Gorilla Conservation The Wildlife Conservation Society is the only organization in the world working to protect all three gorilla subspecies: mountain gorillas, Grauer's gorillas, and western lowland gorillas. WCS began studying these spectacular primates in 1959 with pioneering work by biologist George Schaller in the Virunga Volcanoes region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (then Belgian Congo). Schaller's work, which paved the way for future conservation efforts, showed that gorillas were not the raging beasts of myth, but gentle, group-oriented animals, feeding primarily on plants and fruit. Beginning in 1979, WCS researchers Amy Vedder and Bill Weber launched the Mountain Gorilla Project (MGP) in Rwanda. Vedder and Weber's work on how mountain gorillas use the forest and how economics and human attitudes affect conservation, complemented by local education programs, led to greater protection for the gorillas, and a popular ecotourism program before 1994's disastrous internal warfare. In Schaller's time, the population was estimated at four to five hundred. The number declined to about 250 in the late 1970s, due to poaching, then rose to its present 320, as a direct result of the MGP. WCS continues to fund conservation projects in Rwanda, providing a much-needed institutional presence to ensure the protection of this most endangered great ape. While not nearly as well known as mountain gorillas, Grauer's gorillas (also known as eastern lowland gorillas) are also endangered. Little is known about this gorilla subspecies, due primarily to the inaccessible forests where it lives, and most recently, political instability of the region. WCS conducted the first-ever comprehensive survey of Grauer's gorillas in 1998, finding a surprisingly robust population of 17,000 individuals living primarily around Kahuzi Biega, Maiko and Virunga National Parks in Democratic Republic of Congo. Outside of protected areas however, local populations have plummeted due to poaching and habitat loss. Now that the numbers are known, WCS scientists continue to work on the ground protecting these mysterious apes from illegal hunting and deforestation. Though not endangered, western lowland gorillas (pop. estimate: 100,000) have also suffered from habitat loss and poaching. WCS oversees ongoing field projects in Congo, Central African Republic, Nigeria and Gabon to study and safeguard this subspecies. Scientists are learning how lowland gorillas use their habitat to determine those areas needing protection. In logging areas, WCS helps local authorities inspect for illegally hunted "bushmeat," which often includes gorillas, considered a delicacy in wild game markets. Today, the future for gorillas remains uncertain. With central Africa's human population growing quickly, pressures on both gorilla habitat and the animals themselves will only escalate. Growing turmoil in the area has also made it difficult for conservationists to conduct their studies, and for valuable ecotourism operations to take hold. It is only through the efforts of WCS and other dedicated conservationists, that continue to work closely with local people and governments, that we can expect to save the gorilla - a living symbol of the wilds of Africa. Conservation Addendum
The Wildlife Conservation Society is a member of the Bushmeat Crisis Task Force - a coalition of conservation groups monitoring the situation in Kahuzi-Biega National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo. As a result of civil war, poor security around the park has led to widespread killing of animals - including Grauer's gorillas - by people desperate for food. In 1994-1995, WCS carried out a survey of the worldwide distribution of Grauer's gorillas and found that 86 percent of the population was found in Kahuzi Biega. Today, due to the region's extreme volatility, conservationists have been able to do little on-the-ground work. Even the park guards, who were disarmed when the war started, cannot patrol large areas of Kahuzi Biega because of safety concerns. Recently, the U.S. State Department and the Bushmeat Crisis Task Force have discussed ways to alleviate the situation, including working with the different warring factions to find peace, and addressing issues of food security into the region, which would in turn take the pressure off wildlife populations.
One nice and interesting project to help the endangered mountain gorillas is: http://www.sosgorilla.com
It works this way: Contributors can help the gorillas buying pieces of a picture, which will be discovered as these areas are bought.
Once the visitors pass over the bought areas, the contributor information (web or name) shows up. All the funds collected will got to the German association Berggorilla, working in situ in Africa since 1984 to help this endangered animals (just 720 living in the wild).
If the project finally succed, we can reach the amount of 480.000 € (1€/pixel).
So we are still on time to help them!
It's easy! Just don't hunt them, or cut down their food. Just go to: Gorilla Foudation.com (No spaces)It's easy! Just don't hunt them, or cut down their food. Just go to: Gorilla Foudation.com (No spaces)
We can hunt less and try not to kill any of the gorillas.
We could set up charities and breeding sights to breed more them thenn when they are healthy take them to the rainforest again.
Could also excecute the poachers if they are caught and can be proved that they were poaching.
You can feed and look after them watch them play clean them out and keep them happy.
people can save gorillas if they can stop poachers from killing them
let more of them out of zoo so males and female can mate together to make to grolias population go up
yes they are making a web site on them to tach people that they are just like us no different that we should treat them the same why that we are treated.
Contribute to wildlife preservation organizations with a good reputation . Sponsor a Zoo gorilla , or donate to a breeding program or refuge .
No, gorillas are not aggressive.
Wild gorillas will eat fresh fruit, plants, herbs, tree bark, bugs, and bamboo. Gorillas that live in the western low lands will eat differently than gorillas that live in the mountains. Mountain gorillas are vegetarian and western low land gorillas are not.
I don't know doesn't the title give you a hint. It's just like asking if real gorillas were used in a movie called the movie about real gorillas
Gorillas live in family groups
yesno, it does not have a tailno, gorillas dont have tails
First, How will you help Gorillas? There animals. They know what they are doing. But You should HELP Animal`s Keep safe From There preys.:]
no
by giving there food
They help us by spreading the seeds of these trees.
they all get along when other gorillas go off to find food for their babies other gorillas will help dem and offer to watch dem !? how sweet !?!
the ecosystem is what they eat
adopt a gorilla its quite cheap
They don't help society but I think they are somewhat okay animals.
they help becuz sum day we will always be eating them 4 breakfast
she helped the gorillas by proving many people wrong that they aren't so harmless and they wont hurt people
Mountain gorillas and the Western Gorillas are two types of endangerd gorillas.
monkeys are monkeys. gorillas are gorillas. they are two separate species of primates