Why are mountain gorillas endangered ?

Mountain gorillas are critically endangered primates in the world listed on the IUCN Red List, mountain gorillas are amazing calm animals fond of living on the high altitudes in the forest areas. Mountain gorillas scientifically known as gorilla beringei beringei are one of the two species of eastern gorillas, according to taxonomy and evolution mountain gorillas are mountain gorillas are said to be descendants of ancestral monkeys and apes which were found in Africa and Arabia between the periods of 24-34 million years ago.

 

Mountain gorillas are the largest primates on the surface of earth, in appearance these animals are covered in thick fur coat with their fur thicker and longer than other gorilla species which acts a feature of differentiation. The thick fur coat is essential to the gorillas as it helps them to live in the cold areas that is on the high altitude of forested mountains, mountain gorillas are noticeably smaller than eastern lowland gorillas but their size cannot be undermined as the male mountain gorillas weigh an average weight of 195 kilograms while standing at the height of 150 cm and the female weigh an average weight of 100 kilograms and standing at a height of 130 cm.

 Though they are endangered mountain gorillas are still the most sought for animals in the world by a wide population of tourists, mountain gorillas are very rare species of primates which only exist in three locations in the whole world. Mountain gorillas are only found Bwindi impenetrable national park and Virunga conservation area an area which lies across the Virunga volcanoes that is mountain karisimbi, mount mikeno, mount muhabura, mount sabyinyo, mount gahinga, mount Nyiragongo and mountain Nyamuragira where these gorillas are trekked and found. In other words mountain gorillas are found in Uganda, Rwanda and the democratic republic of Congo, of all these destinations which are blessed as habitants of the critically endangered mountain gorillas it Uganda which habits the largest population of mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national park.

Places to find mountain gorillas in the world

In Uganda Mountain gorillas are found in two protected areas that is Bwindi impenetrable national park and mgahinga national park.

Bwindi impenetrable national park is a heavily forested national park found in south western region of Uganda, this park is relatively a vast area covering an area of 321 square kilometers. On the record Bwindi impenetrable national park hosts approximately the largest fraction of mountain gorillas in the world estimated to be above 800 individuals.

Mgahinga national park is part of the great Virunga conservation area found in the south western region of Uganda stretching over the international border of Uganda with Rwanda and Congo. Mgahinga national park is relatively a small park covering an area of 33.9 square kilometers, this park encompasses three inactive forested volcanoes that is mount muhabura, mount gahinga and mount sabyinyo where mountain gorillas live and can be found during mountain gorilla trekking expedition.

Why are mountain gorillas endangered ?
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In democratic republic of Congo mountain gorillas are found in Virunga national park, Virunga national park is situated in the eastern region of democratic republic of Congo lieing in the Albertine rift valley, Virunga national park covers an area of 7,768.93 square kilometers and encompasses two active Virunga volcanoes that is Mount Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira where mountain gorillas can be found.

In Rwanda mountain gorillas are found in volcanoes national park which is situated in northwestern region of the Rwanda, volcanoes national park covers an area of 160 square kilometers and it encompasses five of 8 Virunga volcanoes which are habitants to mountain gorillas, these volcanoes include Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo.

Reasons why mountain gorillas are endangered species

Mountain gorillas are endangered because of cause of many reasons, reasons causing the endangered status of mountain gorillas are both human and natural causes. According to numerous observations natural causes like sickness, old age, climatic conditions are least threats to the live hold of mountain gorillas. The greatest threat to the mountain gorillas is the human caused threats which have been noticed to have cause the depletion in the population of mountain gorillas over the years. The purpose of this article is to highlight on what cause mountain gorillas to be listed among the endangered species in the world.

