蜜芽传媒

Nigeria is in a fight to conserve its natural environment.

Not only are trees threatened by deforestation, but unique species such as the cross-river gorilla are disappearing fast, there are currently only 300 left in the wild because of this loss of habitat, and poaching.

So can be done to support Nigeria's vast environment?

Rachel Ikeme is passionate about her job as a forest conservationist, and she is one of the very few women in this dangerous line of work in the country.

She took some time out to tell Newsday about what drives her to make a difference every day, and to explain how she overcame so many obstacles, including dangerous threats, to do a job she loves.

She says: "There is no way you are working to conserve forests, or to conserve wildlife, that you don't feel the fulfilment of what you are doing, because you are not just helping yourself, you're helping your generation, you're helping future generations."

(Photo credit MOISE GOMIS/AFP via Getty Images)