African Mountain Gorilla Population Growing Due to Conservation Efforts

Good news for environmental conservationists: a new survey shows that the number of critically endangered African mountain gorillas has now risen to over 1,000. They have been designated a critically endangered species since 1996. Now, they are the world’s only great apes to be growing in number.

The mountain gorillas are found only in the Virunga Massif region, which is dominated by a chain of extinct volcanoes that covers parts of Rwanda, Uganda, and Congo, as well as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. However, the Virunga Massif lies in an area plagued by political instability and violence.

According to the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), war in the Democratic Republic of Congo—which has claimed over four million human lives over the past—has led to a loss of resources and decline of wildlife tourism. The welfare of the mountain gorilla population in Virunga National Park has, in turn, been negatively affected.

In the past, mountain gorillas dwindled in number due to poaching, illness, and habitat loss. According to the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), these gorillas have endured years of war, hunting, and human encroachment since their discovery in 1902. As humans pushed further into the gorillas’ territory for commercial logging, subsistence farming, and for building roads, the gorillas have been forced to move to higher elevations, and thus, must endure colder and harsher weather conditions.

Overall, gorillas in Africa face great risk of extinction due to the prevalence of the commercial trade in bushmeat throughout western and central Africa, particularly in urban areas. Although they only represent a small proportion of animals whose meat are sold through the trade, their large size and heavy weight render them easy and desirable targets for hunting. They also may be sought out as pets, or for their body parts, which may be used in traditional medicine or as lucky charms. Finally, outbreaks of infectious diseases such as Ebola have caused large-scale deaths among ape populations.

Thankfully, due to efforts by conservationists, African mountain gorillas seem to be faring quite well. Rangers trained by the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) monitor mountain gorilla families on a daily basis to help prevent poaching and the spread of disease. Rangers also monitor the health and behavior of each family member, recording changes in number due to birth, death, or movement to another group.

Conservationists use a number of strategies to encourage the growth of the African mountain gorilla population and other critically endangered species. Conservation NGOs such as the AWF should continue to work with local partners and governments to help expand key habitats.

Eco-tourism—tourism directed toward threatened wildlife in order to increase observation and aid conservation efforts— appears to be an effective way of garnering public awareness and raising funds to protect endangered species. In Namibia, for instance, a nationwide conservation movement encouraging sustainable tourism has helped wildlife recover from poaching. Namibia’s Community Game Guards track threatened species and ensure that illegal poaching does not take place.

In Africa, nations like Botswana and Namibia serve as ecotourism hotspots. They host a variety of conservation safaris and family experiences that house visitors in conservation-based lodges. In Rwanda, Uganda, and Congo, eco-tourism has begun to have a notable impact on endangered mountain gorillas.

Featured Image via: Flickr/Rod Waddington