 Poaching and black market trade

Black market is still one of the factors which has caused the endangering of mountain gorillas by being a root cause to vicious practices like poaching and kidnapping of mountain gorillas. Mountain gorilla meat and other body parts are of high demand on black market in countries like Korea and china and a huge amount money id offered in exchange, this has gave a rise to poaching activities by the locals leaving around mountain gorilla habitants. Baby mountain gorillas are also being kidnapped from their mothers to be also sold on black market as pets, many incidents of baby gorilla kidnapping have occurred for example in august 2011 a baby gorilla by the names of luck was rescued by  Rwanda police. According to kidnappers / poachers who were caught with the baby gorilla, they had kidnapped it from the forests of Congo.

Wars and conflicts

War and conflicts have great resulted into endangerment of mountain gorillas, Uganda, Rwanda and Congo have been prone to wars and conflicts in recent years which has resulted into killing of mountain gorillas. The most devastating conflict to record the death of mountain gorillas was the Rwanda genocide of 1994, the genocide was a fight and a mass killing of Tutsi, Twa and the less Hutu. During the fighting many rebels based in the forests as their battle group which resulted into killing of mountain gorillas. Other noticed killing of mountain gorillas are the Congo clash between Virunga national park rangers and the rebel group which resulted into the shooting and killing of 7 gorillas including 4 female mountain gorillas, a dominant silverback Senkwekwe and others.

Why are mountain gorillas endangered ?
Why are mountain gorillas endangered ?

Loss of habitants

Mountain gorillas have become endangered because of numerous human practices which have resulted into loss of habitant, habitants of mountain gorillas have been loss through activities like encroachment, charcoal trade, human settlement and farming practices. Due to increasing population of human beings many people have resorted to encroaching on the land of the protected areas where gorillas live for example a huge chuck of land has been cleared around Bwindi impenetrable national park, mgahinga national park, Virunga and volcanoes national park for settlement and bamboo trees and other vegetation have been cleared to assist in the construction of houses.

National parks that is the habitants for mountain gorillas are situated in areas which received a lot of rain and have fertile soils which have attracted a lot of mases to the areas to practice farming, because of these practices a lot of land has been cleared which result into loss of habitants for mountain gorillas. Another human practice is charcoal burning and timber trade, this activity is very profitable earning a lot of money to the locals but it requires a lot of wood which is only got from mountain gorilla habitants which are heavily forested. Cutting of trees for charcoal and timber has resulted into destructed of mountain gorilla habitants.

Diseases

Diseases is one of the major factors which have resulted into the loss of a reasonable population of mountain gorillas, mountain gorillas are human’s closet relatives sharing 98% of their DNA composition with the humans. This makes them able to attract and suffer from human diseases, human diseases like flue, cholera, cough, bacterial infections and viruses have caused death to mountain gorillas. Many disease out breaks have been witnessed for example disease outbreak in Rwanda that is volcanoes national park between the period of June 28 and august 6 2009 resulted into sickening 11 gorilla individuals in a group of 12 mountain gorillas. Though they were given antibiotic ceftriaxone as medication 3 female gorillas, 1 male infant and 1 baby lost their lives, when their bodies were examine the death of the mountain gorillas was caused by metapneumovirus a human virus.

Losing mountain gorillas has never yielded into anything positive and when it comes to tourism only losses are incurred and because of that  many measures have be put up by authorities to a make sure all the threats to the live hood of mountain gorillas are put on stop. These measures include

  • ill individuals are not allowed to come into contact with the mountain gorillas
  • only people allowed to get into the presence of mountain gorillas are those with valid mountain gorilla trekking permits for visitors and researchers
  • Mountain gorilla habitants are being patrolled 24/17 by game ranger and game park security to make sure no intruder gets into the parks.
  • Poaching of mountain gorillas has been declared as an offence and it is very punishable according to the laws of Uganda, Rwanda and democratic republic of Congo.

NOTE: To participate in mountain gorilla trekking expedition you require to have valid documents including a passport, a yellow fever card and above all a mountain gorilla trekking permit which costs

Because of the efforts and many international organizations fighting for the safety and conservation of mountain gorillas these animals are currently safe and very open for viewing as a visitor, all  you need to do is to send your safari inquiry at info@bwindiforestgorillatrekking.com and get your best mountain gorilla trekking offer.

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