Africa achieve significant growth in Mountain gorilla population

Mountain-Gorilla
Mountain-Gorilla

Mountain gorilla population in Africa had achieved a significant growth as an indication of positive to efforts by conservationists to save them from total extinction, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had said.

Mountain gorilla population in Africa had achieved a significant growth as an indication of positive to efforts by conservationists to save them from total extinction, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had said.

Mountain gorilla, as known by many of people whose biology homework was done well, is only found in Africa and listed in the โ€œRed Listโ€ of threatened species. Their population had grown from 680 individuals in 2008 to over 1,000 individuals, the highest figure ever recorded for the subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla, IUCN said in its latest report.

The mountain gorilla’s habitat is restricted to protected areas covering nearly 800 square kilometres in two locations made up of the Virunga Massif and Bwindi-Sarambwe, stretching across the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda.

Mountain gorilla still faces significant threats, including poaching amid recurring civil unrest and diseases.

“Today’s update to the IUCN Red List illustrates the power of conservation action,” Inger Andersen, IUCN Director General, said in a statement.

“These conservation successes are proof that the ambitious, collaborative efforts of governments, business and civil society could turn back the tide of species loss,” Inger said.

The updated Red List is meanwhile far from a rosy read, includes 96,951 species of animals and plants, of which 26,840 are threatened with extinction.

โ€œEven though the rise of the mountain gorilla population is fantastic news, the species is still in danger and conservation efforts must go on,โ€ Liz Williamson, primate specialist for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said.

The IUCN classifies species according to how much under threat they are, and numbers for most high-profile ones are falling.

The legendary โ€˜silverbackโ€™ gorillas found roaming inside the forest-cloaked volcanoes of the Western Rift Valley where Rwanda, Congo and Uganda meet, have drawn thousands of tourists willing to pay hundreds of dollars to see them.

Their habitat also supports other species found nowhere else, including golden monkeys, but limited to two protected areas of the Virunga Massif, spanning in the two Central African equatorial forest countries and Ugandaโ€™s Bwindi national park.

Mountain gorilla habitats are surrounded by farmlands with a growing human population threatening encroachment to gorillas natural life. They also face threats from poachers, civil unrest and diseases, including the Ebola virus.

The biggest threat to the mountain gorilla population would be a new and highly contagious disease, because that would be very hard to control.

Andrew Seguya from the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration said the rising number of gorillas also means a need to expand their habitat and to raise more money for the communities in the area.

Close to humans, mountain gorillas are the leading tourist attraction in Rwanda, pulling crowds of tourists across the world. Gorilla trekking is the most expensive wildlife safari in Africa with lifetime experience.

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Avatar of Apolinari Tairo - eTN Tanzania

Apolinari Tairo - eTN Tanzania

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