Gorilla Journal Journal of Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe No. 29, December 2004

Low Wall High Im- Infanticides by a Zoonotic Diseases Gorilla mtDNA – pact: Crisis Man- Silverback in Shared by Gorillas Sequences agement in Virun- Kahuzi-Biega and Humans Unravelled and ga National Park Secrets Revealed BERGGORILLA & REGENWALD DIREKTHILFE

CONTENTS Authors of this Issue Germany. She is currently conducting field work for her PhD dissertation on Democratic Republic of Congo 3 Dr. Katherine A. Abernethy is Bwindi gorillas. Kahuzi-Biega and the "14-day War" 3 based in Gabon at CIRMF’s Lopé field Bernard Iyomi Iyatshi has worked Fire in Kahuzi-Biega 4 station, studying the dynamics and for nature conservation in the D. R. Involvement of Pygmy Women in ecology of tropical forests. Congo for 22 years. In August 2002, Conservation 5 Dr. Nicola M. Anthony worked at he became Principal Conservator of Infanticides in Kahuzi-Biega 6 Cardiff University and CIRMF on gorilla the Kahuzi-Biega National Park. Low Wall High Impact 9 population genetics before moving to Dr. Kathryn Jeffery worked on the Unconventional Warfare in the the University of New Orleans. application of forensic genetics to the Virunga National Park 11 David Beamont is Communica- population biology of gorillas at Lopé, Fire in the Mikeno Sector 13 tion Officer with FFI. Before that he Gabon and is now based at Lopé. Confiscation of a Baby Gorilla 13 worked with the IUCN SSC in the field Mireille Johnson-Bawe works at Another Gorilla Orphan 14 communications. CIRMF and is now a graduate student Rwanda 15 Richard Bergl is a Ph.D. student at Cardiff University. Twin Mountain Gorillas 15 in anthropology at the City University John Kahekwa has been working Uganda 16 of New York. He has been studying at the Kahuzi-Biega National Park The Diet of Bwindi Gorillas 16 Cross River gorillas since 2000. since 1983. He founded the Pole Pole Gorilla Park Fees Raised 17 Prof. Michael W. Bruford heads a Foundation that has been cooperating Gorillas 18 group of scientists and students at with the population since 1992. Zoonotic Diseases 18 Cardiff University studying biodiversity Pierre Kakule Vwirasihikya has Bushmeat as a Potential Threat 20 and environmental process. been working in the Virunga National Gorilla mtDNA 21 Dr. Stephen L. Clifford works at Park since 1982. Now he is the Tayna Possible Existence of Previously CIRMF using non-invasive methods for Gorilla Reserve Coordinator and the Unrecorded Cross River Gorillas 26 measuring gene flow, dispersal and UGADEC Executive Secretary. PHVA of the Cross River Gorilla 26 social structure in wild gorilla and Frans Keizer has been at Apen- The Gorillas of "Petit Evengue" 28 mandrill population genetics. heul since 1979, where he is head of Wildlife Law Enforcement in K. Alexandra Dörnath Aguirre the gorilla section. Together with his Cameroon 30 Alvarez, a veterinarian, worked in wife Marian he was sent to Gabon to GRASP Update 32 Great Britain and Germany as well as look at the possibilities of co-operat- Reading 33 in several wildlife management pro- ing with the project Operation-Loango. News from the Internet 34 jects. Presently she finishes her doc- Marian Keizer started to work at Berggorilla & Regenwald toral thesis on zoo gorillas in Europe. Apenheul in 1972; when she stopped Direkthilfe 35 Jessica Ganas is a graduate working, she was constantly involved student at the Max Planck Institute of in problems with sick gorilla babies. Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Daniel Malonza worked in the Organization Address: Ministry of Agriculture in Kenya before Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe he moved on to British American c/o Rolf Brunner Gorilla Journal 29, Dec. 2004 Tobacco. He has been working with Lerchenstr. 5 Editor: Angela Meder UNEP/GRASP since March 2004. 45473 Muelheim, Germany Augustenstr. 122, 70197 Stuttgart, Dr. Angela Meder studied captive Fax +49-208-7671605 Germany gorillas for 10 years. Today she works E-mail [email protected] Fax +49-711-6159919 as a book editor. Since 1992 she has Website: E-mail [email protected] been part of the Board of Directors of http://www.berggorilla.org Translation and Proofreading: Ann Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe. Bank Account: DeVoy, Bettina and Andrew Grieser Robert D. J. Muir worked on re- Account number 353 344 315 Johns, Colin Groves, Tami Kempton search and community-based conser- Stadtsparkasse Muelheim, Germany Braggio vation; since February 2004, he has Bank code number 362 500 00 Design: Edwin Artho, Angela Meder been working to re-start the Frankfurt IBAN DE06 3625 0000 0353 3443 15 Cover: Women carry stones for the Zoological Society’s Virunga National SWIFT-BIC SPMHDE3E Mikeno border wall. Photo: R. Muir Park Conservation Programme.

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John Bosco Nkurunungi studied Kahuzi-Biega and the gastro-intestinal parasites of gorillas "14-day War" and humans in Bwindi and the feeding ecology of the gorillas. He is currently Bukavu, July 5th, 2004. The Tshivanga studying their foraging efficiency. Station was looted after the recent Dr. Daniel Pouakouyou, the FFI conflict, the so-called “third liberation”, Programme Manager for Central Afri- which swept Bukavu and its surround- ca, studied the reproductive biology of ings from May 26th to June 9th. On Prunus africana and the implications June 2nd, Bukavu town fell under the for in situ conservation and manage- control of dissidents from the national ment. He joined FFI in 2003. army. Following strong international Dr. Johannes Refisch studied the political pressure, the dissidents re- effect of poaching on monkeys in the treated from Bukavu town and were Taï Forest, Côte d’Ivoire, and is co- replaced by loyalist forces. director of the Taï Monkey Project. These terrible events were accom- Now he is developing a project on SIV panied by an organized bloodbath, the in monkeys for the Schweizerisches rape of girls and women, and the wilful Tropeninstitut. destruction of the town’s infrastruc- Dr. Martha Robbins, Max Planck ture, especially in the areas surround- Institute for Evolutionary Anthropo- ing the town that were reached by the logy, has been studying the behavioral dissidents. Destruction in a ranger house ecology of gorillas for 14 years, for the The Tshivanga Station could not Photo: Carlos Schuler past 6 years in Bwindi. escape the same fate: the post was Carlos Schuler visited Bukavu first occupied by the national army from puters, one printer, 2 typewriters, ra- in 1983 and since 1994 he has been May 26th to June 2nd, by dissidents dios, the entire equipment of the dis- working for the German developmental from June 2nd to June 9th, and finally pensary including medical drugs, of- aid organisation GTZ there. by the loyal army again from June 9th fice furniture, administrative files, elec- Claude Sikubwabo Kiyengo sur- to date. During this series of occupa- trical installations – all of it was taken veyed gorillas in the Maiko National tions, our Land Cruiser patrol jeep, 5 or ripped out; glass was broken, doors Park and took part in a gorilla census radios, 10 batteries and 2 collapsible were forced, and so on. Currently, our in Kahuzi-Biega. Now he works for the solar panels were taken. staff members are still living in empty IUCN in eastern D. R. Congo in con- The dissidents completely looted houses; most of them own nothing but nection with CARPE. the station. Wilful destruction en- a single pair of trousers. Dr. Jürg Völlm has been working gulfed the whole infrastructure, includ- After these events, we increased in Basle Zoo as a veterinarian ing the camp of the rangers (15 our contacts with the General Com- regularly since 1976. The famous houses) and the dispensary, 3 com- mander of the 10th military region, Basle gorillas are among his patients. whom we had asked to visit the sta- Dr. E. Jean Wickings runs the tion. Thanks to the provincial governor molecular ecology lab at CIRMF, of South Kivu, the people responsible looking at questions of biogeography, within MONUC and the General Direc- population genetics and dynamics of torate/ICCN, to whom we reported tropical mammal and plant species. these events, the patrol jeep was re- Prof. Dr. Juichi Yamagiwa has turned on July 2nd. studied eastern gorillas since 1978. In spite of the atmosphere of inse- He promoted a cooperative research curity and uncertainty that dominates project on gorillas and chimpanzees the region at the moment, we have with CRSN and ICCN in Tshibati. restarted the service and rangers have Galit Zangwill was a tour guide been deployed to all patrol posts. and worked mostly in Israel and Jor- Contact has been re-established with dan. She left to join LAGA and was its Destruction in the health center all the monitored gorilla families. Their assistant manager in Cameroon. Photo: Carlos Schuler sizes are:

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Mugaruka group 10 individuals Chimanuka group 20 individuals Langa group 6 individuals Mufanzala group 16 individuals Mpungwe group 6 individuals Birindwa group 9 individuals Ganywamulume group 5 individuals

Other monitoring and development ac- tivities in the surroundings of the park are also continuing, in both the high- land and the lowland areas. The per- sonnel in the sub-stations at Nzovu The fire on the hills of the national park Photo: Carlos Schuler and Itebero were not affected, and they were able to carry on normally – Congolese soldiers needing to ces to the province, especially the with all social classes in their respec- clear sight-lines to their observation drying up of the river feeding Bukavu, tive sectors. We appreciate the efforts posts, the erosion and climatic disturbances. of our partners who contribute to the – Interahamwe wandering in the park. The population mobilized and suc- preservation of this site. cessfully extinguished the fire in the Overall, we can say that luckily the And yet, the people who are living near accessible sectors. More than 400 park’s fauna has not been significantly the park, ex Mai-Mai and other sol- people worked day and night, averting affected by the recent events. diers, are proving to be a grave con- the risk that the tourist sectors might Bernard Iyomi Iyatshi and cern to the park's integrity. It is noth- burn. MONUC Bukavu provided a 40- Carlos Schuler ing new that small groups are still in minute over-flight to verify the situation opposition to the park. In 1995, these on the ground using cameras and detractors gave a rough time to the other equipment. We are very thankful Fire in the High Altitude governmental commission charged for their support. These are our obser- Sector of Kahuzi-Biega with clarifying park boundaries around vations: Ninja, and since this period, and with 6 July, 2004: A bushfire threatens the arrival of the Interahamwe, park – The Mt. Kahuzi area was heavily several sectors of the high altitude rangers have been unable to enter the damaged by scattered fire. region of Kahuzi-Biega National Park. area for fear of their lives. – The southern part of the ecological Our information indicates that the We don’t yet know the precise corridor was devastated by fire. burning hills are occupied by military surface area or amount of material – The bamboo sectors were more factions and inaccessible to park offi- damage sustained. The worsening of resistant to fire than previously cials (the central corridor of Nindja, poverty and misery is a major ob- thought. Katasomwa in the north and Bunyakiri stacle in the development of this area, – The farms and several hills are still in the west). The premature and very and is undeniably related to this burning. long dry season, which began in terrible destruction. Nevertheless, the March, was partly to blame. But it is ICCN (Institut Congolais pour la Con- For better conservation of this site, the worrying that we do not know the ex- servation de la Nature) is having talks following measures must be taken: act origin of the fire, which has de- with local politico-military authorities stroyed large parts of some sectors of in order to organize a coordinated International level: the park; recent studies indicate that over-flight to evaluate the situation on – Repatriate the Rwandan armed 90% of neighbouring residents favour the ground. Rangers were sent off to forces (Interahamwe) since their the existence of the park. According attempt to extinguish the fires despite presence is causing serious harm to our sources, the cause could be limited resources. to the local people and to the park. any of the following: 13 July, 2004: Park leaders in- – The international community must formed local and national authorities strongly involve itself in the rehabili- – unidentified passers-by, and the international community a- tation of this World Heritage Site – illegal farmers, bout the damage and its consequen- (especially reafforestation).

