sign in sign up
<<
Home , Ian Redmond, La Palmyre Zoo, Moscow Zoo, The Gorilla Foundation, Zoo Basel

All About A Resource for Conservation Educators © Florence Perroux © Sébastien Meys © IMPRINT Authors: DISCLAIMER Florence Perroux, Published by the de la Palmyre, The contents of this volume World Association of florence.p@zoo­‑palmyre.fr do not necessarily reflect the and Aquariums (WAZA) and the Anne Sofie Meilvang, views of WAZA/IZE or con‑ International Zoo Educator’s Givskud Zoo, Denmark, tributory organizations. The Association (IZE) [email protected] designations employed and Shasta R. Bray, Cincinnati Zoo the presentations do not imply All about Gorillas. the expression of any opinion A Resource for & Botanical Garden, USA, [email protected] whatsoever on the part of Conservation Educators WAZA/IZE or contributory or‑ © WAZA/IZE, Bern, . Proof Reading: ganizations concerning the legal 32 pages Shasta R. Bray, status of any country, territory, Cincinnati Zoo, USA city or area in its authority, or Produced by Bill Street, Busch Gardens, USA concerning the delimitation of WAZA and IZE Gerald Dick, WAZA, Switzerland its frontiers or boundaries. Coordinated by WAZA Executive Office Silvia Geser, IZE Central Office, Lindenrain 3 [email protected] 3012 Bern Switzerland Design: Michal Stránský, Czechia, Tel +41 31 300 20 30 [email protected] Fax +41 31 300 20 31 [email protected] © 2009 World Association of www.waza.org Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) / International Zoo Educator’s As‑ IZE Central Office sociation (IZE). Lindenrain 3 3012 Bern This publication may be Switzerland reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational Tel +41 31 300 20 35 or non­‑profit purposes without Fax +41 31 300 20 31 special permission from the [email protected] copyright holder, provided www.izea.net acknowledgement of the source is made. WAZA/IZE would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source. No use of this publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in writing from WAZA/IZE. ISSN: 1662-7733 All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 1 Forewords United for Conservation!

Nobody can save the world’s biodiversity alone, and if we can, we can only The protection of biodiversity is crucial to the well being of people and to achieve it together. Therefore partnerships and joint efforts are essential in ensuring a healthy planet for generations to come. Gorillas, the gentle gi‑ order to bring together different approaches and skills. WAZA and CMS have ants of the forest, are one of ’s closest relatives, and failure to stop joined forces and together support species conservation and the increase of their current decline would be a bad sign for the future of humankind itself. public awareness on migratory species. It is therefore with great pleasure to present this resource manual for education and awareness purposes as The Year of the Gorilla and other projects for long-term gorilla protec‑ a result of collaboration of many partners within the international zoo com‑ tion aim to conserve not only the gorilla, but also its tropical rainforest munity, united under the WAZA and IZE umbrella. habitat. Gorillas are the ‘gardeners of the forest’ and must be saved if our children are to benefit from the forests and their unique natural resources This manual is a contribution to the endeavours to save all four gorilla subspe‑ tomorrow. Through provision of a healthy climate, fresh air, clean water cies – highlighted by the gorilla agreement under CMS and the related action and many other ecosystem-services, these forests are a central pillar of plans as well as the Year of the Gorilla 2009. As one can only protect what is a ‘functioning’ planet. The African range states have shown their commit‑ known, it is hoped that increasing knowledge about gorillas will in fact con‑ ment to saving the gorilla by concluding an Agreement under the auspices tribute to the survival of wild gorillas! of the UNEP Convention on Migratory Species covering all four gorilla sub-species and adopting urgent projects to ensure their survival. Sup‑ Gerald Dick porting them in their endeavour is a noble cause. This fun and educational Executive Director, publication will tell you more about gorillas, their important role and the World Association way they live their lives. Enjoy! of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) Robert Hepworth Executive Secretary, Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UNEP/CMS) 2 2009 Year of the Gorilla

The Convention on Migratory Why focus on gorillas?

© Sébastien Meys © Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention, Gorillas are very threatened in the wild. the UNEP/UNESCO Great They suffer from habitat destruction Survival Partnership (GRASP), through logging, mining, production and the World Association of Zoos of charcoal and expanding agriculture, and Aquariums (WAZA) have joined from poaching and trade, hands to declare 2009 the from the effects of armed conflicts, and Year of the Gorilla (YoG). from diseases like Ebola. Three of the four subspecies are listed as “Critically Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

According to scientists, gorillas are the 9 third closest relatives of after and . Humans and gorillas share a common ancestor, and only 1.4% of human genes differ Year of the from those of gorillas. Letting them GORILLA disappear would be a huge loss of Année du information about the evolution of modern humans.

GORILLE 200 All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 3

What is the purpose of a gorilla manual? …Letting them © Florence Perroux

The following contents should help you disappear would to better understand gorillas and find answers to many questions about them: be a huge loss for • What do the different species look like? • Where do they live? understanding the • How many gorillas are there in the wild? evolution of modern • What are their habits? • Why are they so threatened? humans… • Why do they need to be protected? • How are we conserving them?

