Who doesn’t love gorillas?
These fur-coated apes are one of the world’s most incredibly intelligent social creatures that share about 98% of our DNA; if that’s not a family, what is? With their incredible strength, playful personalities, and even their human-like expressions, it is hard not to be captivated by them. But while they may seem unstoppable, gorillas need our help now more than ever. But why?
They are endangered!
People have been forced into the mountain gorilla’s forests in central Africa for decades. To be more specific, 1063 mountain gorillas are known to remain in the wild today, at the moment we celebrate “World Gorilla Day” to raise awareness about these “gentle giants” of the animal kingdom. They live in two isolated groups in high altitude montane and bamboo forests which are surrounded by agricultural settlements.
Gorillas, like us, live in close-knit families, communicate with each other in their own unique ways, and even laugh! They can eat all day long and nestle in at night on the ground or in trees. These big apes could live to over 40 years old in the wild. Despite their strength and resilience, gorillas are facing serious threats, primarily from habitat degradation and destruction, disease transmission, injury and death as non-target species of poaching, human-wildlife conflict, and climate change-induced alterations of habitats. These impending dangers have put many species of gorillas on the endangered list.
And let’s not forget! These beasts play a crucial role in maintaining the health of the ecosystems they live in. As they move through forests, they disperse seeds, helping plants and trees thrive. Without them, the delicate balance of these ecosystems would be thrown off, affecting countless other species as well.
What can we do? The good news is that we all can help! Whether it is supporting conservation efforts, raising awareness, or even just learning more about these amazing primates, every tiny bit makes a difference. Adopt a gorilla (Oh, don’t you worry! They won’t move in with you), or spread the word on social media, whatever makes your heart sing!
On this World Gorilla Day, let’s celebrate these majestic animals by doing our part to protect them and make sure they stick around for future generations to admire, laugh at, and be in awe of!
Can you imagine a planet without our furry, banana-loving cousins?
Apoorwa Amarathunga
3rd Year
Business and Environmental (Hons.)
Faculty of Science
University of Colombo
References:
Mramstead. (2022b, January 21). Top 10 facts about mountain gorillas. WWF. https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/fascinating-facts/gorillas
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