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– Adopt and enact efficient measures which are sought after by the sur- to reduce the poverty of the people rounding populations. living close to the park. Bernard Iyomi Iyatshi and Carlos Schuler National level: – Define, once and for all, the park’s boundary, particularly that of the Involvement of Pygmy corridor. Women in Conservation – Delegate a commission to evaluate damage caused by destructive peo- In 1998 the Pole Pole Foundation ple in the corridors, and impose (POPOF) initiated a project in the appropriate measures. Kahuzi-Biega National Park as a com- – Provide surveillance personnel with ponent of its programme for the inte- sufficient and efficient equipment gration of local communities into the for park patrols. conservation of natural resources. – Lobbying relevant authorities is of Funded by the Dian Fossey Gorilla critical importance to resolving this Fund-Europe (DFGF-E), the project’s Pygmy women trained by POPOF problem. target group is the Pygmy population Photo: John Kahekwa living close to the park. One of the Local level: project’s aims is to assist Pygmy how to tailor clothes, including the – Seriously involve the local authori- women in the generation of alternative cutting of material and sewing. These ties and local people in safekeeping income in order to decrease their training activities started in Buyungule of the park. negative impact on the park. For this village in 2001. During this initial – Develop alternatives to exploitation purpose, training courses have been course, 8 women were trained. The of the natural resources in the park established to teach Pygmy women results of the course are still evident.

A Message from POPOF – Support is Needed!

On 4 November 2004, we received an e-mail from John Kahekwa with an urgent call for help. He wrote to us:

"During the recent war of June in Bukavu town and surroundings, the POPOF office was looted. Thus the sewing machines used by the pygmy women, cameras, computers were looted. Until now it remains hard for us to reorganise the work again. In case BERGGORILLA could have some equipment such as digital cameras and GPS or various materials to offer to POPOF, this will be very welcome in order to help grow with the activity of fighting against the destruction of the park's natural resources through creating jobs to people around it. I look forward to hear from you." Bank Account: Account number 353 344 315 Of course we would like to support POPOF with any material that they Stadtsparkasse Muelheim, need for their work for the population living near the Kahuzi-Biega National Germany Park, but we need additional funds for this support. Bank code number 362 500 00 IBAN DE06 3625 0000 0353 Please help POPOF to continue their activities. POPOF is a local 3443 15 NGO and their work is appreciated by the local people. SWIFT-BIC SPMHDE3E

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During the second phase in 2003, First Observations of the project was extended to two more Infanticides by a Silver- Pygmy villages, Kashodu and Mu- yange. This increases to 3 the number back in Kahuzi-Biega of tailoring training centres already set Three cases of infanticide have re- up by POPOF as a new initiative for cently been recorded in a group of the conservation of the park. All three eastern lowland gorillas inhabiting the villages are located in the vicinity of montane forest of Kahuzi-Biega Na- important gorilla areas (of the Chima- tional Park. This group is called the nuka, Mugaruka, Langa, Mishebere Chimanuka group, and they have been and Birindwa families), and the goril- habituated for tourism since 2003. The las are therefore direct beneficiaries of leading silverback, called Chimanuka the project. (means “appearance”), was born in a Chimanuka Photo: Ian Redmond The 2003 phase resulted in the habituated group (the Maheshe group) training of 16 additional Pygmy in 1986. Chimanuka left his natal nja (the mother of Maendeleo) trans- women under the supervision of three group in 1998 when he was 12 years ferred, while Lushasha (the mother of Bantu tailors (equally distributed old. In December 2002, he was ob- Chubaka) did not. At the transfer, Chi- among the three centres). To date, 24 served as a leading silverback with 2 manuka stole Maendelo from the women have been able to profit from females around another habituated chest of its mother and killed it by these tailoring courses, an opportu- group called the Mugaruka group. biting its face and chest. The dead nity that not many people in the region Mugaruka (means “winner”) was body of Maendeleo was abandoned on have had. also born in a habituated group (the the ground. Mugaruka traveled with The results of the courses have a Mushamuka group) in 1987. At the only Lushasha and her baby Chu- very noticeable, if small, effect on the death of Mushamuka in 1997, Muga- baka. improvement of the socio-economic ruka was 10 years old (a blackback Two females who transferred into conditions of the women. The various male). An older male (a maturing sil- the Chimanuka group gave birth in products that have resulted from these verback) left the group, but Mugaruka November and December 2003. A courses include shirts, trousers, remained with the females in the few days after their birth, Chimanuka shorts, etc. The situation in the gorilla group, travelling without any silver- killed the two babies. Based on direct areas in the vicinity of these villages back. After large-scale hunting of go- observations by park trackers, the vic- (Buyungule, Kashodu and Muyange) rillas in 1998 and 1999, Mugaruka was tims’ mothers and the other females has stabilized, including a decrease of observed to travel with 3 females and tried to prevent him from killing the the number of reported violations in 2 immatures (Yamagiwa 2003). By babies but failed to stop him. In the this part of the park. 2003, he had acquired 11 females and first case, Chimanuka suddenly rose For the future, POPOF proposes to lost 2 females. A male baby (called up during siesta and grabbed a baby extend the project to three new vil- Chubaka, Mugaruka’s first offspring being carried ventrally by its mother. lages, i.e. Tshibati, Lukananda and with a female called Lushasha) was He carried it away to bite its shoul- Cibumbiro, which are close to the ter- born in June, 2000 and another baby ders. The baby started crying loudly, ritories of the Mufanzala, Mpungwe (called Maendeleo, Mugaruka’s sec- and the rest of the group including its and Ganywamulume gorilla groups. In ond offspring with a female called mother attacked Chimanuka, trying to the long term, the project will need to Mwinja) was born in April 2003. take it back. But Chimanuka ran away be extended to other (i.e. non-Pygmy) The first interaction between the fast, carrying the baby, and finally communities in order to involve all the Chimanuka group and the Mugaruka killed it. The dead baby was left on the communities in the communal con- group occurred in August 2003. After ground. The mother picked it up and servation of natural resources in the a fierce fight with physical contact, continued to carry it for a week until park. However, in order to succeed in Mugaruka suffered wounds on his the body became decomposed. this, POPOF needs the assistance of shoulders. Two females transferred in- In the latter case, the victim’s all individuals and all organizations to the Chimanuka group. The second mother and the other females chased concerned with the survival of the go- inter-group interaction occurred in Oc- Chimanuka, who carried the baby. rilla and its habitat. tober, when 9 adult females trans- The mother bit Chimanuka on the right John Kahekwa ferred to the Chimanuka group. Mwi- foot to stop the killing; but the baby

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2–4 habituated groups monitored by graphic data on several habituated the park on a daily basis between groups of mountain gorillas have been 1972 and 1998 (Yamagiwa & Kahe- collected by the late Dian Fossey and kwa 2001). Neither infanticide nor in- the Karisoke Research Center since tense aggression toward any infant by 1967, and 16 cases of infanticides a silverback male was observed during were reported (Fossey 1984; Watts the 27-year period. Between 1983 and 1989). All of the victims were suckling 1998, most of the individuals in the infants or old infants less than 3 years habituated groups were identified and of age, and the killers were extra- Maendeleo alive and dead monitored by the park. 10 females group males except for two cases (a Photos: Carlos Schuler carried suckling infants and 4 females group male and probably females). In- were accompanied by weaned juve- fants were killed by extra-group males was killed by Chimanuka’s bite. The niles when they transferred between when their group encountered other mother also carried her dead baby’s groups during this period, but no im- groups or solitary males. When the body until decomposition. mature was killed or wounded in any leading silverback was present, in- In December 2003, a female who of the cases. fants were rarely killed (in 2 cases), had been with Chimanuka since 2002 Infanticide did not follow either the but they were frequently attacked and gave birth to a baby called Bonane death of the leading silverback, or occasionally killed by extra-group (means “happy new year”). Chima- takeover by an extra-group male, in males after the death of the leading nuka did not attack the baby, who has Kahuzi. After the death of Mushamu- silverback. Infanticide accounted for survived without any wound. He was ka, a leading silverback of a habitu- 37% of infant mortality in the Virunga probably the baby’s father. ated group, 3 females with infants im- Mountain gorilla population. Watts The third inter-group interaction oc- migrated into the group. They were (1996) argued that infanticide had a curred in January 2004. The last fe- accepted by two young males, and no great influence on choice of group by male in the Mugaruka group trans- wounds were observed on either immi- females at the time of transfer and on ferred into the Chimanuka group, while grant female or their infants after join- multi-male group formation. Female Chubaka, her 3-year-old son, did not ing. mountain gorillas tend to transfer transfer but remained in his natal After the death of Maheshe, the alone between groups and to join a group with Mugaruka. This is the first leading silverback of another habitu- large group containing more than 2 case observed in Kahuzi-Biega Na- ated group, most of the females and silverbacks. After the death of the tional Park that a silverback spent a immatures remained together and leading silverbacks, females did not long time together with only an imma- traveled without any silverback for associate together but dispersed to ture male. Recently several females 27 months. Then a young silverback join other groups. About half of the and immatures immigrated to the (named Lambchop) joined the group reproductive groups are multi-male Mugaruka group from the Mishebere as the new leading silverback. One groups, and no female group without group, which previously consisted of year after his joining, 2 females with any silverback has been observed in 39 individuals and whose leading male infants and a female with a juvenile the Virungas. These features of fe- disappeared (probably killed by immigrated into the group. Lambchop male movements and group formation poachers) in 2003. In September 2004 was very tolerant toward them, and no are probably shaped by the occur- (at the time of writing this report), the infanticide occurred. rence of infanticide. Mugaruka group consists of 10 indi- Based on these results, we con- The evolutionary implication of in- viduals. cluded that these aspects of new fanticide has been explained by the From these observations, we found group formation and female transfers sexual selection hypothesis (Hrdy new behavioral tendencies of gorillas with dependent infants and juveniles 1979). Infanticide by males has been in Kahuzi-Biega National Park. Since were linked to the lack of infanticide in reported for about 30 species of pri- the late 1960s when Adrian Deschry- Kahuzi and were in pronounced con- mates, and it functions as a male ver, the first warden of the park, trast to the situation in the Virungas, reproductive tactic to hasten the re- started to habituate gorillas for tour- where many occurrences of infanti- sumption of cycling by suckling fe- ism, no infanticide had been observed cide have been reported. males; it is likely to occur in species until the three cases in 2003. We In the Virungas, located about 200 with relatively long lactation relative to analyzed the demographic data on km north of Kahuzi, long-term demo- gestation (van Schaik 2000). The life