You will also learn how you can act to help save them. Gorillas need you! 4 Acknowledgements Table of Contents

Many zoos and organisations Zoos Forewords...... 1 and their staff contributed ideas, in North America (USA) 2009 Year of the Gorilla...... 2 pictures, assistance, Bronx Zoo | WCS: Acknowledgements...... 4 information, and free time. www.bronxzoo.com | www.wcs.org Table of contents...... 4 Thank you to all those Denver Zoo: www.denverzoo.org What is a gorilla?...... 6 who helped to realize Atlanta Zoo: www.zooatlanta.org Difference between monkeys and ...... 6 this publication: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden: Gorilla species and subspecies...... 7 www.cincinnatizoo.org Range map...... 7 in Fact sheet...... 8 Authors Givskud Zoo, Denmark: Gorilla Identification by nose-shape...... 9 www.givskudzoo.dk Physical adaptations...... 10 Florence Perroux, La Palmyre Zoo, France: A powerful and well-adapted body...... 10 Zoo de la Palmyre, France www.zoo­‑palmyre.fr A herbivorous way of life...... 11 Anne Sofie Meilvang, Loro Parque (Canary Islands), : Thumbs Up! | Activity!...... 12 Givskud Zoo, Denmark www.loroparque.com Gorilla family...... 13 Shasta R. Bray, Cincinnati Zoo Rotterdam Zoo, The Netherlands: A strong family unit...... 13 & Botanical Garden, USA www.rotterdamzoo.nl From birth till adolescence...... 14 Zoo Zürich, Switzerland: www.zoo.ch Do gorillas have friends? | Zoo-Activity!...... 15 Zoo , Switzerland: www.zoobasel.ch Gorilla behaviour...... 16 Organisations Antwerp Zoo, Belgium: A very busy day: How does a gorilla spend its time | Zoo-Activity!.. 16 www.zooantwerpen.be Where do the gorillas hang out? | Zoo-Activity!...... 17 UNEP/UNESCO Great Apes La vallée des singes, France: Label gorilla behaviour illustrations activity | Activity!...... 18 Survival Project (GRASP): www.la-vallee-des-singes.fr Gorilla communication...... 19 www.unep.org/grasp Face it! | Activity!...... 20 Gorilla Fund Gorilla conservation...... 21 International: www.gorillafund.org Photographers Man is gorilla’s worst enemy...... 21 Wildlife Conservation Society: YES or NO? | Activity!...... 22 www.wcs.org Florence Perroux, Zoo de la Palmyre Saving the gorilla/How can you help?...... 23 African Conservation Foundation Sébastien Meys, France Protecting gorillas by recycling cell phones!...... 24 (ACF): www.africanconservation.org Dr. Christian R. Schmidt, Switzerland Dian Fossey...... 26 Thomas Jermann, Zoo Basel Ape Awareness Days...... 27 Arend de Haas, LWC/ACF Games | Activity!...... 28 Aaron Nicholas, WCS Resource list...... 30 , GRASP List of the 2009 Year of the Gorilla Participanting Zoos...... 31 Solutions for page 29...... 33 Gorilla Mask...... back cover page All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 5 Gorillas need us!

What’s happening?

These magnificent great apes impress

people with their imposing stature and Sébastien Meys © dark look. © Aaron Nicholas, WCS Aaron Nicholas, © People might think they’re aggres‑ sive, but they’re not! Gorillas are gentle, herbivorous giants, using intimidation tactics for only one purpose – protecting their family.

Despite their shy and quiet nature, goril‑ las face numerous threats throughout their range, as do many other species. Their numbers have dramatical‑ ly collapsed during the last few decades and today they only survive thanks to international conservation programs.

Gorillas need us­,including you, to be protected. 6 Difference between monkeys and apes What is a Gorilla? ACTIVITY! Read the texts below and try to connect them to the right species.

Monkeys and gorillas Gorillas belong are . to the ape family. 1) Who am I? With 200 kilograms They look similar Apes are divided into… (441 lb) for 1,70 m (5.6 ft) height, I am the as they… largest of all primates. Most of my diet • lesser apes is composed of leaves, roots, and fruits. • have large brains, ( and siamangs in Asia) Every evening, I build a nest on the Geser Silvia © compared to their body size • great apes ground for sleeping. I defend my family • have binocular and color vision (gorillas, chimpanzees, from any threat by chestbeating, roaring, • have opposable thumbs bonobos in and and sometimes by charging. • usually live in forests in Borneo and Sumatra) • both eat fruits, leaves, and • humans (all over the world!) even sometimes insects and meat Great apes are known 2) Who am I? I am one of the small‑ gorilla Gorillas differ from for their outstanding est primates on Earth. I don’t weigh monkeys as they… intelligence, which more than 600 g (1.3 lb). My tail is very allows them to… long and I have strong claws. I eat fruits, • are larger and heavier leaves, and insects. I usually give birth to • do not have tails • use tools twins. I keep jumping from one branch • have more developed brains (extract from mounds to another, foraging for food and explor‑ • have a longer life span with blades of grass or sticks, ing my territory. • breed more slowly, not reaching open nuts with stone “hammers”) adulthood before 10 years old for • solve problems females and 15 years old for males, • recognize themselves in a mirror and having longer birth intervals (in‑ • express a full range of emotions 3) Who am I? I belong to the ape golden tamarin fants highly depend on their (fear, joy, love, jealousy, shame…) family. I live in large groups. I eat fruits mother for several years) • form alliances to strengthen and leaves but meat as well. During the their positions or move higher night, I sleep in a nest built in trees and up in the hierarchy made of branches and leaves. I can be very noisy and sometimes agressive: fights and displays are common be‑

tween group members.

chimpanzee. 3) tamarin, 2) gorilla, is 1) No. it? isn’t easy, is It Solution: All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 7 What is a Gorilla? Gorilla species and subspecies

