Mountain gorillas

After the recent census of mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the population of mountain gorillas stands at 880: 480 in the Virunga Massif (based on 2010 census) + 400 in Bwindi (based on 2011 census)

A century of persecution

In 1902, the German explorer Oscar von Beringe became the first non-African to encounter the mountain gorilla. In the ensuing century, a combination of hunting and habitat destruction has driven this very rare primate to the verge of extinction.

To the rescue – the first gorilla champions

But for the intervention and dedication of a handful of people, the mountain gorilla would surely already be extinct. The work of conservationists such as Carl Akeley, George Schaller and Dian Fossey focused global attention on the plight of gorillas

Local heroes

It is the people of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Uganda, for the most part unsung heroes, who deserve the credit for ensuring the survival of the mountain gorilla, and who offer the greatest hope for its continued survival over the coming centuries. The continued protection, monitoring and management of the mountain gorilla and its habitat have demanded huge commitment and cost many lives. The dedication of park staff in the three countries is the chief reason why mountain gorillas are thriving today 
Limited range
Mountain gorillas are effectively divided into two distinct populations. The first is confined to an area of around 330 square kms in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The second is found in the Virunga Volcano Region (VVR), which lies across the international borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Although it comprises one single ecosystem covering approximately 450 square kms, the VVR is separated into three national parks: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, Volcano National Park in Rwanda and the Southern Sector of the Virunga National Park in DRC
Threats to the survivel of mountain Gorillas
The primary threat to mountain gorillas comes from forest clearance and degradation, as the region’s growing human population struggles to eke out a living. Conversion of land for agriculture and competition for limited natural resources such as firewood lead to varying degrees of deforestation. The only way to maintain gorilla habitat is to develop alternative economic activities that allow people to meet their daily needs, so that they see gorillas not as competitors, but as a means of improving their own situation.

Disease

Gorillas are closely related to humans, with similar anatomical and physiological features. This makes them vulnerable to many of the same diseases. Because the gorillas have not developed the necessary immunities, first time exposure to an illness or virus that is relatively innocuous to humans may devastate an entire population. Gorillas live in small groups that may never recover from a sudden fall in numbers brought on by disease. Any human contact is potentially harmful, even life-threatening.
Tourists who visit the gorillas are instructed to keep their distance, but conservationists, scientists, rangers, poachers, militia groups and local communities also pose threats. Some gorillas already suffer from common skin diseases like scabies and mange, which can quickly spread from group to group as families interact. Debris left behind in the park by refugees, poachers and the military is being cleared in order to minimize the contamination risk to wildlife, and a health education programme is helping to combat the threat of disease

Poaching

In the first two decades after their discovery, European and American scientists and trophy hunters killed over 50 mountain gorillas. To this day, poaching continues to jeopardize the gorillas’ survival. Poaching of mountain gorillas for food is extremely rare. It is now largely the result of unselective hunting with snares, which are set to catch antelope, bush pigs and other wildlife but occasionally kill or injure gorillas. In the ’60s and ’70s gorillas were poached for sale to foreigners as trophies and captive specimens. None survived in captivity. Recent events have shown that hunting of mountain gorillas in order to capture babies ‘commissioned’ by unscrupulous dealers remains a very real threat.
In 2002, poaching attempts occurred in all three countries, two of them successful. In Rwanda, two adult females in Susa Group were killed and one baby stolen. A second infant, Ubuzima, was found next to its dead mother and reintroduced to the group. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), four gorillas from an unhabituated group were killed. A three-year old infant, Mvuyekure, believed to be part of this group, was found alive in Rwanda, but died later in captivity. Park guards thwarted two further attempts, in Rwanda and Bwindi respectively. Security throughout the parks has since been increased. In 2004 another mountain gorilla infant was confiscated from poachers by Rwanda authorities. This infant is currently under the care of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Programme (MGVP) in Kinigi, Rwanda. In June 2007 an adult female in Kabirizi group (DRC) was shot and her two month old infant recovered. The infant is currently under the care of MGVP in Goma, DRC..

Other threats

The region’s ongoing conflict and civil unrest are an ever-present risk, while illegal mining in DRC has had a devastating effect on wildlife, including gorillas. At the same time, weak institutional management structures, a feeling of disenfranchisement among local communities, and insufficient regional collaboration all pose serious challenges