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history of gorillas may provide the con- (1963) had never observed infanticide leading silverbacks were killed, and ditions that favour infanticide by extra- in 1959 and 1960. No infanticide has the proportion of young silverbacks in group males. In order to reduce infanti- been reported in the 1990s or more the population may have increased. cide risk, females have evolved coun- recently. Unstable relationships be- These unmated males constitute a ter strategies; one of these is females’ tween groups and between individuals greater infanticidal threat than do prolonged association with protector within groups induced by large human breeding males. Chimanuka was ob- males (Sterck et al. 1997). The large disturbances may have produced con- served as a solitary male just before proportion of multi-male groups in the ditions leading to infanticide. he appeared in the range of the Muga- Virunga population is explained as a Recent DNA analysis suggested ruka group in 2002. Both Chimanuka female strategy against infanticide by that the silverbacks of neighbouring and Mugaruka were young (17 and 16 choosing the group offering the great- groups were related at Mondika, Cen- years old, respectively) and would be est male protection (Watts 1996). tral African Republic (Bradley et al. strongly motivated to attract females. We examined the possible reasons 2004). Western lowland gorillas possi- They were born in different groups and for the absence of infanticide in the bly form a patrilocal social structure in were not related to each other. Al- Kahuzi population and reached the which males remain in their natal re- though the details of interactions be- conclusion that some unknown fac- gion and potentially benefit from kin tween Chimanuka and the victims’ tors suppressed the occurrence of in- associations. In Kahuzi, several new mothers before the infanticides were fanticide as a potential reproductive groups were formed following group not known, Chimanuka’s strong moti- tactic by males in Kahuzi (Yamagiwa fissions caused by maturing silver- vation for reproduction may have re- & Kahekwa 2001). The 3 infanticides backs taking females out of their natal sulted in his killing these infants of by Chimanuka observed in 2003 may groups, before the large-scale hunting transferred females. add new perspectives to our assess- (Yamagiwa & Kahekwa 2001). The Thirdly, it is worth noting that the ment. First, the large-scale poaching new groups overlapped their ranges occurrences of infanticides in Kahuzi of gorillas in 1998 and 1999 may have with those of their natal groups, and were different from those in the produced conditions favouring infanti- these new group formations resulted Virungas. Chimanuka killed 2 new- cide. Thousands of refugees and sol- in a local concentration of several born babies just after birth in his diers roamed in the forest of Kahuzi groups in which the leading males group. On the other hand, he did not during the civil war and hunted large were related to each other. Infanticide kill a baby (Bonane) whose mother mammals, frequently for bushmeat. is unlikely to occur in these groups had remained for at least one year in Most of the elephants and about half because all infants are more or less his group prior to delivery. It seems of the gorillas were killed during this related to any adult male, even to ex- likely that Chimanuka discriminated period (Yamagiwa 2003). All leading tra-group males. Human disturbances the infant he accepted from those he silverbacks in the 5 habituated groups during the civil wars probably de- killed, probably based on his past in- were killed by poachers, and dis- stroyed these peaceful relationships teractions with their mothers. Was his integrations of groups and female among related males and thus in- decision on whether to kill based on transfers frequently occurred after the creased encounters and hostility be- the relatedness of the infants to him? death of the leading males. Gorillas tween unfamiliar males. It is difficult to answer this question tended to shift their range into the The second factor favouring infanti- because the interactions between central sector of the park, where the cide would have been the recent in- Chimanuka and the victims’ mothers park staff frequently patrolled. These crease in the proportion of young remain unknown in detail. The ab- situations may have stimulated unfa- silverbacks, which may have in- sence of copulation or the short length miliar groups to overlap their ranges creased agonistic interactions be- of these mothers’ stay in his group and so frequently encounter each tween groups and so caused infanti- possibly influenced his decision. other. Infanticides in the Virungas also cide. In the Virungas, most infanticidal When Chubaka’s mother trans- occurred after large-scale disturbance males were solitary males, who were ferred into the Chimanuka group, Chu- by human activities. In the 1960s, the strongly motivated to attract females baka did not join his mother but re- Rwandan Government took 40% of the to establish their own groups (Fossey mained with Mugaruka, his putative park for farm land. Cultivation and cat- 1984; Watts 1989). After the large- father. In most of the previous female tle encroachment forced the gorillas to scale hunting and disintegration of transfers, immatures transferred with shift their range into the central part groups, young males dispersed as their mothers in Kahuzi. Chubaka’s of the Virunga Volcanoes. Schaller solitary males in Kahuzi. Most of the case suggests that he or his mother

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may have learned from the occur- structure. Future intensive research Low Wall High Impact: rences of infanticide. His mother prob- on eastern and western lowland goril- Crisis Management in ably noticed the risk of infanticide at las and DNA analysis will examine her transfer and left her weaned infant, this hypothesis. Virunga National Park who could travel independently with We suspect, however, that the Ka- While clashes between the former dis- Mugaruka. If this is the case, female huzi population is too small to sustain sident rebel leader, General Laurent gorillas may be able to quickly and large social changes. In order to sup- Nkunda, and forces loyal to the transi- effectively respond to the occurrence port them, we should realize the pres- tional government in the Democratic of infanticide by changing the patterns ent conditions influencing them and Republic of Congo brought renewed of association. make a wise conservation plan based unrest to the troubled Kivu Region, an Fourthly, we can expect social on new knowledge about them. We altogether different offensive was be- changes in the Kahuzi population in hope this report will contribute to ing played out in Congo’s Virunga Na- the near future. If the female gorillas in these urgent actions. tional Park. While the eyes of the Kahuzi can learn the proper strategy Juichi Yamagiwa and world’s media were drawn to the ad- against the risk of infanticide, they will John Kahekwa vance of Nkunda’s troops on the town seek more protection from their part- of Bukavu and the human rights at- References ners, as did the female mountain goril- Bradley, B. J. et al. (2004) Dispersed male rocities that followed, thousands of las in the Virungas. They will transfer networks in western gorillas. Current Biology Rwandan farmers entered the gorilla alone to avoid competition with other 14: 510–513 sector of the Virunga National Park females over a male mate and will Fossey, D. (1984) Infanticide in mountain go- and started cutting down the forest. rillas (Gorilla gorilla beringei) with comparative choose a multi-male group to gain notes on chimpanzees. In: Infanticide: Com- On the 10th June 2004, park rangers more protection. Maturing males will parative and Evolutionary Perspectives. sent a report to the Congolese Wildlife remain in their natal group after matu- Hausfater, G. & Hrdy, S. (eds.). Hawthorne, Authority (ICCN) who immediately rity and will start reproduction without NY (Aldine), pp. 217–236 called upon the international conser- Hrdy, S. B. (1979) Infanticide among animals. spending time in solitary life. The pro- Ethology and Sociobiology 1: 13–40 vation community to intervene. portion of multi-male groups will in- Robbins, M. M. (2001) Variation in the social Results from the regular aerial re- crease in the Kahuzi population. system of mountain gorillas: the male per- connaissance carried out by the Euro- spective. In: Mountain gorillas. Robbins, M. M. Association among related males et al. (eds). Cambridge (Cambridge University pean Union (EU) and Frankfurt Zoo- may be a common social feature Press), pp. 29–58 logical Society (FZS) confirmed that within Homininae, including African Schaller, G. B. (1963) The Mountain Gorilla. that the destruction was taking place great apes and humans. The genus Chicago (University of Chicago Press) at an estimated rate of up to 2 km2 a Sterck, E. H. M. et al. (1997) The evolution of Gorilla may have evolved two types female social relationships in nonhuman pri- day. This rapid deforestation of the of association among related males. mates. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Mikeno sub-sector was alleged to One is association within a group, and 41: 291–309 have been authorised by the Rwandan van Schaik, C. P. (2000) Infanticide by male the other is tolerance between males primates: the sexual selection hypothesis re- of neighbouring groups. The occur- visited. In: Infanticide by Males. van Schaik, C. rence of infanticide may promote the P. & Janson, C. H. (eds.). Cambridge (Cam- former, and its absence may promote bridge University Press), pp. 27–71 Watts, D. P. (1989) Infanticide in mountain the latter. Populations of gorillas may gorillas: new cases and a reconsideration of have such flexibility between these the evidence. Ethology 81: 1–18 two types of social organization. Watts, D. P. (1996) Comparative socio-ecol- Another population of mountain go- ogy of gorillas. In: Great Ape Societies. McGrew, W. C. et al. (eds.). Cambridge (Cam- rillas in the Bwindi Forest contains a bridge University Press), pp. 16–28 large proportion of multi-male groups Yamagiwa, J. (2003) Bushmeat poaching and as observed in the Virungas, but no the conservation crisis in Kahuzi-Biega Na- tional Park, Democratic Republic of Congo. J. infanticide has been reported so far Sustainable Forestry 16: 115–135 (Robbins 2001). This suggests that Yamagiwa, J. & Kahekwa, J. (2001) Dispersal Men are walking on the border the Bwindi population may have al- patterns, group structure and reproductive between Rwanda (left) and the ready experienced infanticide in the parameters of eastern lowland gorillas at Ka- deforested Virunga National Park huzi in the absence of infanticide. In: Mountain past and may have succeeded in pre- gorillas. Robbins, M. M. et al. (eds.). Cambrid- (on the right) venting it by shaping multi-male social ge (Cambridge University Press), pp. 89–122 Photo: Robert Muir