Are there many gorillas The Western Lowland Gorillas are the most numerous with 200,000 individuals in the wild and where surviving in the wild. do they live? This is the only gorilla subspecies kept Western Lowland Gorilla in zoos, except the 2 female Eastern Lowland Gorillas kept in Antwerp zoo in There are 2 different Belgium. gorilla species: • the (Gorilla gorilla) About 250 to 280 Cross River gorillas Western and eastern gorillas: of western and central Africa, and are thought to live in the border be‑ different looks • the (Gorilla beringei) tween Nigeria and . They are and different habits! of Uganda, Democratic Republic of classified as one of the world’s 25 most Congo, and western Rwanda. endangered primates and we know very Western lowland gorillas have short fur little about their habits. and brown hair on the top of their heads, Each species is divided into 2 subspecies. while eastern lowland gorillas’ blue­ Until recent years, 17,000 Eastern Low‑ ‑black fur is silky and long. The western gorilla includes: land Gorillas were living in the eastern • the Western Lowland Gorilla part of Democratic Republic of Congo. Western Gorillas live in tropical lowland (Gorilla gorilla gorilla), and Now there are probably less than 4,000 forests while Eastern gorillas inhabit • the Cross River Gorilla remaining, as many of them were killed montane rainforests. Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla diehli) during the civil war. can even be found at elevations as high as 4,000 meters! The eastern gorilla includes: About 720 mountain gorillas inhabit • the Eastern Lowland Gorilla the Virunga mountains. They are very Eastern Lowland Gorillas mostly eat © Florence Perroux © LWC/ACF/ (Gorilla beringei graueri), and well­‑known thanks to Dian Fossey, an leaves and plants, while Western Low‑ Arend de Haas • the Mountain Gorilla of the Virungas American researcher who studied them land Gorillas prefer fruits, especially dur‑ (Gorilla beringei beringei). in the wild for many years. ing the rainy season.

All the subspecies are endangered They all have one thing in common: or critically endangered, according to Do you know Dian Fossey’s they are all threatened in the wild by the International Union for Conserva‑ famous book Gorillas in the Mist? forest destruction, habitat fragmenta‑ tion of Nature’s Red list of Threatened A movie about her life in the Virungas, tion, hunting, and diseases. Species. featuring , was made in 1989. © Florence Perroux © Christian R. Schmidt 8 What is a Gorilla? Western lowland gorilla fact sheet

Order: Primates Not so scary A bed in the forest Mother and baby Family: Genus: Gorilla With their imposing physical appearance, Gorillas are active only during the day. Immediately after its birth, the baby go‑ Species: Gorilla gorilla gorilla male gorillas are very impressive! People Each evening they build a nest by gath‑ rilla is able to cling to its mother’s front Height: male 1,75 m (5.7 ft) may think they’re strongly agressive, but ering branches around and under their with a very powerful grip from both its female 1,40 m (4.6 ft) they’re not! These gentle giants are shy bodies. Nests can be constructed low in hands and feet. Weight: male 180–230 kg and quiet animals that use intimidation the trees or at ground level. During the first 6 months, the infant is in (397–507 lb) for only one purpose – protecting their Infants sleep in their mother’s nest until almost constant contact with his mother, female 70–100 kg family. they are about 3 years of age but they suckling and sleeping in her arms. (154–220 lb) can start practicing nest building as Young gorillas start exploring their envi‑ Life span: between 30 and 40 years young as 8 months. ronment around 3 months of age. They in the wild; up to 50 years A united troop Gorillas defecate in or next to their nest start eating some vegetation as well. in zoos and the size of the dung can help assess Between 6 to 7 months, they start climb‑ Sexual maturity: An adult male gorilla is called a silver‑ the age of the animal (the larger is the ing on their mothers’ backs and travel‑ male – 15 years back because the hair on his back turns dung, the older is the gorilla). Counting ling short distances from them. female – 8 years silver-grey as he matures. The silverback nests and measuring dung can therefore Infants will be weaned around Gestation: about 8,5 months is the leader and the protector of his provide information on the number of 3 years old. Number of young: 1 family group, which is composed of gorillas in a troop and the age of each Weigh at birth: 2 kg (4.4 lb) several adult females and their offspring, individuals. It is a commonly used census Frequency of births: some juvenile males (called black backs), method by researchers. every 3 or 4 years and juvenile females. In a threatening Habitat: tropical forests of western situation, he will beat his chest, produce and central Africa shrill vocalizations, throw vegetation, Diet: herbivorous (fruits, and finally charge at the intruder. He leaves, seeds), also cares for the young while females occasionally insects forage for food. Threats: habitat loss and fragmentation (logging, Sébastien Meys © mining, land conversion A strange way of walking for agriculture and grazing animals), poaching for Gorillas most often walk quadruped‑ bushmeat or illegal pet ally (four­‑footed) with limited bipedal trade, war and political (two­‑footed) movements. When moving unrest, diseases like ebola on their four feet, they “knuckle­‑walk”, meaning that they walk on their knuckles rather than their palms. All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 9 What is a Gorilla? Gorilla identification

Fingerprints? Noseprints!

Gorillas have unique fingerprints as do Sébastien Meys © humans. When we study them in the wild, however, it is easier to distinguish them by their noses. Gorilla noses differ in shape, and you can recognise them by looking at their noses.

Mike Yaoundé Ybana Bongo

ACTIVITY! Who is who? Pretend you are a gorilla researcher, Look at the height and width of the nose studying them in the wild. See if you can and the form and the length between match each nose to the right gorilla. the nostrils. Maybe you can also find some scars and wrinkles.

1 2 3 4

2 = Bongo | 4 = Ybana | 3 = Yaoundé | 1 = Mike Solution: 10 Physical adaptations Powerful and well‑adapted­ body

Shape Head Ears Gorillas have longer arms than legs. Arm Gorillas have massive heads with Hearing helps gorillas locate one muscles are bigger, which allows them a high sagittal crest. The head supports another and detect danger. to break branches and plants. the large temporal muscles needed As their visibility is restricted An adult gorilla’s upper body strength to grind hard plants. by rainforests, dense vegetation, is 6 times or more powerful than that Gorillas have a protuberant forehead hearing is very important. of an adult human! overhanging the eyes. This distinctive shape helps protect their eyes. Eyes Hands and feet Gorillas have good eyesight, which Gorillas’ sturdy fingers help is used for finding food and detecting support their body weight movements. when knuckle­‑walking. As they are active only during daytime, Thumb and big toe oppose they can see color, which is very useful for other digits, enabling gorillas finding ripe fruits in treetops! to grasp and manipulate objects. Gorillas have nails and not claws! Nose Gorillas have a good sense of smell and are able to detect strong odors such as human sweat or the musk of an unknown gorilla.

