Sing for the Gorillas

Where does a 450 pound gorilla sleep? Anywhere he wants! Well, not exactly. Despite the unrelenting efforts of conservationist, gorillas in the wild are not safe. I can still remember the powerful impact of "Gorillas in the Mist", the book and film that tell the story of Dian Fossey's work to protect gorillas. It has been nearly twenty-five years since Fossey's brutal murder, yet the struggle to save the world's largest primates continues.

2009 has been proclaimed the Year of the Gorilla by The Convention of Migratory Species (CMS). CMS's Agreement on Conservation of Gorillas and Their Habitat has the backing of the United Nations and support from the Great Apes Survival Partnership and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The Year of the Gorilla campaign hopes to increase awareness of the serious threat of extinction facing humans second closest relative. Six of the ten equatorial African nations through which gorillas migrate have already ratified support of the "Gorilla Agreement", however the Agreement remains largely unenforced.

One organization on the front line of this on-going struggle is the Limbe Wildlife Centre, located near Cameroon's beautiful Atlantic coast. The Limbe Wildlife Centre is a safe haven for rescued primates. Founded in 1993 as a collaboration between the Government of Cameroon and the Pandrillus Foundation, the Wildlife Centre is home to fifteen species of primates native to Cameroon. Among the residents are sixteen Western Lowland Gorillas and the only known Cross River Gorilla in captivity. The Centre has Africa's best record for gorilla rehabilitation and care.

It was hot and humid the day I visited the Wildlife Centre. The vast majority of Cameroon's gorillas are found in the humid tropical forests of the South East Province. I doubt Limbe's heat and humidity bothered the gorillas in the least, nonetheless it slowed my pace considerably. That was a blessing! I was encouraged by the weather to reduce my activity. Sitting very still I was able to watch and photograph the gorillas as they played, ate, and relaxed.

It was thrilling to watch these amazing creatures. Their mannerisms and interactions mimicked human relationships in ways that were both fascinating and eerie. The gorillas seemed happy and content. I couldn't help but wonder what life was like in the Garden of Eden.

<A Sliverback, the dominant male of the family group. (Click picture to enlarge)>
The Western Lowland Gorillas are social and they form small communities, usually of five to fifteen, but sometimes larger. Their family groups are led by one dominate male called a Silverback. Silverback denotes the hair on a male's back that turns gray as he ages. The rest of the family consists of five to seven non-related females and a few young and adolescents. The primary bond is between the dominate male and his females. These family groups can remain intact for many months, and sometimes years. Although generally peaceful, if the dominate male is dethroned his victorious challenger will likely commit infanticide against the suckling youth. This causes the females to stop lactating and become receptive to mating, ensuring a bond with the new dominate male.

The gorilla communities migrate for food, often moving in season with their preferred food sources. Primarily vegetarian, the gorillas occasionally supplement their diets with bugs and ants. An adult male can consume 35 - 70 pounds of vegetation a day, and it is the dominate male that sets their daily schedule. The group will follow him as he forages for several hours in the morning. A mid-day break allows time for the young to play while the adults nap. Later, they enjoy a second long feeding. The gorillas end their day sleeping on "cushions" of piled leaves and brush.

Although gentle and shy, the Western Lowland Gorilla, like other large primates, can become dangerous when threatened. Males will stand and beat their chests in a show of prowess. These gestures, coupled with deep loud growling is intended to intimidate. If that fails they will charge intruders, although they rarely hit. Imagine a six foot tall, 450 pound gorilla charging at you!

As I sat photographing the gorillas one of the Centre's employees walked to the edge of the viewing area. For my benefit he made a noise that was meant to call the gorillas. Perhaps it was the call given at meal time? A Silverback stood and took note, then began running on all fours toward us. Something within me instantly switched gears. I was no longer wrapped in a serene mist of animal - human harmony, but instead felt the primeval rush of facing King Kong face-to-face! Whoa! What a rush!

Gorillas are particularly aggressive when their young are threatened. This commendable protective nature unfortunately contributes to their dwindling numbers. Private collectors will contract poachers to capture young gorillas. The defending adults are killed. That sad fact, and an 80% mortality rate for captured baby gorillas means that about fifteen gorillas die for every caputured gorilla that survives in captivity. The captured young, like the gorillas that have been rescued, suffer from Post Traumatic Stress. Gorillas, unlike monkeys and chimpanzees, do not fare well in captivity. Most will simply "give up" and die.

Care givers at the Wildlife Centre are especially sensitive to the psychologial trauma their charges have suffered. The staff works hard and creatively to restore every aspect of the gorilla's health.

In the words of world renown primate expert Dr. Jane Goodall, "Today, much like the chimpanzee, the gorilla is endangered largely due to the destruction of its forest habitat, civil conflict, and poaching. We have a long way to go toward reversing the gorilla's decline". Reversing the gorilla's decline is precisely the goal of the Year of the Gorilla campaign.

Poaching takes several forms. The capturing of gorillas is a serious threat, and so is illegal hunting. The fact is, all hunting of gorillas is illegal. Nonetheless gorillas are often killed as a source of "bushmeat". Their meat sometimes supplements the poor diets of locals and people displaced by civil conflicts, however this bushmeat is often an exotic delicacy of the rich. Gorillas are also killed for use in traditional rituals and medicines. Perhaps most tragicly, they are butchered for a few body parts that are sold as trophies.