9 Gorilla Journal 29, December 2004 D. R. CONGO

lomats and foreign officials, who ap- plied pressure on the Rwandan Gov- ernment and local and regional au- thorities to bring a halt to the incursion and destruction of the forest. On the 27th June, 2 days before the UN DRC Group of Experts had scheduled an official onsite investigation, an order was given by the Rwandan military for all farmers to immediately evacuate the area. With the area now clear, the ICCN A completed part of the wall with requested that the international con- the people who built it – at the servation community help fund the de- right is the park velopment of a 20 km long dry stone Photo: Robert Muir wall, 1 m high and 1 m wide, around the affected area to help re-establish siderable pressure from the EU, the park limits. The wall would also MONUC was unwilling to provide the prevent further movement of domestic necessary support, and alternative Grey area: deforested part of the livestock into the park, and would pro- measures were therefore needed. Af- Virunga National Park vide a strong visual response to the ter consultation with the UN’s Office recent incursion. FZS and the EU im- for the Coordination of Humanitarian military in order to reduce their vulner- mediately made funds available, but Affairs (OCHA) it was agreed that only ability to attack along the sensitive there were now concerns over the level with the support of the Governor of border region. Investigations carried of security at the site, given the pres- North Kivu could security be guaran- out on the ground revealed that a ence of Rwandan military in the area. teed. During a meeting on the 29th workforce of up to 6,000 Rwandans The United Nations Peace Keeping June, attended by OCHA, the EU, made the daily trip across the border, force for the Democratic Republic of WWF and FZS, the Governor gave the paying 1 US$ to the Rwandan military Congo (MONUC) was asked to inter- guarantees needed to ensure the and local Chiefs to clear a hectare of vene and support the ICCN with a de- safety of those building the wall. land. tachment of 15 UN Peace Keepers to Work started on Tuesday 6th July, Within a month, 15 km2 of forest assure the security of those involved and by the 20th August over 7 km had had been either cut down or severely in building the wall. At the time, been built. Funds from the United degraded, and trees were being felled MONUC was still smarting from the Nations Environment Programme as far as 10 km from the international accusation that they had not taken (UNEP), the International Gorilla Con- border, apparently in the name of se- decisive action in preventing the servation Programme (IGCP) and the curity. Once cleared, the land was clashes in Bukavu, but despite con- World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) then sold to Rwandan citizens, some had been pledged to complement of whom travelled from as far as Ru- those funds already provided by FZS hengeri and Kigali, and paid up to and the EU. The IGCP developed a 1,000 US$ per ha. There was outrage partnership with the World Food Pro- from the local Congolese community, gramme (WFP) who provided 29 t of who relied heavily on this forest for the food as a salary supplement. The collection of firewood, and as their ICCN Community Conservation Officer only source of water during the dry engaged 42 local Congolese associa- season. tions to build the wall, and the total The information collected on the workforce comprised 989 men and ground and through aerial surveys was 1,051 women. Six Rwandan associa- used to inform the international con- tions were also engaged to build the servation community, the European Forest destruction on Mikeno section of wall which ran along the Commission, UNESCO, USAID, dip- Photo: Robert Muir international boundary, as this was

10 Gorilla Journal 29, December 2004 D. R. CONGO

considered by the Congolese to carry Unconventional Warfare weapons, so they too fled into the the greatest risk. This presented an in the Virunga National bush. opportunity to raise the awareness of In order to save his own life, the the Rwandan military to the impor- Park Chief Warden quickly opened all his tance of park conservation, for the lo- There are 480 park rangers based in doors to give the impression that he cal people and the wildlife. It was also stations and patrol posts throughout too had fled, before scrambling up into an opportunity to bring the Congolese the Virunga National Park, an area of a hole in the ceiling of the food store, and Rwandan people together at a some 7,900 km2 with one of the most with a half sack of beans serving as a local level; an initial step towards diverse ecosystems in the world. The stepladder. Less than a minute later wider reconciliation. Over 12 km of the successful conservation of this park several armed men ran into his house wall had been completed by the end of relies heavily on the efforts and dedi- and moved from room to room looting September with FZS overseeing much cation of its park rangers, who in the as they went. Only his mattress and of the construction, and at the current worst form of irony find themselves bed were left untouched. They moved rate of work it is expected that the wall under attack and in desperate need of into the communications room and re- will be completed by the end of No- protection. moved both the HF and VHF radio vember. It was at 2:45 in the morning of the sets, the station’s only link with the The rapid intervention by the NGO 7th September 2004, that more than outside world. community, and other international 100 bandits and ex-militia launched a One man entered the store room bodies, which resulted in an agree- devastating attack on the 40 small and noticed the sack of beans and the ment to fund the construction of the houses that comprised the park sta- hole directly above it. He fired a shot wall in the Mikeno sub-sector, has tion of Kabaraza. The Chief Warden piercing the hardboard ceiling. The had a positive outcome. Above all it was too late to escape, but outside he bullet narrowly missed the warden and demonstrated to the communities liv- could hear his team of 33 rangers exited through the corrugated roof. ing along the edge of the Mikeno for- hurrying all the women and children Not satisfied that the shot would flush est the determination of those pledged into the bush while a few provided out anyone hiding in the roof, he to protect the World Heritage Site to covering fire. The rangers quickly real- climbed up through the hole and respond quickly in an emergency and ised that they were outnumbered and shone his torchlight around an appar- take appropriate action. The wall outgunned, their AK47s proving no ently empty space. The warden was clearly demarcates the boundary of match for sophisticated heavy calibre lying flat out on his stomach between the park and will over time be ac- two wooden beams which provided cepted as the limit of cultivation. In the sufficient cover while the torch light interim the ICCN will need to carry out darted from left to right before the ban- regular patrols and inspections along dit disappeared back down the hole. the length of the wall to help establish Suddenly there was a scratching its legitimacy and integrity. and tearing noise at the roof. They Perhaps the most positive aspect were not after the warden but the solar of the wall construction so far has panels bolted onto the corrugated iron been the integration of the various as- sheeting just a couple of feet from sociations charged with its construc- where he was lying. The panels came tion, including 6 from Rwanda, which away from their steel frame leaving the has helped bring the communities to- roof intact and the warden undiscov- gether. It has also been a vehicle for ered. conservation education. As the wall An hour or so after the attack began continues to be built, these two impor- and some 15 minutes after the last of tant aspects will be fostered, with the the bandits had left, the warden heard over-arching aim of providing long-term familiar voices coming from down be- security to the Mikeno sub-sector of low. The rangers had returned and the Virunga National Park. were looking for him. He called down Robert D. J. Muir and asked them to move a table under the hole so that he could lower himself Position of Kabaraza in the park down.

11 Gorilla Journal 29, December 2004 D. R. CONGO

As he was re-grouping his men to blow was the theft of ten AK47 rifles weapons to properly defend them- establish who was missing and unac- left behind by the rangers as they fled selves, and the militias and military counted for, a labourer ran into the into the bush, reducing further their groups know this. station from the same direction the defensive capabilities against future There are reports of militia groups attackers had left. He told the Warden attacks. The following morning the in- working together to attack the larger that he had been caught as he was jured ranger was taken to a nearby patrol posts, in some areas assisted trying to flee and that he had been hospital in Rutshuru while those who by the local population, many of whom ordered at gun point to carry a sack of stayed behind mourned the body of are internally displaced and sought ducks and chickens to a drop off point the ranger who gave his life trying to refuge in the park during the war. They several kilometres away. As he re- protect his comrades in arms. see the removal of the rangers as an turned he passed the sentry post Sadly attacks like this in the opportunity to increase the level of where he found one ranger dead and Virunga National Park are not iso- their own illegal exploitation of the another seriously injured. The Warden lated. The park rangers have been park’s resources, and are therefore immediately sent a team of six rang- systematically targeted over the last willing to provide the militias with the ers to bring back the guard who was 10 months for the procurement of intelligence necessary to carry out ef- alive as well as the body of his com- weapons and food by rogue militia and fective raids. rade. military groups operating within the The injured ranger from Kabaraza In the meantime, the remainder car- park boundaries. Since January 2004, has three bullets lodged in his skull, ried out a quick check of the station to there have been 13 attacks on park and as a result of this injury and a stab establish the extent of the damage. stations and patrol posts and only wound to the temple he has been left Each of the 40 houses had been bro- three were successfully repulsed. Al- semi blind and paralysed down one ken into and anything that had a re- though the militias lack organisation side of his body. The rangers say that sale value or would serve their military and military discipline, they are in this violent period of national re- operations had been taken. They ran- greater in number and better equipped unification their work is more danger- sacked the canteen and stripped the than the park rangers. The rangers ous and unpredictable than it was dur- dispensary bare. The most damaging simply do not have the training or the ing the recent civil war which involved

Support for Reconstruction Work in Kabaraza

Robert Muir has asked us urgently to support the rangers of the Virunga National Park. They lost everything during the attack. We want to provide as much help as we can to enable them to continue their conservation activities efficiently again. We cooperate closely with Robert Muir, Frank- furt Zoological Society, who works in Congo and knows exactly what the rangers need now.

