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photo taken by Craig R. Sholley
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MOUNTAIN GORILLA
Six hundred; that is how few of these magnificent creatures exist in the wild.
Think of the honor and exhilaration of being able to see these animals in person.
Observing a wild gorilla family in its natural habitat will be among the most
profound experiences you can have.
Mountain gorillas live in a small area at the convergence of Rwanda, Uganda,
and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Virunga Volcanoes and the Bwindi
Impenetrable National Forest make up their home range. Mountain gorillas are
the largest member of the great ape family; adult male silverbacks can weigh
up to 470 lbs and reach 6 feet in height. They are the most endangered member
of the great ape family and one of the most endangered animals on earth.
The most serious threat to the mountain gorilla is habitat loss due to
extensive deforestation to generate farmland. Eco-tourism has become an
important source of revenue for the local people and thus has become a vital
conservation tool. This revenue stream allows people to become less dependent
on subsistence farming, which decreases the need for new farmland. This directly
benefits the gorillas by dramatically slowing down the rate of deforestation.
The mountain gorilla is a relatively shy animal. They live in groups of family
units. There is usually one dominant male, a few sub-ordinate males, and multiple
females and young. Although the adult male gorilla will ferociously defend its
family, the threats are typically displays rather than true attacks.
Despite their ferocious appearance these gentle animals are herbivores;
they eat only plants. Their diet consists of wild celery, bamboo, thistles,
and other plants and fruits. They wander throughout their home range foraging
most of the day. In the evening they usually will make a nest of leaves on the
ground and sleep. They rarely stay in one nest more than one night.
Gorillas are born weak and small, often weighing only 4 pounds. They wean
their young at 3-4 years of age. Young male and female gorillas are classed
as juvenile between the ages of about three and six years. Females do not
grow much in height after reaching age six, but males continue to grow taller
until they are 10-12 years old. Males reach sexual maturity between 12-15
years and are called "silverbacks" due to the patch of silver or gray hair on their backs.
Aside from man, the only natural predator the gorilla faces is the leopard.
Gorillas face threats from snares set for other animals; they are killed by
trophy hunters for their heads and hands; and infant gorillas are captured for zoos.
This animal is almost extinct. There is a unique opportunity for you to help
save and glimpse this magnificent animal. The eco-tourism model that has been set up in Rwanda and Uganda is being tested. Lets all do our very best to insure that this model passes. Endangered Encounters will do our part by donating 100 percent of post-tax profits to organizations that will work to ensure that future generations will be able to see these majestic creatures in the wild, where they belong.
MORE ABOUT MOUNTAIN GORILLAS
The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International
African Wildlife Foundation
MOUNTAIN GORILLA CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS
African Wildlife Foundation
The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International
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