Mongabay · Climate & nature

Gorilla Conservation Efforts Highlighted on World Gorilla Day

Gorillas, our close relatives, face critical endangerment. Conservation efforts show mixed results, with some populations stable and others declining significantly.

An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has conservationists on high alert, though no cases have been confirmed in eastern gorillas. A previous outbreak in 2002-2003 devastated western lowland gorilla populations, with Ebola spreading rapidly through close social contact.

In an extraordinary event, Virunga National Park in the DRC recorded two sets of mountain gorilla twins this year. Twins are rare among mountain gorillas, occurring in less than 1% of births.

In southeastern Nigeria, women's collectives are patrolling areas around the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, home to critically endangered Cross River gorillas. These groups have taken a stand against environmental crimes, including halting illegal timber deals, as local men have been unable to stop the threats.

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