We would be grateful for your help in this critical situation. If you make a donation for the Kabaraza rangers, you can be sure that we will use it to support their work. Please mention the keyword "Virunga" on your check or bank transfer. Bank Account: Our address: Account number 353 344 315 Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe Stadtsparkasse Muelheim, c/o Rolf Brunner Germany Lerchenstr. 5 Bank code number 362 500 00 45473 Muelheim, Germany IBAN: DE06 3625 0000 0353 Fax +49-208-7671605 3443 15 e-mail [email protected] SWIFT-BIC: SPMHDE3E

12 Gorilla Journal 29, December 2004 D. R. CONGO

ture. During midday hours the heat park. The fire spread into the forest for was intense. a distance of 25 m along a 20 m wide The Jomba patrol post guards one front. part of the Mikeno sector that is regu- Claude Sikubwabo Kiyengo; from the larly visited by 29 mountain gorillas report of the Jomba dialogue commit- belonging to three families. At 12 tee, August 30th, 2004 o’clock, the head ranger of the post alerted the chairman of the dialogue committee based at Bunagana by ra- Confiscation of a Baby dio that a fire had started. As soon as Gorilla in Goma he received the message, the chair- man mobilised the committee mem- Some time ago, the trafficking of baby The wounded ranger at Kabaraza bers and villagers who were in the gorillas seemed all set to become the Photo: Robert Muir village at the time, together with the current fashion in certain towns of police, to go to the park. (At this time North Kivu (eastern Democratic Re- nine African nations and directly af- of the day, the villages are usually public of Congo). Most of these rare fected the lives of 50 million Congo- deserted, as everybody is either in the animals come from the east of the lese. fields, in the market or at school. Democratic Republic of Congo, espe- Although the responsibility for the Apart from the sick and elderly, there cially from national parks such as management of the park rests are very few people in the village and Virunga, Kahuzi-Biega and Maiko. squarely with the ICCN and the Con- even the shops close at this time.) Many species of animals, such as golese authorities, the international After this rapid mobilisation, every- mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, community continues to play a key body reached the site of the fire via a live in these three parks. role in holding this fragile environment stony path, which is almost 4 km long The reasons behind this illegal traf- together. While the diplomatic see- and which winds between the fields fic are not far to seek: corrupt foreign- saw continues between neighbouring from Bunagana village, where the ers entice local people with colossal states in an effort to reach a peaceful committee has its headquarters, to sums of money to capture gorillas compromise, it remains a key respon- the park. When they arrived, they from the forest and bring them back sibility for conservation organisations found the fire was located at the forest for sale. As soon as UGADEC (Union to deliver support to those few dedi- edge and was in the process of des Associations de Conservation cated park rangers and their families spreading in the shape of a pentagon. des Gorilles pour le Developpement a who find their lives on the line in an Another appeal for help was made to l’est de la Republique Democratique attempt to protect this world heritage the villagers who were working in the du Congo/Union of Gorilla Conserva- site for the benefit of us all. surrounding fields. In this way, a total tion Associations for the Development Robert D. J. Muir of 26 people were mobilized. of Eastern Democratic Republic of The assembled people discussed a Congo) became aware of this horrible method to put out the fire. As the fire practice, they organized a public Report on a Fire in the progressed only slowly and the volun- awareness campaign over the air- Mikeno Sector of the teers had nothing but hoes and ma- Virunga National Park chetes as tools, they extinguished the fire with branches, soil and clods of At midday on July 8th, 2004, the earth. Branches were cut, plants still Jomba dialogue committee was able wet were torn from the earth by hand to save the Mikeno sector from a bush or with the help of hoes, soil was dug fire that threatened to spread from out. The 26 people quickly threw Mugongo hill. The entire region, and themselves into action and suc- Jomba in particular, had been suffer- ceeded in putting out the fire. ing from a severe dry season: plants The fire had been started in the had dried out through the combined camp of a man called Mulindahabi and effect of the scorching sun and violent had subsequently spread onto a small winds that robbed the air of its mois- hill before arriving at the edge of the The gorilla orphan with caretakers

13 Gorilla Journal 29, December 2004 D. R. CONGO

waves and in the newspapers, and by further examinations was identified as derstanding with the sanctuary of contacting the local authorities, the male (not female, as previously mis- Katoyo located at Kasugho. The ad- chiefs and the local people. They takably diagnosed). It was 7 months vantage of this sanctuary is that it is alerted regional airports, as well as old when it was confiscated. situated close to the Tayna Center for those in Kigali, Entebbe and Nairobi, When it arrived in the enclosure at Conservation Biology (TCCB), not far and organized a policing team. the office of "Landscape Graueri" from the Tayna Gorilla Reserve. The In June 2003, a baby gorilla was (comprising UGADEC, the Maiko Na- sanctuary is very concerned about go- captured in Bukonde and smuggled to tional Park and the Kahuzi-Biega Na- rillas being illegally kept in the towns Butembo. The local population, al- tional Park) in Goma, the Mountain and already well prepared for this ready well aware of the problem, did Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) work. There is also a team of compe- not hesitate to inform trackers from joined with the Dian Fossey Gorilla tent staff ready for this exercise added the Tayna Gorilla Reserve and helped Fund International (DFGF-I) and to the veterinarians only with some them confiscate the animal. The go- UGADEC to contribute technical, ma- auxiliary agents. The population as rilla was handed over to officials of the terial and financial assistance. A com- well as this staff and the veterinarians reserve who, after it had been exam- plete physical examination was con- only need to be encouraged to begin ined by local veterinarians, placed it ducted on the gorilla as a priority, this work so that the sanctuary of for observation in the compound of including parasite, microscopic, blood Katoyo may be really fully operational. the residence of ”Maman Denise” in and chemical tests. The gorilla’s Their objective is to create a sanctu- Butembo. Several days later, several health continues to improve day by ary that is capable of lodging captive other baby gorillas, captured for the day. After less than 4 months, its gorillas. same commercial purposes in the for- weight has increased from 6.3 to We would like to take this occasion est of Walikale, were successfully 9.4 kg. The baby is remaining for the to thank ICCN and the politico-military confiscated in the town of Goma. time being under the care of MGVP in authorities of North Kivu, and we sa- Three chimpanzees were also seized collaboration with UGADEC, while lute the bravery and vigilance of our with the support of ICCN and were awaiting the decision of the compe- local populations. Our heartfelt thanks immediately transferred to the Lwiro tent authorities. also go to DFGF-I and MGVP who say orphanage in South Kivu. In order to deal with problems of ”No to trafficking in baby gorillas!” and In June 2004, another baby gorilla, this nature in future, UGADEC is pre- have supported us in all our activities. from Itebero/Walikale, was smuggled paring to sign a memorandum of un- Pierre Kakule Vwirasihikya into Goma to be sold. Fortunately, the local population shared the concerns of UGADEC, and organized its sei- Another Gorilla Orphan zure. This time the confiscation was particularly difficult given that the thief On 18th December 2004, Rwandan police arrested four suspected poach- had already received US$ 7,000 on ers and recovered a 3–4 year old mountain gorilla that was said to have account from the purchaser, who been stolen from its family in Congo. The men had smuggled the young would pay the balance of the agreed gorilla into Rwanda, hidden in a sack. It had been ordered by unknown sum of US$ 15,000 when he returned buyers in Kenya. According to the suspects, the youngster was from a to collect the animal. Our trained in- habituated gorilla group in Congo. They said that they had drugged adult formants in Goma were quick to con- members of the group by feeding them intoxicated bananas. tact us, and together we took meas- Summary of an AP press release ures to recover and save the gorilla. Update: On 7th January, it was not yet clear what had happened. The In view of the delicacy of the opera- habituated gorilla groups in the Congolese part of the Virunga Volcanoes tion, we requested the help of our col- are intact and no gorilla is missing. Although the forest was searched leagues at ICCN, and Conservateur intensely, no hint was found that the animal is from the Bukima area, as Sebuke provided a much-appreciated the arrested persons had declared. armed escort. Captain Dienze of the Personal information from Fidele Ruzigandekwe, ORTPN, local police also contributed to the and Deo Mbula, ICCN success of the operation with valuable As soon as we receive more news, we will present it on our website – the advice. The baby gorilla, which was direct link is www.berggorilla.de/english/aktuell/orphan.html confiscated on July 4th, 2004, after

14 Gorilla Journal 29, December 2004 RWANDA

Twin Mountain Gorillas

Twin births happen in gorillas with ap- proximately the same frequency as in humans. On 19 May twins were born to 12-year-old Nyabitondore in the Susa group, Parc National des Vol- cans, Rwanda – a male and a female. The mother had had one infant before giving birth to the twins. When the babies were 5 months old, they were still very alert and active. Their mother was also doing well and had no prob- lem eating and moving around while carrying her infants. Although twins have been born al- ready twice before in wild mountain gorillas, there has been no previous case of both babies surviving. The Susa group is habituated for tourists. It is a very large gorilla group with 37 members. In 1991, there was a previous twin birth in the Susa group, by Umu- hanga. One of her twins died soon after birth, and the other died soon after Umuhanga was killed by poach- ers in 2002. But this was not the first pair of twins observed in the mountain gorillas in Rwanda: in 1986 Walanza gave birth to two females, one of which Nyabitondore with her twins in August Photo: Siegbert Lapp died after one week and the other one two days later. humans, it is difficult to take photos. studbook until 2003; 5 of the pairs The only documented twin birth out- The group is monitored regularly, how- were born alive. None of them was side of the Virungas happened on 31 ever, and at their first birthday both mother-reared. 8 twin births in 1066 December 2003 in the Mufanzala babys were developing well. gorilla births in captivity registered in group, Kahuzi-Biega National Park. In the captive gorilla population, 8 the International Gorilla Studbook As this group is not well habituated to twin births have been recorded in the means that statistically there is one twin birth in 133 births. In humans, about one birth in 90 is a twin birth. Twin Gorilla Births in Zoos Latest zoo twin news: On 26 Au- gust 2004 Kena, one of the twins born 18 September 1966 Kansas City: abortion (3 months) in Barcelona Zoo in 1981, gave birth to 3 May 1967 Frankfurt: 2 females a pair of twins – a male and a female 11 July 1981 Barcelona: 2 females (www.zoobarcelona.com). They are 11 December 1981 Yerkes: stillbirth, 2 males being hand-reared, like all the other 26 October 1983 Columbus: 2 males zoo-born twins. 16 August 1987 La Palmyre: stillbirth, 2 males Compiled by Angela Meder with infor- 8 August 1994 New York Bronx: 2 males mation from Undine Bender, Maryke 21 March 1999 Oklahoma City: male + female Gray, Jörg Hess, Sabine Hilsberg and Carlos Schuler – many thanks!

