THREATS

In their natural habitat, gorillas are exposed to many threats - most of these are the result of humans settling in gorilla habitat.

WHICH DANGERS ARE THE GORILLAS EXPOSED TO?

The most important threats are as follows: loss of habitat for the apes when the rain forest is logged; hunting which impacts directly on gorilla populations; traps that are intended for other animals but can also be fatal for gorillas; the transmission of human diseases which may be fatal to gorillas. The articles summarized here describe these and other threats.


SOS - Gorillas of the Itombwe Nature Reserve in Danger

An SOS is a 'red alert' signal triggered by a dangerous or life-threatening situation, such as a natural disaster. Here it is suggested that an…

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Ape Trafficking Escalates as Demand Increases in the Middle East and South Asia

Africa's great ape sanctuaries have become inundated with new arrivals, rescued from the collateral damage of the bushmeat trade and targeted…

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Balancing Act: The Imperative of Social and Ecological Justice in Kahuzi-Biega

Kahuzi-Biega National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the conflict-afflicted eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has…

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The Kansere-Masakaru-Iyuma Forests in Utunda-Nord

The Kansere-Masakaru-Iyuma forests are located between the Usala Gorilla Reserve (RGU) and the Kisimba-Ikobo Primate Reserve (RPKI), in the vicinity…

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Climate Change in the Congo Basin

The Congo Basin covers an area of more than 4 million km² and is home to a number of different ecosystems. Grassy savannas in the North and South…

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As Temperatures Increase, Mountain Gorillas get Thirstier

Climate change is in the media on a daily basis, but the focus is often on arid ecosystems, while we rarely think about its impact on animals living…

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Oil versus Forest in the Congo

In April 2022, Greenpeace reported that the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo planned to auction off concessions for the extraction…

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Illicit Trafficking of Baby Chimpanzees

In 2020, the management of Maiko National Park set up a system to dismantle the network of traffickers of baby chimpanzees, particularly in Bafwasende…

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Predicting Range Shifts of African Apes and Effectiveness of Protected Areas under Global Change Scenarios

Given a burgeoning human population and rapidly-growing global demand for natural resources, reconciling biodiversity conservation and human-related…

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Dangerous Selfies with Gorillas

Visiting mountain gorillas is popular, and many of the visitors proudly present proof of their gorilla trekking in social media. However, to obtain…

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Sarambwe: A Year without Rangers – but not without Protection!

On 10 October 2020, a ranger was killed during an attack on the Sarambwe ranger post – we reported it at the time. The national park authority ICCN…

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Gorillas of the Ebo Forest Threatened by Proposed Forest Management Units for Timber Exploitation

The Government of Cameroon has proposed two Forest Management Units (FMU) for timber exploitation which completely cover the proposed Ebo National…

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Gorillas on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

A recent change in the mountain gorilla listing on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species from Critically Endangered (CR) to Endangered (EN) received…

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GRASP & IUCN Great Apes Status Report 2018: Summary

Great ape populations in Africa and Asia are severely threatened by the combined impacts of habitat loss, poaching, illegal trade, and disease. Since…

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A Poaching Categorization Scheme

Great ape conservation experts from the Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently…

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New Population Estimate for Western Lowland Gorillas

Kamaya, Loango National Park, Gabon (© Martha Robbins)

In a paper published in the journal Science Advances, Samantha Strindberg, Fiona Maisels and 52 coauthors provide the most comprehensive assessment to…

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Bandits Kill an Itombwe Ranger

On 5 May, 2017 a convoy of conservation workers from the Itombwe Reserve was ambushed by an armed group. During this attack, a ranger was fatally…

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One of the Biggest Ape Traffickers of Africa Arrested

Abdourahamane Sidibé, a major wildlife trafficker of Guinean nationality, was arrested on 18 February 2017 in Conakry in a special operation by…

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Grauer’s Gorilla Now Critically Endangered

During the IUCN World Conservation Congress in September 2016, updates in the Red List of Threatened Species were made public. Not surprising was that…

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The "Walk through the Dja"

The conservation action plan for western lowland gorillas and central chimpanzees identifies 18 priority landscapes (IUCN 2014). One of them is the…

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On a Road to Nowhere?

After 16 years of continuous rule under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and record levels of corruption and mismanagement, Nigeria elected a new…

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Grauer’s Gorilla Population Reduced Dramatically

Grauer's gorillas are a subspecies of eastern gorillas and live in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo - an area where fighting between various…

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The Sarambwe Reserve: Current Developments and Threats

This article documents activities implemented in the Sarambwe Reserve and the almost continuous threats to the conservation of the reserve. It is…

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Can the Gorillas of Mt. Tshiaberimu Survive?

