While chimpanzees and bonobos are understood to be the animals that are most closely related to human beings, gorillas are not far off. From one look at a gorilla, it’s not hard to imagine. Gorillas are highly intelligent; they often use tools to perform various tasks and have a well-developed communication system. They also exhibit […]
Tag: gorillas
Rafiki, Uganda’s rare silverback mountain gorilla, killed by hunters
One of Uganda’s best known mountain gorillas, Rafiki, has been killed. Four men have been arrested, and they face a life sentence or a fine of $5.4m (£4.3m) if found guilty of killing an endangered species. Investigations showed that Rafiki was killed by a sharp object that penetrated his internal organs. There are just over […]
It’s time to implement solutions that make the bushmeat trade unnecessary (commentary)
The coronavirus has rocked the foundations of societies across the globe. Since the virus originated in wildlife, there has been public outcry demanding the closure wildlife meat markets. Neglected thus far, however, is consideration of the highly destructive and ongoing mass trade of wildlife by bushmeat hunters in rural Asian, African, and South American communities—an […]
Agriculture, mining, hunting push critically endangered gorillas to the brink
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) holds 60 percent of the Congo rainforest, the second-largest rainforest in the world after the Amazon. Because of this, the country serves as an essential carbon sink, storing an estimated 22.9 gigatons of carbon. It is also one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots, hosting a dizzying […]
Petition: Increase Protections for Gorillas and Rangers at Virunga National Park!
Virunga National Park is Africa’s oldest and most biologically diverse protected area. Virunga’s Senkwekwe Center is home to critically endangered mountain gorillas. The orphaned gorillas have been in the care of the park rangers at Virunga since they were babies. They are often hunted and poached, and when left as orphans, they are cared for […]
Stoner Comes Face-to-Face with a Tiger After Breaking Into Garage
In a story that may make you think twice about doing drugs and/or trespassing, last week a Houston man entered a seemingly vacant garage to smoke marijuana in privacy and found himself face-to-face with a tiger. Fortunately – well for the man, anyway – the tiger was in a cage. He promptly called the local […]
Making movies to save Uganda’s great apes
A new series of films aims to protect Uganda’s great ape species (mountain gorillas and chimpanzees) by bringing entertaining and educational movies to a rural audience living on the edges of Kibale National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Produced with heavy input from locals, these films are acted with an all-Ugandan task to teach […]
Why responsible tourism is the key to saving the mountain gorilla
The sunlight poured through the canopy, casting dappled shade over Makara, a large silverback mountain gorilla, as he cast his eyes around the forest clearing, checking on the members of his harem. A female gorilla reclined on a bank of dense vegetation of the most brilliant green, clutching her three day old infant close to […]