15 Gorilla Journal 29, December 2004 UGANDA

Variability in the Diet of sumed more species of both fibrous Bwindi Gorillas foods (non-fruit food from herbs, shrubs, and trees) and fruit than the Studying the diet of gorillas can assist group at the high altitude site (fibrous in our understanding of their foraging foods: 140 vs. 62 species; fruit: 36 vs. behavior, habitat utilization, popula- 11 species). Furthermore, there was tion dynamics, and social behavior little overlap in the actual species of and it may also assist in conservation foods eaten; the Mubare (low altitude) efforts. The diet of gorillas is likely to and Kyagurilo (high altitude) groups differ among gorilla populations be- shared only 24.4% of their important cause they are found in a diversity of fibrous food species (those species habitats that vary in plant composition consumed on more than 5% of days) and availability (Doran & McNeilage and 16.7% of their important fruit spe- 1998), so it is important to investigate differences in temperature, rainfall, cies (those species found in feces on their diets in a variety of habitats. and plant species composition within more than 1% of days), while the From the pioneering studies of the park (Nkurunungi et al. 2004). Be- Habinyanja (low altitude) and Kyagu- mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei cause of the differences in altitude/ rilo groups shared only 12.7% of their beringei) at the Karisoke Research habitats between the areas surround- important fibrous food species and Center in Rwanda, gorillas were tradi- ing Karisoke and Bwindi, and also the 16.7% of their important fruit species. tionally thought of as strict herbivores differences within Bwindi itself, moun- A surprising result was that the Mu- (Fossey & Harcourt 1977; Watts tain gorilla diets in Bwindi are ex- bare and Habinyanja groups shared 1984). As researchers began investi- pected to differ from those at Kari- only 46.3% of their important fibrous gating the diets of western gorillas soke, and also between different ar- food species and 62.5% of their impor- (Gorilla gorilla) and Grauer’s gorillas eas of Bwindi. tant fruit species, despite having over- (Gorilla beringei graueri), it became Over a one year period between lapping home ranges. apparent that gorillas also consume a September 2001 and August 2002, we By examining the availability and significant amount of fruit, as well as conducted a study to investigate dif- distribution of the plants consumed by many different species of herbaceous ferences in diet among three gorilla the gorillas at each site, we found that vegetation (Tutin & Fernandez 1985; groups at two different locations in the majority of differences in the diets Yamagiwa et al. 1996; Doran et al. Bwindi (separated by ~17 km). Two 2002). While much has been learned gorilla groups, Mubare and Habinya- about the variability of dietary patterns nja, at a low altitude site (Buhoma, between gorilla populations in recent 1450–1800 m) were compared with years, less is known about how gorilla the Kyagurilo group at a high altitude diets may vary within a small popula- site (Ruhija, 2100–2500 m). We stud- tion (but see McNeilage 2001). ied the gorillas’ diets by using fecal Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, samples to record frugivory (samples Uganda is home to almost half of the collected from night nests on an ap- world’s remaining mountain gorillas proximately daily basis were exam- (the other population is found in the ined to identify fruit seed species and Virunga Volcanoes and the majority of the number of seeds found), and by our knowledge of gorillas is derived following the gorillas’ trails to record from over 30 years of research at the herbivory (examining food remains left Karisoke Research Center). Bwindi is behind is an indication of which herb, at a lower altitude (1160–2607 m) than shrub, and tree plant parts were Karisoke (~2700–3700 m); corre- eaten). spondingly the two areas differ greatly The results of our study demon- in habitat types and plant species strate that the diets between gorilla composition (Butynski 1984). Further- groups at the two study sites in more, the Bwindi Forest spans a wide Bwindi are notably different. The range of altitudes that correspond to groups at the low altitude site con-

16 Gorilla Journal 29, December 2004 UGANDA

Republic of Congo. A comparison of etrable National Park, Uganda. Afr. J. Ecol. the results of our study with those Tutin, C. E. G. & Fernandez, M. (1985) Foods consumed by sympatric populations of Go- from the Virunga Volcanoes in Rwan- rilla g. gorilla and Pan t. troglodytes in Gabon: da (Watts 1984; McNeilage 2001) and some preliminary data. Internat. J. Primatol. 6: Kahuzi-Biega (Yamagiwa et al. 1996), 27–43 Watts, D. P. (1984) Composition and variability shows that the gorillas in these three of mountain gorilla diets in the central Vi- locations have very few species of rungas. Amer. J. Primatol. 7: 323–365 plants in their diets in common. Fur- Yamagiwa, J. et al. (1996) Dietary and rang- thermore, it is apparent that, as alti- ing overlap in sympatric gorillas and chimpan- zees in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Zaire. In: tude increases, the number of plant Great Ape Societies. McGrew, W. C. et al. species eaten and the degree of frugi- (eds.). Cambridge (Cambridge University vory declines. Bwindi mountain goril- Press), pp. 82–98 las are much more frugivorous than those in the Virungas, but less than Gorilla Park Fees Raised gorillas of Kahuzi-Biega. Thus there is a great amount of variability in the Since August 2004, the price for a dietary patterns of eastern gorillas. permit to visit gorillas in Uganda has Our study reveals new information been US$ 360 for foreign tourists. The about the dietary patterns of mountain Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) said gorillas in Bwindi and highlights the the new rates, which include new en- high degree of dietary flexibility within trance fees into parks, would match eastern gorillas. These results em- Rwanda’s charges of US$ 375. East between the groups at the two sites phasize the importance of using a Africans pay US$ 340 and Ugandans could be explained by differences in comparative approach across multiple USh 100,000. UWA has maintained a food availability, but the difference in sites and habitats when studying a maximum of 6 permits per group, diet between the groups with overlap- species’ dietary patterns, social sys- while in Rwanda 8 tourists may visit ping home ranges could not be en- tem, and when making conservation the same gorilla group. tirely accounted for by differences in plans. The entrance fee to national parks availability. We suggest that differ- Jessica Ganas, John Bosco remains at US$ 20 for foreign non- ences between these two groups Nkurunungi, Martha Robbins residents. Ugandan citizens pay USh could be possibly due to small scale The full results of this study were pub- 3,000. East Africans US$ 10 per differences in patterns of habitat utili- lished in the October 2004 issue of night/day and US$ 20 for two days/ zation by the two groups, or due to the International Journal of Prima- nights. Passes for the individual cat- ”group traditions” (gorillas learn differ- tology. egory cost US$ 100/year for East Afri- ently as to what plants to incorporate References can residents and US$ 50 for Ugan- into their diet), or that gorillas choose Doran, D. M. & McNeilage, A. (1998) Gorilla dans. Passes for a couple cost now different plant species with similar nu- ecology and behavior. Evol. Anthropol. 6: US$ 150/year for East Africans and trient contents which would make 120–131 US$ 75 for Ugandans. Passes for a Doran, D. M. et al. (2002) Western lowland them equally profitable to the gorillas. gorilla diet and resource availability: new evi- family including only four children cost We are currently investigating the nu- dence, cross-site comparisons, and reflec- US$ 200 for East Africans, and US$ trient and chemical content of foods tions on indirect sampling methods. Amer. J. 100 for Ugandans. New categories for consumed by the three gorilla groups Primatol. 58: 91–116 special passes have also been intro- Fossey, D. & Harcourt, A. H. (1977) Feeding to examine the latter possibility in ecology of free ranging mountain gorillas (Go- duced, including the Annual Corporate more detail. rilla gorilla beringei). In: Primate ecology. Pass (US$ 500 for East Africans, US$ How does the diet of Bwindi gorillas Clutton-Brock, T. H. (ed.). London (Academic 400 for Ugandans). Members of the Press), pp. 539–556 compare with the diets of other east- McNeilage, A. 2001. Diet and habitat use of Association of Uganda Tour Opera- ern gorilla populations? Eastern goril- two mountain gorilla groups in contrasting tors (AUTO) will pay US$ 40/year. las (Grauer’s gorillas and mountain habitats in the Virungas. In: Mountain Gorillas. The new structure will remain in use gorillas) live in a particularly wide Robbins, M. M. et al. (eds.). Cambridge (Cam- until 2006. bridge University Press), pp. 265–292 range of habitat types and altitudes in Nkurunungi, J. B. (in press) A comparison of Summary of an article in The Monitor, Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic two mountain gorilla habitats in Bwindi Impen- 12 July 2004 by Dorothy Nakaweesi

17 Gorilla Journal 29, December 2004 GORILLAS

Zoonotic Diseases genic organisms can cross the spe- missible human diseases can cause Shared by Gorillas and cies barrier and cause severe clinical more severe clinical illness in the go- diseases in the new host. The move- rilla than in its original host, humans. Humans ment of humans into wild habitats The knowledge of zoonotic diseases This paper provides a brief introduction leads to the occurrence of new infec- between gorilla and man comes into zoonotic diseases that affect go- tious diseases which can be transmit- mostly from zoological institutions, rillas and humans, and briefly outlines ted bidirectionally between wildlife and but also from work on wild ranging the ways in which the risk of disease humans. Carriers of these infectious mountain gorillas. transmission between gorillas and hu- agents do not always have to be obvi- Gorillas can fall ill with viral dis- mans can be reduced or prevented. Of ously sick. eases, such as the viral human child- course, we cannot list all of the ap- As a result of these new diseases, hood illnesses. In general, people and proximately 150 theoretically trans- the so-called emerging diseases, a gorillas are susceptible for a number missible diseases between non-hu- number of wild animals have been of bacterial infections; any bacterial man primates (and therefore also be- pushed further towards extinction. Pa- disease in the gorilla as well as in tween gorillas and humans). thogen pollution is a global problem, humans should be considered zoo- The World Health Organisation which threatens all wildlife and also all notic with a risk of mutual transmis- (WHO) defines zoonotic diseases as humans. Historically, habitat destruc- sion. Parasitic diseases of zoonotic naturally transmissible diseases be- tion and chemical pollution were con- importance are those with protozoic tween vertebrates and humans. The sidered major threats to biodiversity; (e.g. amoebiasis), helminthic (e.g. transmission of an infectious disease today, in fact, pathogen pollution is strongyloidosis) as well as arthro- can be either direct through immedi- the largest danger for threatened ani- podic aetiology (e.g. scabies). In com- ate contact, or indirect by exposure mal species and hence for our plan- parison to other infectious germs, through inanimate objects (e.g. food, et’s biodiversity. If members of a deci- fungi seem to play a lesser role as soil, leaves) or living organisms (e.g. mated population were infected with a zoonotic agents. ticks, mosquitoes, rodents). Zoonotic pathogenic agent, for which this pop- Gorillas and people can be asymp- diseases are caused by infectious ulation was immunologically naive, tomatic carriers for certain infectious agents such as viruses, bacteria, then this population could decrease agents. Such individuals then serve as fungi, parasites and presumably also and eventually become extinct. Par- the often unrecognized source of in- through prions. ticularly infectious agents of humans fection (e.g. human infected with the can be lethal for rare animal species, Herpes simplex virus, gorilla infected Infectious Diseases: an Existent especially for primates. Consequen- with Strongyloides stercoralis). Danger for Decimated, Small ces would be fatal not only for the Populations suffering individual, but also for the Gorillas Living in the Wild: Dan- In the past, the threat of infectious entire species. This is why infectious ger and Protection from Human diseases to wildlife was often under- agents are such a real danger for Diseases estimated; today, infectious diseases small, threatened populations. Beside habitat destruction and hunt- are recognised as a significant danger ing, human infectious diseases are to wildlife species that have been deci- Zoonotic Diseases Shared by another major threat to wild ranging mated or artificially manipulated at Gorillas and Humans gorillas. These diseases cannot on- their population level, habitat or geo- Because of its close genetic relation- ly be transmitted through tourists, graphic range. Acknowledging this ship with humans, the gorilla is, like gamekeepers, veterinarians and sci- role of infectious diseases and reduc- all apes, susceptible to infectious dis- entists, but also by the local people. ing the transmission risk is, therefore, eases of humans and vice versa. The Vaccinating wildlife as a preventive of essential importance in wildlife con- pathogenicity of an infectious disease measure is a controversial, often dis- servation. depends on host and pathogen evolu- puted issue. During an epidemic with For a few years now, scientists tionary mechanisms; for example, a fatalities in the 1980s in wild mountain have talked of pathogen pollution, the disease that may be highly patho- gorillas which had shown heavy respi- contamination of the environment with genic to gorillas may be harmless to ratory symptoms, antibodies for mea- disease causing infectious agents. Al- humans and vice versa. As the im- sles were detected. Suspecting the though many infectious agents are mune system of gorillas is naive to disease, some mountain gorillas were species-specific, a number of patho- infectious agents of humans, trans- vaccinated against measles to prevent

