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.
a pack of gorillas is called a flange
Gorillas' main enemies are humans due to hunting, habitat destruction, and disease transmission. Other threats include leopards, which may prey on young gorillas, and larger predators like lions and crocodiles in some regions. However, gorillas' size, strength, and social structure help protect them from many predators.
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
I believe there are no more or no less than 10,000 gorillas in the world where as there once was about 1,000,000 gorillas
yes all gorillas have fur
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.:]
by giving there food
no
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
Yes, gorillas have fingernails. The purpose of their fingernails is to help them grip and manipulate objects, as well as to groom themselves and others.
Gorillas are important for their role in seed dispersal and promoting forest regeneration through their feeding habits. By spreading seeds through their feces, they help maintain the diversity of plant species in their habitats. As a keystone species, gorillas also play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems they inhabit.
Mountain gorillas and the Western Gorillas are two types of endangerd gorillas.