Planting of passion fruit seeds in sacks at the Vurusi nursery

In previous articles we have documented the invaluable support Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe has provided over the years to gorilla and habitat…

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Using Technology in the Mbe Mountains

The <link 244 _blank internal-link "MBe Mountains">Mbe Mountains</link> form part of an important habitat corridor linking Afi Mountain Wildlife…

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The Sarambwe Reserve and the War

[Translate to Englisch:] Claude Sikubwabo mit Sarambwe-Wildhütern

It has been approximately two decades since Sarambwe Forest descended into chaos, with the potential to end in the degradation of its ecosystems or…

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Oil Palm Plantations in Africa

The oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) has its origin in West Africa. Palm oil is a common cooking ingredient in equatorial Africa, Southeast Asia and parts…

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Landslides Hit Afi Sanctuary

[Translate to Englisch:] Einer der Landrutsche

The Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary (AMWS) occupies approximately 100 km² in the north-western area of the Afi River Forest Reserve in the northern…

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The Economic Value of Virunga Park

In response to the granting of oil concessions in Virunga National Park (Virunga) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), WWF launched a…

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Gorillas in the Dimonika Biosphere Reserve

Approaching the Dimonika Biosphere Reserve

Designated in 1988 under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program, Dimonika Biosphere Reserve is located in the central Mayombe Mountain chain in the…

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Shifting Trend of Ape Trafficking

Wildlife law enforcement operation in East of Cameroon led to arrest of traffickers in gorilla parts. (© LAGA)

In recent years, the trafficking of Afri­ca's apes has evolved into a highly organized criminal activity, but the situation has remained largely…

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Conservation Action Plan in Congo

UGADEC region in northeastern Congo

Some of the largest tracts of forest habitat in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo are located in the Walikale and Lubutu territories.…

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Two New Grauer's Gorillas Orphans

[Translate to EN:] Isangi mit ihrem Pfleger

On September 13, 2012, a young gorilla was brought to the Kahuzi-Biega National Park headquarters by a community conservation group, who claimed to…

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Orphan Gorilla Confiscation in Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea is experiencing a dramatic oil-fuelled economic boom which over the last decade has in­creased incomes, encouraged urban migration…

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Extensive Patrols in Maiko

Poachers arrested in the park

As part of the monitoring activities taking place In Maiko National Park during the festive period, between Christmas 2011 and the New Year, extensive…

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The 7-metre Gorilla Tracking Regulation

An UWA ranger informs gorilla tourist on the correct behaviour. (© Allison C. Hanes)

The mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) is listed as Critically Endangered (C1) by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature…

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Searching for Solutions to the Threats to Maiko

Camping site of mining workers at the edge of the park (© Paulin Wilondja-As-Ngobobo)

Conservation in the Maiko National Park (MNP) remains difficult: the intensity of threats to the park has not decreased. It is an enormous challenge…

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Maiko and the Simba

Illegal mining site in the park (© Stuart Nixon/FFI)

The Maiko National Park (MNP) is one of the least known and most biodiverse of all parks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo comprising over…

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Orphaned Gorilla Care

Jan Ramer (right) examining Shamavu, who is held by the ranger Shamavu (© Molly Feltner)

Gorilla confiscations are on the rise in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. So far this year 3 eastern lowland, or Grauer’s gorillas have been…

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New Gorilla Orphan Confiscated

Ihirwe

A new orphan gorilla infant arrived in the night on Sunday, August 7th, 2011, at the care facility in Kinigi, Rwanda operated by the Dian Fossey…

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Human Metapneumovirus Infection

Mararo grooming her sick son Impundu (© Magdalena Braum)

The genetic relatedness of mountain gorillas and humans has led to concerns about interspecies transmission of infectious agents. Human-to-gorilla…

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Threats to Maiko National Park 2011

Paulin Wilondja-As-Ngobobo with the confiscated Lubutu (© ICCN)

While the Maiko National Park still contains a high biodiversity, it is increasingly obvious that its conservation is still dependent on finding a…

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Status of Maiko National Park

Transport of a monkey that was killed in the national park (© Paulin Wilondja-as-Ngobobo)

Maiko National Park (MNP) is part of a network of 7 national parks located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The MNP was created in 1970 by…

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Response to Oil Prospecting in Gabon

A hole for the dynamite is prepared. (© Luisa Rabanal)

As the world's oil reserves continue to decline, interest from major petroleum companies in the largely unexploited reserves of African oil increases.…

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Snares in the Mikeno Sector

Rangers of the Virunga National Park with snares (© www.gorilla.cd)

Mount Visoke lies at the heart of mountain gorilla habitat - and so naturally the rangers of the Virunga National Park often venture onto the flanks…

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Gorillas of the Ebo Forest - Conservation

Map of the proposed Ebo National Park (© Angela Meder, adapted from a map by Bethan Morgan)

In November 2002 a population of gorillas was "discovered" in the Ebo forest of southwestern Cameroon, less than 100 km north of the Sanaga River…

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Gorilla Guardians in Cameroon 2009

Peter Tipa, Moses Takia and hunter Prince Ebole with a gorilla nest (© WCS Takamanda-Mone Landscape Project, Cameroon)

Faced with the challenge of improving the monitoring of unprotected Cross River gorilla sites in Cameroon, the Gorilla Guardian community-based…

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Mt. Tshiaberimu Project 2008

The silverback Nzanzu (© The Gorilla Organization)

2008 has been a very difficult year for The Gorilla Organization on Mt Tshiaberimu. In February 2008 the adult female Mughole of the Kipura group died…

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Important Forest Corridor for Gorillas under Threat

The Afi River Forest Reserve survey team

The Afi River Forest Reserve is an area lying between two sites in Nigeria where the Cross River gorilla is known to occur - the Afi Mountain Wildlife…

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Severe Problems in Virunga National Park