Gorillas are classified as follows, the eastern lowland gorilla found in the lowland forests of eastern DR Congo, the western lowland gorilla found in lowland forests of central and western Africa and the cross-river gorilla living along the Cross River along the border of Nigeria and Cameroon. Mountain gorillas are sub species of the Eastern gorillas listed under IUCN red unit as threatened species. Mountain gorillas are ancestral descendants of the giant apes, sharing 97% DNA with human beings. Mountain gorillas are characterized by thick fur often longer than for any other species. The giant apes live in dense moist tropical rain forest with in cool temperatures in Africa particularly East Africa and central Africa with more 1000 individuals distributed different national parks.
In Uganda mountain gorillas are found in Bwindi forest national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and Virunga national park in Congo
Mountain gorillas are critically endangered if conversation is taken lightly, however the status changed few years back when the total population hit above 1000 in the whole world, special thanks was dedicated to great conservation techniques towards the vulnerable giant apes.
The increase of mountain gorillas in number is attributed to dedicated conservation teams in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo by the respective organs and several stake holders, Many special thanks to the Dian Fossey fund that raise funds towards conservation together with dedicated efforts of the late Dian fossey who dedicated most of her time in the Virunga ranges researching about mountain gorillas until she brought the gorillas on the international plight.
Much as the gorillas have increased in number, the giant apes still face extinction if conservation is relaxed, some of the major threats to mountain gorillas include;
Diseases
Mountain gorillas are prone and vulnerable to human diseases, they contract easily to airborne diseases especially pneumonia, Tuberculosis, cold and flue since they share a close DNA percentage with human beings. Mountain gorillas live in groups, it is believed if they contract an infectious disease it would hard for the family to recover leading to total extinction. The recent outbreak of the novel corona virus is posed a big threat to the life of the great primates leading to closure of the primate park as a measure not to expose them to the deadly virus with various people trekking to see them.
Poaching
The main challenge to wild life at large is poaching, mountain gorillas are not targeted as human food but usually they fall into snares of traps set for other forest habitats like duikers, antelopes, bush pigs and other wild life habitats which end up hurting the gorillas.
Direct poaching of mountain gorilla is not common many times the gorillas are killed out of self-defense. Recently in Bwindi forest national park, a silver back in Nkuringo gorilla family was killed to which the culprits say they did it out of self-defense to the gorilla which charged towards them.
Habitat loss
Mountain gorillas leave in forested areas, due to rapid human population growth leading to deforestation, the giant apes are affected. Other threats could exist but habitat loss is great danger to the survival of mountain gorillas. The only solution to maintain the gorillas and their home is empowering the surrounding communities with alternative economic activities for survival and earning, for example part of the money collected from the sale of gorilla permits goes back to the surrounding communities through job creation, building schools and roads, fund allocation to improve their lives and not look at Gorillas as a threat but source of income.
Human activities
These include farming, mining, charcoal making leading to massive deforestation lead is a great danger to the existence of mountain gorillas. This could lead the gorillas into community in search of food and end result is human-wildlife conflict. Weak management and laws could lead to a tragic loss of the mountain gorillas, it is important to put in place stringent laws to abide as well as conservation is concerned.
In conclusion there are so many threats towards mountain gorillas that could lead to their total extinction, however special thanks dedicated towards the conservation teams for the great work toward the existence of mountain gorillas and having increased in number from 365 to more than 1000 species in the whole world is a great sign and achievement towards conservation.