Teeth Like humans, gorillas have 32 teeth. An adult male gorilla can eat 20 kg of vegetation each day! © Sébastien Meys © All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 11 Physical adaptationsAn herbivorous way of life

Gorillas are primarily plant­‑eaters. A wild gorilla diet consists of mainly leaves, shoots, and fruits. Occasionally, they eat grubs, insects, and eggs. © Florence Perroux The body of a gorilla is adapted to a vegetarian life.

Gorilla’s mouth

Gorillas have large teeth with sharp skull from a male and female gorilla canines. These canines are used for defense as well as breaking tough vegetation.

They have large facial muscles for chewing tough vegetation, which are attached on top of the skull at the saggital crest.

Their molars have complicated patterns of cusps and ridges to facilitate chewing.

Gorilla’s digestive system © Florence Perroux

Gorilla’s have large, round stomachs that allow them to eat and store vegetative food.

Their intestines are much longer than ours, to better break down all the fibres of the food they eat. 12 Get a grip! Physical adaptations ACTIVITY!

All primates have bodies adapted to Ape species Who is who? Thumbs Up! a climbing way of life, yet their hands and feet have been modified depend‑ Gibbons and siamangs: Long arms, Which of the following hands and feet Thanks to opposable thumbs, primates ing on their different lifestyles. slender long hands, a light, slender belong to the , , can grasp objects better than other body, smallest and most arboreal of chimpanzee, gorilla, and human? animals, which allows them to easily All apes have relatively longer fingers the apes, spending most of its time in How are their hands and feet adapted perform tasks that would be hard or im‑ and a smaller thumb than humans. Apes trees. to their lifestyles? possible otherwise. What would your life who move around in trees by swinging be like without an opposable thumb? under branches with a hand­‑over­‑hand Orangutan: Long arms, slender long 1 4 motion, such as siamangs, gibbons, hands, heavier body than gibbons, • Try writing your name or drawing and orangutans, have developed long, males are quite big and heavy, and a picture without using your thumb. strong fingers that act like hooks for spend more time on the ground, espe‑ • How about buttoning your shirt hanging and swinging. Their thumbs, cially when moving from tree to tree. or tying your shoes? however, are not well­‑developed, pos‑ • What else would be tough to do sibly because it hinders movement. In Chimpanzees: Live in forests and 2 5 without thumbs? contrast, chimpanzees and gorillas, have savannahs, spend a lot of time on the thumbs that are well­‑developed and ag‑ ground, use tools to get food. ile. They allow for a precise grasp as the thumb and fingers are opposed to each Bonobos: Similar to chimpanzees, other. The hands of humans, not used but smaller. any longer for climbing, have developed into perfect “grasping instruments”. Gorillas: stout and muscular body, 3 live on the ground, use tools Apes use hands and feet not only for to get food. moving, but for many other things. It’s as if they have four hands, as their Humans: you know what we look like feet have long little toes and a thumb­ and how we move… ‑like agile big toe. This big toe is much 1...... shorter then the other toes, and can ac‑ tively grasp things. In humans, the feet 2...... have lost their ability to grasp in adapta‑

tion to a walking upright manner. Our 3......

gorilla = 5 | orangutan = 4 | human =

feet are well­‑adapted to the whole 3 | chimpanzee = 2 | gibbon = 1

body weight whereas in other apes the 4...... Solution: body weight is borne by all four limbs. 5...... by courtesy of Zoo Zürich, Switzerland All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 13 Gorilla familyA strong family unit

Gorillas live in familygroups. Group The youngsters size can vary from 2 to 25 members. Gorilla infants are very small and The average group number is 9 individ‑ fragile when they are born. uals. The gorilla group has a home range They only weigh about 2 kg! © Florence Perroux between 4 and 25 km2. The young gorillas stay close to their The group is very important for the mother for about 5 years. gorillas. Meet the various group mem‑ The youngsters spend a great deal of the bers here: day playing. They play with each other to learn how to be a gorilla. The boss The young females leave their There is only one adult male natal group when they become in the group. He is the leader and sexually mature. is called the silverback. The silverback has exclusive breeding rights to the females and is the father The blackbacks of all the youngsters in the group. Young gorilla males are called It is his duty to protect the group and to blackbacks. decide where and when to move next. Blackbacks are offspring of the silverback. They will stay in the group until they mature at around 10 years. The harem At that time, they will leave the group. There are several adult females in the They will then either stay alone for family. The females follow the silverback a while or in a multimalesgroup and care for the young by grooming, before getting their first females feeding, and carrying them. The harem’s and creating their own family. support for the silverback is crucial for his enduring reign, as solitary males sometimes challenge the existing order. Helping each other

The group members help each other. They warn each other if there is any danger around. Female gorillas with infants get help from other females. The silverback protects and takes care of the youngsters.

Life is not only safer for the gorillas if they live in a group, it also gives them company and playmates. 14 Gorilla familyFrom birth till adolescence © Florence Perroux © Florence Perroux © Florence Perroux © Florence Perroux

Newborn Infant 1–3 years old Juvenile 3–6 years old Subadult 6–8 years old

Adult female 8 years old Black back 8–13 years old © Florence Perroux © Florence Perroux © Florence Perroux © Florence Perroux

Mother more than 8 years old Siverback 13–15 years old All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 15 Do gorillas have friends? Gorilla family ZOO-ACTIVITY!

Be a behavior scientist Pick a gorilla to observe for 15 minutes. What did you find? and study gorillas in the zoo! Every minute, record whether the gorilla is within one gorilla arm’s length of How many times was the gorilla near another gorilla? People are a social bunch, another gorilla or not. and spend a lot of time around other Divide that number by 15 (the total number of minutes of the observation people. Do you think gorillas like to More than period) and multiply it by 100 to calculate the percentage of time the gorilla hang out with each other, too? Within one gorilla’s spent with another gorilla. one gorilla’s arm length Let’s make a prediction! arm length of away from any min. another gorilla other gorilla Do you think that gorillas spend How many times was the gorilla alone? most of their time alone or with 1. other gorillas? 2. Divide that number by 15 (the total number of minutes of the observation period) and multiply it by 100 to calculate the percentage of time the gorilla Time to find out! 3. spent alone. 4. 5. Did the gorilla spend more time hanging out with a friend or alone? 6. 7. 8. Is that what you thought would happen? 9.

