Wednesday: Mountain Gorilla Babies in the Wild

Last month, I was forwarded happy wildlife news: three new mountain gorillas confirmed born in the wild. It wasn’t until I read further that I discovered how few mountain gorillas exist (just over 700). As I type here at my gym I can count at least 100 people. That’s perspective for you. Right here in front of me is the equivalent (individual-wise) of about 14% of all the mountain gorillas anywhere on earth.

Here’s the report on the births from the International Gorilla Conservation Programme  (IGCP), whose goal it is “to ensure the conservation of mountain gorillas & their regional afromontane forest habitat in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).”

Two times the good news for mountain gorilla conservation

Early February 2011 brought the birth of three mountain gorillas over a two-day period in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park

Finally, a little mountain gorilla background from IGCP:

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.

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.

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.

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.



Click on the gorilla to see it in my ecrater store