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future disease. Scabies and yaws are transmitted to the gorilla group. Also other zoonotic diseases with severe scientists, veterinarians and game- clinical symptoms described for wild keepers have to act according to the gorillas. rules of infectious disease prophylaxis Today there are rules for tourists when encountering gorillas. visiting habituated gorilla groups to There are good preventive meas- protect the health of the gorillas: only ures for certain zoonotic diseases, a healthy person is allowed to go, a such as vaccinations, deworming and maximum number of participants is treating skin parasites. We have the permitted, only one visit per gorilla moral obligation to provide advantages group per day is allowed, minimum of modern health care to people in so- distance and minimum age are stipu- called third-world countries including A gorilla in a zoo with Herpes lated, and human faeces must be bur- free examinations and, if necessary, simplex that was transmitted by ied. But remember: one does not have treatment of the local people, which the keeper to be diseased with tuberculosis to would also be a step towards protect- Photo: Wolfram Rietschel put the gorillas’ health in danger, and ing gorillas from potential zoonotic a widely travelled tourist could be agents. regularly infected by keepers with in the incubation period for flu and colds, particularly during spring and might already have spread infectious And what about Zoos? autumn, but this commonly does not agents; this – to us – simple flu could Humans can also transmit diseases threaten the lives of the gorillas. The then have severe consequences when to gorillas in captivity. Gorillas are zoo gorilla population of today is con- sidered sustainable and its existence is not threatened by infectious dis- Zoonotic Diseases of Gorillas in the Literature (Examples) eases unlike their wild counterparts. Severe infectious diseases are ex- Zoonotic disease Infectious agent Clinical symptoms tremely rare in zoos and they do not Herpes Herpes simplex virus Vesicles on lips, death threaten the survival of the entire zoo Chickenpox Varicella-Zoster virus skin rash, fever population. Influenza Influenza virus fever, cough, cold, Today, the zoo gorilla is protected pneumonia, weakness from contact with visitors and so from Poliomyelitis Poliomyelitis virus paralysis their infectious germs through sheets Hepatitis A, B Hepatitis A and B virus jaundice, fever of glass or wide moats. This did not Tuberculosis Mycobacterium mostly respiratory use to be that way: before introducing tuberculosis, organs affected; often these protective measures, tuberculo- M. bovis, M. avium subclinical sis in particular was a fear in primate Salmonellosis Salmonella sp. diarrhoea holdings. Today, visitors are not at all Shigellosis Shigella sp. diarrhoea or only in exceptional cases allowed Campylobacter infect. Campylobacter sp. diarrhoea to go behind scenes. Access for chil- Whooping cough Bordetella pertussis cough dren to behind scenes is prohibited (Pertussis) completely in most zoos as they bear Ring worm Trichophyton sp. circular hair loss, itching the risk of transmitting childhood ill- Scabies Sarcoptes scabiei hair loss, itching nesses to the gorillas. Infections Amoeba spp. diarrhoea Gorillas, their keepers and vet- with protozoa Giardia spp. diarrhoea erinarians are protected through the Balantidium coli diarrhoea rules of the hygienic outline plan of Infestations Strongyloides spp. diarrhoea each zoo. These rules together with with helminths Enterobius vermicularis diarrhoea those of good animal keeping and Trichuris trichuria diarrhoea management reduce the danger of Oesophagostomum spp. diarrhoea disease transmission between goril- Ascaris lumbricoides diarrhoea las and personnel. Hygiene, pest con- trol, regular health checks and vacci-

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rica were infected and then died of the Ebola virus which they contracted through the consumption of infected meat of dead gorillas. In the literature, infection of humans with the malaria protozoon Plasmodium gorillae has been described. In theory, humans could contract an infection with some gorilla-specific agents which were on- ly recently discovered, especially the gorilla Herpes virus or the gorilla Spumavirus, or with gorilla-unspe- cific viruses, such as the Simian T- lymphotrophic virus 1 (STLV-1). The rate of dissemination of these viruses in gorillas so far remains unknown. To the best of our knowledge no known case of a gorilla infecting a human with such viruses has been reported. To reduce the risk of contracting a zoonotic disease, in the wild as well A gorilla in a zoo with Tonsillitis that was transmitted by the keeper as in the zoo, certain hygienic rules Photo: Wolfram Rietschel have to be followed. This is of course human self-protection, but primarily nation of the personnel as well as not to hurt oneself with contaminated protection of the gorillas from humans wearing working clothes are all impor- needles. and their pathogens. tant, and employees are banned from In today’s zoos, there is only a K. Alexandra Dörnath Aguirre Alvarez work with apes if any suffers respira- minimal risk for the personnel of con- and Jürg Völlm tory or gastrointestinal infections or tracting zoonotic diseases from zoo For a detailed list of references please skin or mucous membrane lesions; gorillas. Overall, only a few individual have a look at the section further read- the disease prevention programme will cases of zoonotic diseases of hu- ing at www.berggorilla.de/english/ include quarantine, parasite control, mans through work with gorillas in gjournal/texte/29zoonos.html TB-testing and vaccinations of the go- captivity are published (e.g. amoebia- rillas. sis, strongyloidosis, mycoplasmatic arthritis); as the experience of more Bushmeat in Africa as a And what about Humans? than 100 years of gorilla keeping Potential Threat to It should not be forgotten that hu- shows, there is no reason to be overly People’s Health mans, in the wild as well as in zoos, concerned in the zoo. Still, everyone can in turn contract infectious dis- who works with apes must be aware of Infectious diseases, which have been eases from gorillas. There will always a residual occupational risk, as some transmitted from animals to humans, be a certain risk of infection through infectious agents may remain undis- constitute a major part of the cata- direct or indirect contact for people covered for some time. Because of strophic disease epidemics of modern who work with gorillas. Many agents this, certain hygienic norms must be times. The best-known example of are transmitted by oro-faecal contami- fulfilled to protect the personnel as this is AIDS, which has confronted nation or by aerosol. Certain parasites much as the gorillas from each other’s humanity with one of the greatest such as Strongyloides can find the infectious agents. health problems in history. In 2003, way into their host through skin pen- In the wild, there is a risk of infec- UNAIDS published statistics indicat- etration. It is advisable to avoid con- tion for tourists, rangers, veterinar- ing that 3 million people had already tact with the gorillas’ body fluids ians, scientists as well as for the local died of AIDS. Africa south of the Sa- (blood, faeces, urine, nasal discharge) people. According to a recent publica- hara remains the centre of the AIDS or, in the case of a vet, to take care tion a few local hunters in Central Af- epidemic and the damage done to the

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various countries’ economies is enor- only some carriers of the HTLV virus cated animals. Hence the demand in- mous. actually develop the disease – and creases. In addition, new roads, par- AIDS broke out at the start of the this only after a long incubation pe- ticularly logging roads, are opening 1980s. It is a consequence of the riod. To date, very little is known about rainforest areas that were formerly vir- transmission of the simian immunode- the primate foamy virus and there is tually inaccessible. Modern weapons ficiency virus (SIV) from primates to as yet no indication that the virus can make hunting easier and, at the same people, which probably took place be transmitted from humans to hu- time, increase the pressure on the several decades earlier. Based on ge- mans. hunters, as they can pay for new guns nome and phylogenetic relationships, Pathogens that can cause acute and ammunition only if they bring two AIDS viruses have been distin- disease symptoms also have great down a sufficient quantity of prey. guished: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 can significance. Among them are the vi- Lastly, many rainforest areas have ac- be traced back to SIVcpz found in the ruses that cause monkey smallpox commodated migrants from climati- central African chimpanzee; HIV-2 and Ebola, which can kill non-human cally less favoured areas of Africa. originated in SIVsm found in West primates as well as humans. The These migrants do not obey local African mangabeys (Barre-Sinoussi et Ebola virus caused havoc among goril- hunting taboos. al. 1983; Clavel et al. 1986). Because las and chimpanzees in Gabon and For all these reasons, the restric- of the affinity of virus strains there the Congo Republic and killed a major tion of hunting activities is increas- seems to be no doubt that the virus part of these populations; this is prob- ingly important – not only for the pro- has been transmitted from manga- ably the most dangerous example of tection of many endangered primate beys to humans at least six times, the threat it presents (Walsh et al. species, but also to reduce the risk of independently of each other, whereas 2003; Leroy et al. 2004). It is probably disease transmission to humans. the virus was transmitted from chim- responsible for the current dramatic Johannes Refisch panzees to humans only once. HIV-2 decrease of gorillas in the Odzala Na- infections seem to be restricted to tional Park (press release by the Inter- References Barre-Sinoussi, F. et al. (1983) Isolation of a West Africa, whereas HIV-1 has de- national Primatological Society). T-lymphotropic retrovirus from a patient at risk veloped into a global threat. Contact with blood and body fluids, for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome But it is not only SIV that has in- for example during hunting and cutting (AIDS). Science 220, 868–871 Clavel, F. et al. (1986) Molecular cloning and fected humans via primates. The so- up of the animal prey, can lead to polymorphism of the human immune defi- called HTLVs (human T-lympho- disease transmission. This is consid- ciency virus type 2. Nature 324, 691–695 trophic viruses type 1 and 2) have their ered a primary mechanism of HIV Leroy, E. M. et al. (2004) Multiple Ebola virus origins in STLV (simian T-lympho- transmission. The widespread African transmission events and rapid decline of cen- tral African wildlife. Science. 303, 387–390 trophic virus). In addition, Wolfe et al. custom of keeping primates as pets Peeters M. et al. (2002) A plethora of simian (2004) recently reported that another also increases the risk of infection. By immunodeficiency viruses in primate bush- retrovirus (i.e. a virus that carries RNA now, more than 30 primate species meat: expanding bushmeat trade may pose as its genetic information), the pri- are known to be infected with SIV. new risks to human health. Emerging Infec- tious Diseases 8, 451–457 mate foamy virus, has been transmit- Some of the SIV strains have already Walsh, P. D. et al. (2003) Catastrophic ape ted to the human population. Each been transmitted from one primate decline in western equatorial Africa. Nature primate foamy virus infection was con- species to another, which suggests 422, 611–614 Wolfe, N. D. et al. (2004) Naturally acquired tracted from a distinct lineage of the that they could be transmitted to hu- simian retrovirus infections in Central African virus, involving cross-species trans- mans sooner or later (Peeters et al. hunters. The Lancet 363, 932–937 missions from three different primate 2002). This risk has been increasing species. at a constant rate ever since more The three virus groups share a com- stakeholders have become involved in Gorilla mtDNA – mon trait in that they don’t have a the bushmeat trade. Animals have al- Sequences Unravelled pathogenic effect on their primary ways been hunted in Africa, but not at and Secrets Revealed hosts, but cause symptoms of dis- current levels. There are many rea- ease in their new host. However, while sons for the increase in hunting and Non-invasive genetics, the analysis of HIV-1 infections have spread globally, the bushmeat trade. Firstly, the well- DNA variability using samples such HIV-2 remains restricted to West Af- to-do classes of the cities are willing as hair or fresh faeces collected in the rica, whereas HTLV is most prevalent to pay considerably more for bush- field, has made enormous progress in tropical Africa. In contrast to HIV, meat than for the meat of domesti- since the days of its infancy in the late