10. Why do you think gorillas are like that? 11. 12. What other questions about the gorillas could you investigate? 13. 14. 15. 16 Gorilla behaviorVery busy day! ZOO-ACTIVITY!

How does a gorilla You as a gorilla?

spend its time? How do you spend your day? Are you as busy as gorillas? © Sébastien Meys © Time Activity In the wild, gorillas wake up at sunset and start eating. 8 am They spend approximately half the day slowly eating on their way through the 10 am rainforest. They rarely drink water as their herbivorous diet contains plenty of 12 pm water.

The group moves about 400–1,000 me‑ 2 pm ters per day. 4 pm At midday, gorillas build a nest and take At the end of the day, gorillas build a rest. During this rest­‑period the young sleeping nests on the ground or in the 6 pm gorillas play with each other. trees for the night. A new nest is built each night, because they travel to dif‑ After the rest, feeding and foraging ferent locations during the foraging. 8 pm activities resume. The daily construction of new nests also helps prevent parasites that may nest in 10 pm Gorillas spend about 14 hours feeding the bedding. and foraging, and about 10 hours resting every day. The nest is made from branches and ma‑ terial from other plants. A mother and Compare your life to a gorilla. How many minutes do you spend eating every day? her infant will stay in the same nest.

In order to make their daily activity cycle as true as that of the gorillas in the wild, Pretend you are a sleepy gorilla: Build your own nest from some tree­‑branches! zoos often hop the gorillas, food into small pieces and put them in many dif‑ ferent places throughout the enclosure. That is called activity feeding! All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 17 Gorilla behavior Where do the gorillas hang out? ZOO-ACTIVITY! What did you find? Where’s your favorite place at home Choose a gorilla to observe for 15 minutes. Every 60 seconds, to hang out? Under a tree? On the mark the boxes that describe where it is hanging out. How many times was the gorilla: couch? At the kitchen table? In your bedroom? Do you think the gorillas Near On In open area? have a favorite spot in their exhibit? In wall or On top of At At open struc‑ the a struc‑ front of back of Near wall or structure? Let’s Make a Prediction! min. area ture ground ture exhibit exhibit On the ground? Where do you think the gorillas like to 1. hang out? Do they like to be in open 2. On top of a structure? areas or near a wall or other structure? Do they like to be on the ground or up 3. At front of exhibit? high on top of a rock or other struc‑ ture? Do they like to be near the front 4. At back of exhibit? of the exhibit or prefer to hang out in 5. the back? What are your predictions? Did the gorilla spend more time 6. in open area or near wall or structure? Time to Find Out! 7. Did the gorilla spend more time 8. on the ground or on top of a structure?

9. Did the gorilla spend more time at the front or the back of the exhibit? 10. 11. Is that what you thought would happen? 12.

13. Why do you think the gorilla prefers to spend its time 14. in those locations? 15.

What other preferences might the gorillas have? 18 Gorilla behavior Gorillas are very busy

ACTIVITY! What are they doing? USA

Match the the following behavior to each drawing. Society, playing | chest beating | eating | caring for baby | sleeping | resting | knuckle-walking | climbing | grooming Conservation Wildlife by courtesy of the All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 19 Gorilla behavior Gorilla communication

An amazing Let’s play! A gorilla can laugh when playing. resonance chamber! The noise sounds like a soft human “hah­‑hah­‑hah”, with a quick intake of air © Florence Perroux Gorillas can employ various sounds blowing in and out – almost like very fast to communicate between them: soft breathing instead of laughing! grunts, purrs, rumbles, coughs, barks, grumbles, chest beats, and so on. Each sound means something special. Watch out! Thanks to an impressive chest, which Chest beats have several meanings. sounds like a drum, silverbacks can From a gorilla feeling good on a sunny produce very loud and strange noises. day, to a gorilla intimidating, to a gorilla However, gorillas generally are very warning someone that he’s there and quiet animals, unlike chimpanzees. watching. Baby gorillas learn to beat their chests and juveniles often chest beat when they play.

I’m happy! How does a gorilla express his content‑ Gorillas also have very ment (often when eating a favorite expressive faces and postures food)? He purrs almost like a cat! Friendly wrestle or chase often result in a wide‑open­ mouth or smile, indicating I am in a bad mood! that the gorilla is playing, not fighting! When a gorilla is upset, he might cough or bark. It sounds like a human warning A gorilla lying flat in front of a silverback another by saying “uh, uh, ahhh!” is that he’s adopting a submissive position.

I’m afraid! Pursed lips and standing upright indi‑ Gorillas can give high‑pitched­ yells. cate tension and annoyance. This means that they might be angry, frightened by something, or suffering from pain. Baby gorillas may scream or whimper if left alone by their mother or if they’re feeling scared. 20 Gorilla behavior Face It!

ACTIVITY! Gorillas, like people, use facial expressions to communicate with each other. Take turns making faces that express an emotion and try to guess which emotion that is with your friends.

Some emotions you could try to express might be: happy, sad, angry, surprised, or confused.

