Hug This Animal: Mountain Gorilla
My dream job is to work with Koko the gorilla, but since I don’t live in the same area or know sign language, I’m going to write about Koko’s friends in the rain forest instead.
The subspecies of gorilla you’ve most likely encountered in a zoo is the western lowland gorilla. It belongs to the western gorilla species, which has several subspecies. The other main species of gorilla is the eastern gorilla, and the mountain gorilla is a subspecies of this group.
Since Dian Fossey studied mountain gorillas for many years, they are probably the best understood of all gorillas. The gorillas she studied live in the misty and cold Virunga Volcano mountains in Rwanda, the Congo and Uganda.
The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund carries on the important work that Dian Fossey started. They do far more than I can explain in this post. They are committed to the conservation of all gorillas and their habitat through research, anti-poaching efforts and education.
Mountain gorillas are listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. Scientists believe that around 380 mountain gorillas are alive today. Female mountain gorillas don’t produce offspring until they are 10 years old. A baby gorilla is taken care of by the mother for four years, and during that time the mother will not produce another offspring. They only produce one offspring at a time.
Considering the low number of existing mountain gorillas and the reproduction rates, the loss of just one mountain gorilla can have major impact. Rangers risk their lives to protect all remaining gorillas from poachers and the threats of political instability. You can read more at the WildlifeDirect ranger blog for the Virunga National Park.
Ways to Help:
•Adopt a gorilla from the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
•Protect rain forests by choosing Rainforest Alliance coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa and more.
Gorilla photo via MorgueFile.
Tags: adopt a gorilla, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, gorilla ranger blog, Koko, mountain gorilla, Rainforest Alliance, Virunga, western lowland gorilla, WildlifeDirectRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Hug this Animal, Nature
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