About Mountain Gorillas
It is thought that gorillas originated from monkeys and other apes in
Arabia and Africa approximately 9 million years ago. In west and central
Africa, eastern gorillas split off from western gorillas after a while (about 2
million years ago). 400,000 years ago, the eastern gorillas further divided
into what are today known as eastern lowland gorillas and mountain gorillas.
After the genus was originally known as Troglodytes, the name gorilla was
finally adopted in 1852. The concept of naming the several gorilla species came
from Colin Groves in 1967, and as a result, the names mountain gorilla, western
lowland gorilla, and eastern lowland gorilla were created.
Where can one find mountain gorillas?
There are only three nations where mountain gorillas can be found:
Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In Bwindi
Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda is home
to roughly half of the country’s total population. The Virunga National Park in
Congo is home to mountain gorillas, while Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is
home to them.
These regions (7,200–14,100 feet) offer the proper ecology, habitat, and
altitude for mountain gorillas to flourish. The high altitude makes it cold and
foggy, and it supports a lot of vegetation. The Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Cameroon, and other nations in west and central Africa are home to both
Eastern and Western lowland gorillas. While there are less than 250,000 lowland
gorillas in the eastern region, there are more than 250,000 in the western
region.
The fact that
mountain gorillas cannot survive in captivity like lowland gorillas does
contribute to the attention they receive. There are still roughly 1,004
mountain gorillas on the earth, according to the results of the 2018 gorilla
census. The IUCN has classified the mountain gorilla as endangered as a result.
Physical Characteristics of Mountain Gorillas
Compared to all other gorilla species in Africa, mountain gorillas are
distinguished by having fur that is thicker. This enables them to survive at
higher, colder elevations because of the silvery hair that grows behind the
backs of eastern lowland gorillas, adult male mountain gorillas are referred to
as silverbacks.
A silverback gorilla can weigh up to 195 kg, whereas an adult female
gorilla weighs approximately 100 kg. In addition, silverbacks are four times
stronger and taller than the largest human. Nonetheless, compared to their
eastern lowland counterparts, mountain gorillas often weigh less and are smaller.
Captured in Cameroon, the heaviest known lowland gorilla weighed 267 kg.
Mountain gorillas can be distinguished from other gorilla species by their
distinctive nose prints. Their eyes are dark brown and hands that are longer
than the legs. Although they can walk and stand straight, mountain gorillas
prefer to knucklewalk, which involves using their fingers to balance
themselves.Mountain gorillas are only active from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm during the
day. To maintain their enormous size, they spend the majority of this time
feasting on insects, shoots/stems, leaves, roots, flowers, and fruits.
Morning is the busiest time for eating, with a break around midday and
another meal in the afternoon as dusk draws near. During their midday nap, they
can spend time grooming each other and getting rid of dirt and parasites. Juveniles
can also be seen playing, chasing, somersaulting, and wrestling during this
time. If invited, adults can play the games, but reluctantly.
Members of the group always utilize grants and barks to find each other
within the dense undergrowth. When dusk draws closer, every adult individual
constructs a nest out of trees foliage as well as other plants. Mothers and
their infants share the same nest.Most of the time, mountain gorillas are on
the ground.
They also construct their nests on the ground. Only when a tree can
support their weight and they are in search of food would adult gorillas climb
it. The young ones are left to climb trees on a regular basis. Falling down a
loose tree branch is one of the common causes of injuries and even fatalities
among adult gorillas.
Certain insects and reptiles terrify mountain gorillas. They try to stay
away from chameleons and caterpillars, however it is unclear why. In addition
to their fear of water, mountain gorillas detest rain. They will not cross-waterways
unless they can do so with fallen logs or trees. Gorillas differ from other
primates in part because of their comparatively stable social structures.
Especially gregarious, mountain gorillas travel in compact groups under
the leadership of a strong male. Because of the strong link between the
dominant silverback and females, they are held together for longer than other
ape families. When they reach adulthood, female gorillas frequently depart to
join other gorilla groups since their bonds with one another are weaker.
When they reach adulthood, female members of the group either join
another well-known organization or begin dating a single man. Before committing
to a single silverback, some ladies will join multiple new groups. The majority
of female mountain gorillas in a group will always be devoted to the dominating
silverback.
In mountain gorillas, a fertile female typically initiates mating. Male
silverback gorillas are tasked with protecting their group against outsiders,
as they do not possess or govern any specific region. There are multiple
silverback gorillas in 36% of mountain gorilla groups. There are lone males as
well as groups led by older adults that are exclusively made up of men.
Within a female-only gorilla group, the alpha male silverback is the
unquestionable leader and the focus of attention, with the other males serving
as subordinates. Each member of the group makes an effort to win his favor by
acting appropriately and including him in their games when he expresses
interest. He directs the group’s movements and selects the optimal feeding
areas.
A silverback settles disputes amongst group members and will go to great
lengths to protect the group from people, leopards, and other gorillas. The
silverback will look for her young if a female dies or departs from the group.
Using his experience, he can free group members’ hands or feet from snares.
When a silverback dies, it can upend an otherwise tranquil group.
In the event that no one can be trusted to take the silverback’s place,
the gang will either disband or elect a leader from outside. There is a chance
that if they select a silverback from a different group, he might decide to
murder all of the dead male’s babies. Despite their apparent strength and
power, mountain gorillas are typically relatively docile and shy.