Disease is another problem. Ebola is especially serious and difficult to mitigae. An outbreak can annihilate large populations. Surprisingly, gorillas are highly susceptible to many diseases that effect humans. They can be infected with common colds, pneumonia, smallpox, chickenpox, tuberculosis, measles, rubella, yellow fever, and yaws. Thousands of gorillas die annually due to infectious diseases. Gorilla tourism increases the threat of cross species contamination by humans. For this reason the Gorilla Agreement includes mandates to establish strict regulations for gorilla tourism.

The newest and fastest growing threat to gorillas is the degradation and out right destruction of their habitat. In the past, the homelands of gorillas was so remote and inaccessible that human incroachment was somewhat kept at bay. Excessive commercial logging is literally changing the landscape. The rain forests are disappearing and with them the peculiar and specific enviornment necessary for the survival of the gorillas. As the forests shrink and habitat is lost, all the other threats to the gorillas increase. Logging, erosion of the rain forest, and new roads give poachers, hunters, and diseases greater accessibility to the highly vulnerable Great Apes.

The Gorilla Agreement recognizes that the survival of the gorilla is dependent on more that just new laws and regulations. Even with universal enforcement the Agreement alone will not be enough. A broader perspective is required, a perspective that includes social, environmental, and economic solutions. Unfortunately time is not on the side of the gorillas. For them time is running out.

Gorillas reproduce slowly, which in one of the ways time is working against them. Females are typically nine to ten years old before they start breeding. Males, because of physical competition rarely begin to breed before age fifteen. Like humans, gorillas have a gestation period of about six months. Baby gorillas are totally dependent on their mothers. Males have little contact with the young.

Even though babies can crawl and cling to their mothers within three months of birth, they continue to be nursed for three to four years. Consequently the females only produce offspring at intervals for four to five years. Due to high mortality rates surviving offspring are produced only once every six to eight years. In the wild Western Lowland Gorillas have a life-span of 35 to 40 years.

Despite their low birth rates the Western Lowland Gorillas can boast of having the largest population among the family of Great Apes, but their numbers are tenuous at best. During the 1980's they were estimated at less that 100,000. It is generally believed they have suffered a nearly 60% decline since then. However, in 2008 teams from the Wildlife Conservation Society discovered large numbers of gorillas in the remote swamp forests of northern Republic of Congo. This new and exciting discovery does not alter the staggering number of giant primates already lost. The threat is real and gorilla populations are in a dramatic decline. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has placed the Western Lowland Gorilla on its Critically Endangered Red List.

Dian Fossey's much loved Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Demoncratic Republic of Congo are now estimated at around 700. The Eastern Lowland Gorilla of Nigeria and Cameroon may be as few as 300. A 2003 survey in Gabon estimated that half of the gorilla population of that country had vanished since 1983.

The Limbe Wildlife Centre is at the forefront of the efforts to save the gorillas from extinction. With a strong focus on education, their programs include student visits, Nature Clubs, outreach to remote schools, field trips, holiday galas, and rallies. The Wildlife Centre and the Pandrillus Foundation also work with other non-governmental organizations as well as law enforcement personnel. Additionally, the Centre receives over 35,000 Cameroon visitors every year. For many visitors, like me, seeing these magnificent animals and learning about their plight has made me an ardent supporter of their cause.

The Limbe Widlife Centre has managed remarkable achievements on a shoestring budget. All of their animals are either refugees from private collectors or survivors of the bushmeat trade. The Centre does not buy animals because to do so would encourage poaching. They accept animals into their care when they are able to do so. Unfortunately staffing and resources are limited and they are sometimes forced to make the difficult decision to turn an animal away. These good people are doing good work, and they want to do more. Their efforts and their strategic location warrant our support.

You can learn more about the Year of the Gorilla, and find ways you can become an ally of these Gentle Giants by visiting www.yog2009.org. To learn more about the Limbe Wildlife Centre visit www.limbewildlife.org.

ATTACHED PHOTOGRAPHS (all gorillas are Western Lowland Gorillas)
In order:
1) The intimidating "King Kong Stance"!
2) Banner at Limbe Wildlife Centre proclaiming Year of the Gorilla
3) A Sliverback, the dominant male of the family group.
4) Female on a banana break.
5) Lunch in the bush.

Author's Notes on text: "Dian" is the correct spelling for Ms Fossey's first name. "Centre" for the Limbe Wildlife Centre is also spelled correctly. "Centre" is the result of British influence on spelling. During the colonial period Limbe was known as Victoria.

Further Notes: My small contribution to the Year of the Gorilla is this story and the accompanying photographs. I offer them free of charge for publication. Please feel free to edit this story to comply with your publishing requirements.

I visited the Limbe Wildlife Centre in June, 2009 while on a seventeen day mission trip to Cameroon. I have written this story as an expression of my shared concern for gorillas and as a testimony of faithfulness to God's calling of respect for Creation and responsible stewardship of the world's resources.

David Begg
P.O. Box 147
Marshall, MI 49068 USA
(269) 781-9627 Home
(269) 578-3223 Cell