Africa’s mountain gorilla population is on the rise, much to conservationists’ delight.
Survey results from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda and the contiguous Sarambwe Nature Reserve in the Democratic Republic of Congo confirmed forest growth to 459 apes.
Which brings the global number of confirmed mountain gorillas to 1,063, the University of California, Davis reported this week.
“Mountain gorillas are the only great ape in the wild whose numbers are increasing but their total population number is small so we must remain vigilant,” according to Kirsten Gilardi, executive director of Gorilla Doctors at UC Davis.
IT’S SO FLUFFY!!! (via Gorilla Doctors)
Last year, the IUCN Red List status of Gorilla beringei beringei was changed from critically endangered to endangered—a step in the right direction.
Thanks to preservation efforts, mountain gorilla populations have almost doubled since their lowest point in 1981, when a census estimated only 254 remained.
But despite successful propagation, the species remains threatened by inadvertent poaching, habitat loss, disease, and war and unrest.
“Given ongoing risks to mountain gorillas such as habitat encroachment, potential disease transmission, poaching, and civil unrest,” Gilardi said, “this increase should serve as both a celebration and a clarion call to all government, NGO, and institutional partners to continue to collaborate in our work to ensure the survival of mountain gorillas.”
An infant mountain gorilla stands on its mother’s back (via Gorilla Doctors)
Even in the face of enforcement and engagement efforts, illegal activity in the Bwindi-Sarambwe forest has not lessened over the past decade, the nonprofit reported; the ecosystem remains vulnerable to human-wildlife conflicts (not to mention climate change).
“Fauna & Flora International has been working with our partners to protect mountain gorillas for more than 40 years and we are not complacent,” senior director of conservation programs Matt Walpole said in a statement.
“We have to remain vigilant against threats,” he continued. “And build on the success achieved to date by ensuring resources—including from tourism—are properly directed to mountain gorillas and local communities.”
A mountain gorilla and a human hold hands (via Gorilla Doctors)
b. beringei aren’t the only ones benefiting from focused conservation work: The survey also recorded the largest number of elephant and chimpanzee detections ever in the Bwindi-Sarambwe ecosystem.
And while this is “not definitely” an indicator of increasing trends, the team is hopeful, adding that “it does suggest that these species are not declining.”
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