Describe your experiences here: © Florence Perroux Sébastien Meys © © Florence Perroux © Florence Perroux All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 21 Gorilla conservationMan is gorilla’s worst enemy © Sébastien Meys ©

Gorilla for dinner No forest – No gorillas Too close to humans Living in a war zone

One of the major threats to wild gorillas Another problem for the gorilla is the A further threat facing the gorillas is Unfortunately, the gorillas’ forested is poaching for their meat and body destruction of the forest through defor‑ diseases-due to the close contact with home also provides retreats for armed parts. Meat from gorillas and other wild‑ estation, fire, or mining. The forest is dis‑ humans. Many diseases that infect factions during time of war and political life is called bushmeat (It is translated turbed by logging companies harvesting humans may also infect other primates. unrest. This adversely affects gorillas from french term for meat from wild‑ timber and it is modified for agriculture Many gorillas have died of Ebola virus and other animal populations by reduc‑ life – “viande de brousse”). Gorilla meat purposes. This causes habitat loss and transferred by humans. ing the number of areas they may safely is considered a delicacy. Skulls and other fragmentation. Fragmented habitats inhabit. gorilla body parts are sold as souvenirs limit breeding opportunities, reduce or used as amulets. food resources, and increase human Did you know? conflicts with wildlife. Gorillas and humans are so closely Few natural enemies related, that they can infect each other Did you know? with diseases. Gorillas have few enemies. The only When the adult gorillas are killed by Did you know? natural ones being humans and very poachers, the young gorillas are often There are only about 720 mountain goril‑ rarely leopards. sold as pets. las left in the wild. Loss of limb or life

Snares set for other animals are also a danger for gorillas. Their hands or feet can be caught in the loop, which can cause the loss of a limb or the life of the gorilla. 22 Gorilla habitat loss Gorilla conservation ACTIVITY!

Coltan Mining Logging for timber Agriculture Conservation Actions

An area of forest is being destroyed A logging company has clear cut an area An area has been converted to fields to An area of forest has been saved from by mining for coltan and diamonds. for its hardwood trees and sold them to grow food for the local community. destruction by conservation organiza‑ Coltan ore is the source of tantalum – buyers outside the country. tions working with the local community an essential coating for components Will the gorillas need to find a new to develop sustainable honey farms out‑ of cell phones. Money from coltan and Can the gorillas remain here? home somewhere else? side park boundaries. This project serves diamond mining helps finance the civil as an important source of income and war in the Democratic Republic prevents the need to burn down trees to of Congo (DRC). harvest honey from hives.

Can the gorillas survive in this area? Can the gorillas stay in this area? War and Political Unrest

An area has been involved in civil unrest © Ian Redmond for several years. This has resulted in direct damage to the forest as well as the poaching of many animal, including gorillas, for bushmeat.

Can this forest continue to provide safe homes for gorillas?

by courtesy of Denver Zoo, USA Logging camp, northern Congo All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 23 Gorilla conservationSaving the gorilla

How are we How can you help? saving gorillas Join a gorilla protection Also recycle electronics to reduce Support companies • Gorillas are legally protected in coun‑ organization! mining for coltan, a metallic ore that use certified tries where they live. used in cell phones and laptops. wood, indicated Mining is a great threat to the by the Forest • An international treaty called CITES gorilla’s habitat! Stewardship (Convention on International Trade in Spread the word – tell your Council’s logo! Endangered Species of Wild Flora and friends about the need for www.fsc.org Fauna) regulates trade in threatened gorilla conservation! species, including gorillas. Gorillas Avoid buying furniture and floors are listed in Appendix 1, which strictly made of wood from the rainforest. prohibits their trade. Recycle and/or reuse wood prod‑ • The International Union for Conserva‑ ucts, including paper, to help save tion of Nature (IUCN) is an interna‑ trees and forested environments. tional organization that supports the conservation of wild living resources. The IUCN Red List has classified all subspecies of gorillas as endangered or critically endangered.

• Ecotourism helps protecting wild goril‑ • Zoos raise public awareness through las thanks to the money brought by education, support gorilla conserva‑ tourists who visit the animals in nation‑ tion programs in the wild, and help to al parks. Money is used for monitoring better understand the species thanks

gorillas, paying park guards, estab‑ to behavioral studies conducted on the Sébastien Meys © lishing education programs, building animals they keep. schools and clinics, and more. 24 Gorilla conservationProtecting gorillas by recycling cell phones!

What a strange idea! Cell phone technology uses columbite- tantalite ore, also called coltan. Once re‑ How can you help? fined, coltan becomes metallic tantalum, Can I really help a heat resistant powder that can hold a high electrical charge. These proper‑ protect gorillas ties make it a vital element in creating Recycle your cell phone by: Another solution is to keep your capacitors, the electronic elements that cell phone as long as possible! by recycling control flow inside miniature circuit • donating it to the zoo The less you change it, the less boards. Tantalum capacitors are used in next to your home, or coltan is needed! my cell phone? almost all cell phones, laptops, pagers, and other electronic devices. • returning it to a store that is obligated to take them back. Coltan is mainly found in the rainforests of central Africa where gorillas and many other endangered animals live. The mining, often illegal, destroys wildlife habitats and widely contributes to the decline in gorillas populations, as bands of natives mining this ore also hunt ani‑ mals for food. Money from coltan and

diamond mining also helps to finance Stránský Ondra © civil wars in Africa.

That is why reducing the demand for coltan should help save gorillas and their habitat. All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 25 Gorilla conservation Start a Cell Phone Recycling program

Michelle Rodenberg and Melissa • “I put my old cell phone in the box Antons, two science teachers at so the materials did not go to waste St. Bartholomew Consolidated School in sitting in my closet or landfill.” (SBCS), heard about the cell phone Megan Willams, 8th grade recycling program at the Cincinnati Zoo from a colleague. Both teachers were • “I personally have not donated also advisors to Student Council. The a cell phone to this program, science teachers encouraged Student but I think it is a great way for Council to initiate a campaign to recycle our school to Go Green!” cell phones, cell phone batteries, and Alex Lohmann, 8th grade chargers. SBCS’s Student Council made a commitment to support the zoo’s ef‑ • “I think it is great that our school fort. Student Council also hopes to raise is getting involved in the world awareness about the importance of community by trying to save protecting gorilla habitat through the the habitat of endangered species recycling effort. by recycling our old cell phones.” Pierce A flier was sent to everyone in the school community explaining the importance USA of recycling cell phones and the im‑ pact recycling can have on preserving

Garden, gorilla habitat. A cell phone collection box was placed in the school foyer. SBCS’s mission is to educate, recycle, and preserve habitat.

