www.rewild.org/press/new-community-conservancy-created-in-nigeria-to-protect-critically-endangered-red-colobus-monkey|title=Community conservation area in Bayelsa State|website=Rewild|language=en-US|access-date=20 June 2021}} Niger Delta, Nigeria.