Members of the group exclusively use hostility in response to attacks or
when they come across other gorilla groups. Even in these situations, they’ll
start by threatening or frightening the trespasser. The Silverbacks have a
reputation for fighting viciously, sometimes to the point of death. They intend
to inflict severe harm on their opponent and themselves using their razor-sharp
teeth.
Current threats and Conservation
Even though there are currently just over 1,000 mountain gorillas, they
are still regarded as an endangered species and are under threat. Humans pose
the biggest threat to mountain gorillas.
Mountain gorillas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are constantly
threatened by poaching. Snares have claimed the lives of some, leaving behind
traumatized orphans, or wounded or dead. These snares are mostly intended for
use with other animals. Despite possessing the oldest national park in Africa,
the Democratic Republic of the Congo has seen war, insecurity, and civil
upheaval that have affected the population of mountain gorillas as a whole.
The government’s strict measures to protect the primates, the work of
researchers funded by kind donors, and gorilla tourism are some of the key
causes of the ongoing rise in the population of mountain gorillas. Veterinary
physicians treat the gorillas if they have any potentially fatal illnesses or
snare wounds.
The Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage in Congo was established to care for
young mountain gorillas whose parents perished because of poaching. To root out
any poachers or armed groups, park management in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo has stepped up armed patrols in the Virunga National Park. Disputed
judgments have also been made, such as the expulsion of the Batwa pygmies from
Rwandan and Ugandan woods.
These choices have contributed to the population stability of mountain gorillas.
However, there is still more that governments can do to include nearby
communities in park operations where tourism benefits them. Mountain gorilla
woman thankfully, the tale of gorilla conservation has turned out well. Funding
from wildlife conservation organizations has been simple to get by because of
their interesting character and endangered position.
The International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) is the principal
global organization dedicated to the conservation of mountain gorillas. The
World Wide Fund for Nature, Fauna & Flora International, and the African
Wildlife Foundation collaborated to create this program, which was established
in 1991. These groups have been incredibly kind and have contributed funds to
the mountain gorillas’ safety.
Mountain Gorilla Trekking
A meeting with mountain gorillas is the ultimate wildlife experience,
despite the high cost of a gorilla trip. Nothing compares to seeing mountain
gorillas in their native habitat—after all, they are our relatives—although
going on a safari to see the big five is undoubtedly amazing.
Mountain gorilla permits are in high demand because it is thought that
there are currently just about 1000 mountain gorillas left in the wild. Of
these, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo share half while Uganda
has the other half.
Organizations such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature
classify mountain gorillas as endangered due to their small global number.
There is no definitive answer to the age-old question of which nation is ideal
for a gorilla safari, as it is prone to personal preference and prejudice.
Based on our expertise organizing safaris, every nation has its own advantages,
and the choice of where to travel ultimately belongs to the traveler.
In order to experience the contrasts between monitoring mountain gorillas
in Rwanda and Uganda, some of our clients choose to visit both nations’ gorilla
populations.The habituated percentage of mountain gorillas is only about 20%.
A specific set of mountain gorillas must go through a two-year procedure
called “mountain gorilla habituation” in order for them to become
accustomed to having humans around them. Because of their unpredictable nature,
non-habituated mountain gorillas are off-limits to visitors.
What time of year is
ideal for a gorilla tour?
Tracking mountain gorillas requires traveling via muddy trails, steep hills
and deep forests.All year long, one can engage in both standard gorilla
tracking and the much more during gorilla habituation experience. However,
immediately following the end of the rainy season is the ideal time to go on a
gorilla safari. The gorilla parks and rural areas are still incredibly green
and less muddy at this time of year.
What is the duration
required to monitor gorillas?
The activity could take anything from 30 minutes to 8 hours, depending on
the gorilla family you select. It is advised that you mentally and physically
get ready for your gorilla trekking experience.
Dian Fossey and her research on Mountain gorillas
The first person to identify the mountain gorilla was Captain Robert von
Beringe while on an expedition to assess the boundaries of the then German
territories in East Africa. One of the giant apes was captured and taken to a
German museum after the other two were shot.
A new species of gorilla was found in this area. In honor of Captain
Robert, it was given the name Gorilla beringei. A number of scientists became
interested in researching this new species in the ensuing decades, notably Dian
Fossey in 1967 and George Schaller in 1959.
Fossey is noted with developing novel techniques to acclimate mountain
gorillas, such as imitating their calls and winning the trust of the dominant
male silverback. She also elevated the field of study on mountain gorillas to a
previously unheard of degree. She led the first gorilla census and shifted her
emphasis from study to gorilla conservation, making the situation of the
gorillas known to the entire world.
Dian Fossey Gorilla conservation was categorized by Dian Fossey into
three categories: community-based, theoretical, and active. She advocated for
aggressive enforcement of anti-poaching legislation, such as demolishing
poachers’ tools and conducting animal censuses, as part of active conservation.
Theoretically, in order to promote tourism, gorilla families would need to be
habituated and park offices and lodges renovated.
This would improve the infrastructure surrounding gorilla habitats. The
community-based conservation strategy, which involves communities and takes their
interests into account, is the last method for protecting gorillas.
Fossey initiated park patrols and sabotaged the operations of poachers in
an effort to combat them. Her strong stance against poachers is thought to have
led to her horrific murder. Through the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International,
as it is currently named, her work is still being done today.