Zoo & Botanical www.eco-cell.com Cincinnati photo by courtesy of 26 Gorilla conservationNo one loved gorillas more…

You cannot talk about gorilla‑research with‑ out mentioning Dian Fossey.

Dian Fossey was an American zoologist, When Dian’s favorite gorilla, Digit, was who devoted her life to protecting and killed by poachers in 1978, she created studying the mountain gorillas of Africa. The Digit Fund to raise money for anti­ ‑poaching patrols. The fund still exists Her work has been very important to today, but is renamed The Dian Fossey our understanding and knowledge of Fund International. gorillas. Dian was murdered by an unknown She visited Africa for the first time attacker in her cabin at the Karisoke in 1963, and returned in 1966 where she Research Center in 1985. The killer was began a long time study of the mountain never found, but many people believe gorillas in Democratic Republic of Congo that she was killed by poachers. © Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International © Dian Fossey and Rwanda. Dian is buried next to Digit and on her In 1977, Dian established the Karisoke gravestone is written: “No one loved Dian evolved a very close Research Center in the Virunga Moun‑ gorillas more…” relationship to the gorillas. Did you know? tains. She learned to imitate their vocalizations and behavior, Dian Fossey’s life was portrayed and thereby gained their trust. in a movie called Gorillas in the Mist – the Story of Dian Fossey. All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 27 Gorilla conservation Ape Awareness Days

Ideas to inspire you

Have an Ape Awareness Days event at your zoo. Here are some ideas:

• Schedule special keeper talks and ape enrichment activities. © Thomas Jermann, Zoo Basel Jermann, Thomas © • Let visitors help create enrichment items, for example, filling puzzle feeders or making paper mache piñatas.

• Use biofacts, such as gorilla hand and foot casts, to interpret.

• Hold a cell phone recycling campaign.

• Write gorilla­‑grams to send to politicians in support of gorilla conservation. 28 Games

1. 2. 3.

Which of these primates doesn’t A B C D E F G H I J K L M Find eight primate names belong to the ape family? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 that are hidden in the grid. • gorilla N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z C H I M P A N Z E E • siamang • orang­utan 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 O R U P B O I F J X • macaque L G K H Q N R U T S • chimpanzee Replace each number by the corresponding letter and find • the secret words that will give you information about gorillas! O O R A N G U T A N • gibbon B R C S D X M V M E • A gorilla is the of all primates. 12 | 1 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 19 | 20 U I U I J E T N A W S L E M U R M Q R B • A gorilla is a . 8 | 5 | 18 | 2 | 9 | 22 | 15 | 18 | 5 Z L H O Z F S A I L M A C A Q U E B N A • The dominant male is called the . 19 | 9 | 12 | 22 | 5 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 U F X V B A B O O N

• Gorillas live in .

1 | 6 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 1

AFRICA. in live Gorillas

SILVERBACK. the called is male dominant The

HERBIVORE. a is gorilla A tamarin | gorilla | colobus | baboon |

macaque primates. all of LARGEST the is gorilla A macaque | lemur | orangutan | chimpanzee All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 29 Games

4. 5.

Connect the dots in numerical order to reveal the picture. Draw in the missing toes!

Orangutan Gorilla Human

Do you need help? Find solution on page 33. Do you need help? Find solution on page 33. by courtesy of Zoo Zürich, Switzerland 30 Resources and Reference List

Zoos exhibiting gorillas Year of the Gorilla Zoo associations Bushmeat that provided information for the manual: • Year of the Gorilla: www.yog2009.org • World Association of Zoos • Bushmeat Crisis Task Force: • Convention on Migratory Species: and Aquariums: www.waza.org www.bushmeat.org/portal/server.pt In North America www.cms.int • International Zoo Educators www.bushmeat-campaign.net • Bronx Zoo, USA: www.bronxzoo.com • Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP): Association: www.izea.net www.bushmeat-kampagne.de • Denver Zoo, USA: www.denverzoo.org www.unep.org/GRASP • European Association of Zoos • Atlanta Zoo, USA: www.zooatlanta.org and Aquaria: www.eaza.net Pictures • Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Books • Association of Zoos and Aquariums USA: www.cincinnatizoo.org (United States): www.aza.org • Arkive: www.arkive.org • Dian Fossey, Gorillas in the Mist. In Europe ISBN: 978-0618083602 Conservation Mountain Gorillas • Givskud Zoo, Danemark: • George B. Schaller, www.givskudzoo.dk The Year of the Gorilla. • The Gorilla Organization: • The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund: • La Palmyre Zoo, France: ISBN: 9780226736488 www.gorillas.org www.gorillafund.org www.zoo­‑palmyre.fr • Dr. Carla Litchfield, • The Bwindi–impenetrable • The Mountain Gorilla • Loro Parque (Canary Islands), Spain: The Gorilla Book: Born To Be Wild, : Veterinary Project: www.mgvp.org www.loroparque.com ISBN: 978-1-74203-088-3 www-rcf.usc.edu/~stanford/bigape.html • International Gorilla Conservation • Rotterdam Zoo, The Netherlands: • Martin Harvey & Letitia Farris-Tous‑ • IUCN Red List: www.iucnredlist.org Programme: www.mountaingorillas.org www.rotterdamzoo.nl saint: Gorillas – the Gentle Giants. • The IUCN Primate Specialist Group: • Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund: • Zoo Zürich, Switzerland: www.zoo.ch ISBN 978-1-901268-35-5 www.primate‑sg.org www.saveagorilla.org • Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): • World Wildlife Fund (WWF): About gorillas www.wcs.org www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/ • WCS Congo: www.wcs-congo.org mountaingorilla/mountaingorillas.html • Berggorilla: • African Sanctuary Alliance: www.berggorilla.org/english/frame.html www.pasaprimates.org Great apes • Animal Diversity Web: • Institute: http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/ www.janegoodall.org • Great Ape Project: www.greatapeproject.org site/index.html • World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF): • Ape Alliance: www.4apes.com • : www.panda.org www.koko.org/kidsclub • Gorilla Haven: www.gorilla­‑haven.org All About Gorillas | A Resource for Conservation Educators 31 Participating Zoos in the 2009 Year of the Gorilla

Country Institution Country Institution 1 Austria Zoo Schmiding 28 Germany Zoologischer Garten Berlin 2 Australia Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens, Parkville 29 Germany Münchener Tierpark Hellabrunn 3 Australia Zoological Parks Board of NSW, Taronga Zoo 30 Germany Zoologischer Garten Saarbrücken 4 Belgium Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp 31 Denmark Givskud Zoo 5 Brazil Belo Horizonte Zoo, Minas Gerais 32 France Zooparc de Beauval 6 Cameroon Limbe Wildlife Centre 33 France Parc Zoologique de la Palmyre 7 Canada Calgary Zoo 34 France La vallée des singes 8 Canada Toronto Zoo, Scarborough 35 France Touroparc en Beaujoulais 9 Canada Granby Zoo 36 Hungary Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden 10 Switzerland Zoo Basel 37 Indonesia The Schmutzer Primate Centre, Ragunan Zoo, Jakarta 11 Switzerland Zoo Zürich 38 India Mysore Zoo, Karnataka 12 China Beijing Zoo 39 Ireland Zool Soc of Ireland, Dublin Zoo 13 China Shanghai Zoo 40 Israel Zoological center Tel-Aviv-Ramat-Gan 14 Zoological Garden Dvůr Králové nad Labem 41 Japan Fukuoka Zoo, Chuo-ku 15 Czech Republic Zoological Garden Prague 42 Japan Hamamatsu Municipal Zoo, Shizuoka 16 Czech Republic Zoo & Chateau Zlín-Lešná 43 Japan Hitachi Kamine Zoo, Ibaraki 17 Germany Zoo Duisburg 44 Japan Kobe Oji Zoo, Hyogo 18 Germany Zoo Frankfurt 45 Japan Kyoto Municipal Zoo, Sakyoku 19 Germany Zoo Hannover 46 Japan Nagoya Higashiyama Zoo, Chikusaku 20 Germany Tiergarten Heidelberg 47 Japan Ueno Zoo, Taito-Ku, Tokyo 21 Germany Zoologischer Garten Köln 48 Japan Chiba Zoo, Wakaba-ku 22 Germany Zoo Leipzig 49 South Korea Seoul Grand Park Zoo 23 Germany Allwetterzoo Münster 50 Mexico Chapultepec Zoo, Mexico City 24 Germany Tiergarten Nürnberg 51 Mexico Guadalajara Zoo, Jalisco 25 Germany Wilhelma Zool-Bot Garten, Stuttgart 52 The Netherlands Artis, Royal Zoo Amsterdam 26 Germany Zoologischer Garten Wuppertal 53 The Netherlands Apenheul Primate Park 27 Germany Zoo Rostock 54 The Netherlands Stichting Koninklijke Rotterdamse Diergaarde 32 Participating Zoos in the 2009 Year of the Gorilla

Country Institution Country Institution 55 Portugal Jardim Zoologico e de Aclimacao em Portug 80 United States of America Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens 56 Poland Opole Zoo 81 United States of America Wildlife Conservation Society, NY 57 South Africa Johannesburg Zoological Gardens 82 United States of America Bronx Zoo, NY 58 South Africa National Zoological Gardens, Pretoria 83 United States of America Zoo Atlanta 59 Russia Zoo 84 United States of America Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Int,c/o Zoo Atlanta 60 Russia Rostov Zoo, Rostov on Don 85 United States of America San Diego Zoo, CA 61 Sweden Kolmardens Djurpark 86 United States of America Santa Barbara Zoo, CA 62 Spain Zoo Barcelona 87 United States of America Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs, CO 63 Spain Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno, Obregón 88 United States of America Denver Zoo, CO 64 Spain Loro Parque, S.A. Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife 89 United States of America National Zoological Park, Smithson.WashDC 65 Spain Bioparc Valencia 90 United States of America Jacksonville Zoo, FL 66 United Arab Emirates Al Ain Zoo 91 United States of America Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista, FL 67 United Kingdom Paignton zoo 92 United States of America Miami Metro Zoo, FL 68 United Kingdom City of Belfast Zoological Gardens 93 United States of America Busch Gardens, Tampa, FL 69 United Kingdom Clifton and West of England Zool Soc 94 United States of America Brookfield Zoo, IL, Chicago Zoological Society 70 United Kingdom Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Jersey 95 United States of America Topeka Zoo, KS 71 United Kingdom Zoological Society London 96 United States of America Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita, KS 72 United Kingdom Twycross Zoo, East Midland Zool Soc 97 United States of America St Paul’s Como Zoo, MN 73 United Kingdom Blackpool Zoopark 98 United States of America St Louis Zoo, MO 74 United Kingdom Chessington World of Adventures 99 United States of America Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo, NE 75 United States of America North Carolina Zoological Park 100 United States of America Columbus Zoo, Powell, OH 76 United States of America Audubon Zoo, New Orleans 101 United States of America Toledo Zoo, OH 77 United States of America Birmingham Zoo 102 United States of America Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA 78 United States of America Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville 103 United States of America , WI 79 United States of America Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 104 United States of America Gorilla Haven 105 United States of America The Buffalo Zoo, NY 106 United States of America Cleveland Metroparks, OH 33

Solution for page 29 Print, cut out, color, and wear this gorilla as a mask. You just need paper, scissors, coloring, and an elastic string.