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1980s and early 1990s (Higuchi et al. (Virunga mountain gorilla) and, per- of local expertise. Equally, having re- 1988; Constable et al. 1995). At this haps, an as yet unnamed third taxo- alised that it is not feasible to attempt time, such genetic analyses held nomic unit from the Bwindi forest, automated genetic analyses in Gabon great promise for ecologists, with the Uganda. without the difficulties associated with capacity to explain all the mysteries Nearly 10 years later we believe we equipment maintenance and delivery, of population structure and social have achieved our goal (Clifford et al. we have developed a strategy, in col- organisation, degrees of relatedness 2004), and with this article I would laboration with overseas laboratories, and gene flow of species not amena- like to acknowledge all the people whereby fundamental molecular work ble to direct study (Avise 1994). We who have been instrumental in this is carried out at CIRMF, leaving cost- were no less enthusiastic in our pre- achievement (see list of field collabo- lier and more technologically chal- dictions of its power and our prowess. rators). lenging work to collaboration. So much so that we convinced a pool In fact our aims were three-fold: in Through such collaboration, local of gorilla researchers and conserva- parallel to the question of gorilla popu- scientists and students receive tech- tion organisations to help us collect lation genetics we were committed to nical training and scientific support for material for the first range-wide study developing a regional molecular ecol- their research both in-country and of genetic variability in the gorilla. ogy laboratory where African scien- overseas. For example, sample ex- Traditionally three subspecies have tists could receive training and to pro- traction, species and sex determina- been recognised within a single spe- viding a facility where samples could tion, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cies, Gorilla gorilla (Groves 1967, be treated without having to leave the screening are carried out in the 1970): western lowland (G. g. gorilla), region. The Centre International de UGENET laboratories at CIRMF, and eastern lowland gorillas (G. g. graueri) Recherches Médicales de Franceville DNA for automated sequencing and and mountain gorillas (G. g. beringei). (CIRMF) still remains the only centre microsatellite techniques is analysed A more recent evaluation of the avail- where such work can be carried out. through collaborating laboratories. able data has led to a reclassification Too many studies in the Central Afri- Such high cost, high throughput, tech- of the gorilla into two species (Groves can region have involved the collection nically challenging work on non-inva- 2001): the western gorilla Gorilla go- of material, its export to northern insti- sive material is best done through rilla and the eastern gorilla Gorilla tutions and analyses carried out to beringei. Within western gorillas, two satisfy the requirements of a thesis, subspecies have been proposed: G. without reference to the development g. gorilla (western gorillas except those in the Cross River area between Nigeria and Cameroon) and G. g. diehli (Cross River gorillas). Within eastern gorillas, three subspecies have also been proposed: G. b. grau- eri (eastern lowland), G. b. beringei

Maximum Likelihood tree with branch lengths generated from unique mitochondrial HV1 haplotypes. Midpoint rooting is employed. Three letter taxa name with number correspond to samples sequenced in this study; Genbank accession numbers are given for those samples retrieved from the database. Taxa names labelled with an asterisks represent multiple individuals which shared a common haplotype. Bwindi: BWD, Kahuzi-Biega: KBG, Itombwe: ITW, Tshiaberimu: TSH, Lobéké: LBK, Equatorial Guinea: EQG, Central African Republic/ Lobéké/Ndoki: CAR/LBK3/NDK1 and Gabon/Congo: GAB/CON, Be- linga: BEL, Conkouati: CQT, Itombe: ITO, Lopé: LOP, Lastourville: LAS, Lossi: LOS, Petit Loango: PLO, Rabi: RAB. Haplogroups A to D and subgroups C1, C2, D1, D2 and D3 are indicated. Reproduced by permission of Blackwells Publishing from Clifford et al (2004)

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such collaborative networks. By this translocated fragments (Thalmann et quences to be aligned into specific means, all samples can remain in the al. 2004) and heteroplasmic muta- haplogroups. region providing valuable resources for tions that appear common in the Rather than class nuclear translo- further study without compromising fu- hyper-variable control region (e.g. cation of mitochondrial genes as con- ture capacity for host country re- Tully et al. 2000). founding factors in the interpretation of search and development. The presence of a poly-cytosine mtDNA variation, we have tried to Biological material collected non- (poly-C) rich tract within the first profit from their existence, by recogni- invasively provides the only means of hyper-variable region (HV-1) has also tion of the fact that they can be char- gleaning information on feeding ecol- proved difficult to align and sequence, acterised into different groups, which ogy, habitat preference and now ge- further complicating the analysis of can then be used as evolutionary netic population structure for a this region. Recently, one research markers in their own right. The meth- number of cryptic species living in group has stated that, due to all these ods we used for identifying Numts habitat conditions unsuitable for direct potential errors, it is impossible to were as exhaustive as we could afford study. Gorillas conveniently leave be- place any confidence in studies using to make them and relied heavily on hind night nests and faecal deposits, mtDNA to characterise genetic vari- cloning of PCR products with se- which have, in other species, been ability within gorillas (Thalmann et al. quencing of multiple clones from one used as a source of DNA for genetic 2004; Vigilant et al. 2004). individual. A combination of phylo- work (Morin et al. 1994). Hairs col- So where does this leave us? What genetic analysis, poly-C domain se- lected from night nests were initially future is there for molecular ecologists quence motifs and diagnostic sites in thought to be an ideal source of DNA, without access to biological material the region flanking this domain al- but forensic based work by Kathryn yielding high quality DNA where lowed us to (i) discriminate between Jeffery (2003) in Cardiff, UK, has now longer sequences of DNA can be gen- putative Numt DNA sequences and shown that many shed hairs are in erated and authenticated? Or for stud- their presumed mtDNA counterparts, fact largely devoid of cellular material ies of recent evolution of populations, and (ii) classify Numts into different from which DNA could be extracted based on sex-specific gene flow if ma- categories. We could provisionally quantitatively. Molecular techniques, ternally inherited mtDNA is deemed identify Numts not only in the data set however, have advanced so far as to unreliable? Must we abandon all hope we generated ourselves, but also in be able to amplify the tiny (pg) of studying the phylogeography of sequences deposited in GenBank, amounts of mitochondrial and ge- species for which we have no alterna- the central repository for genetic se- nomic DNA associated with these tive but to use low quality DNA from quence data, that were previously hairs and faeces (Morin et al. 2001). non-invasive samples? Could we not classified as authentic mtDNA. We now know, however, that these put this knowledge of mtDNA variation From the several hundred hair sam- very small amounts of DNA, degraded present within one and the same indi- ples received from 20 different sites of into short fragments on exposure to vidual to some use? the gorilla range we were able to gen- humid forest conditions, can lead to MtDNA sequence variation provides erate 53 complete sequences of 258 genotyping errors from allelic dropout a powerful means of understanding bp of the HV-1 region of the control (stochastic non-amplification of one genetic variation and evolution, and region from gorillas throughout the allele over the other; Taberlet et al. mtDNA sequences have been the pri- eastern and western ranges. An addi- 1996), and false amplification of non- mary source of data for resolving tional 30 sequences from 3 new and allelic artefacts. Mitochondrial DNA questions about modern human ori- 5 sampled sites were retrieved from (mtDNA) analyses are further compli- gins (Ruvolo et al. 1994) and the sub- GenBank. Of these 83 sequences, 59 cated by the translocation of mtDNA specific genetic variation of extant were deemed to be true mtDNA se- fragments into the nuclear genome chimpanzees (Gagneux et al. 2001) quences; 16 from eastern gorillas and (Numts), where they undergo a sepa- and gorillas (Garner & Ryder 1996; 43 from western gorillas. The remain- rate evolutionary history and can con- Jensen-Seaman & Kidd 2001). In par- ing 24 sequences (14 from GenBank) sequently confound the analysis of ticular, analyses have focused on the were classified as Numts. Work in true mitochondrial phylogenies (Col- control region that is involved in the progress is now examining an even lura & Stewart 1995). Other errors in control and initiation of replication. larger data set using additional se- sequence interpretation can arise This region has an extremely high rate quence data derived from sites in through in vitro recombination be- of mutation, and in most species has our initial study and additional sites tween mitochondrial and nuclear characteristic motifs that allow se- throughout Gabon.

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Geographic distribution and haplogroup designation (A–D) of sequences sampled from 23 sites across current gorilla range. The area Minimum spanning network of of each circle is proportional to number of sequences analysed at each pair-wise absolute differences site and proportionally divided where more than one haplogroup is between gorilla mitochondrial present. The present day geographical distribution of gorillas is shaded DNA haplotypes. For three-letter in grey. Subgroups are reflected in circle coloration. Reproduced by codes see Figure 1. The area of permission of Blackwells Publishing from Clifford et al (2004) each circle represents the pro- portional representation of each of Having identified and subsequently western gorillas, with mountain goril- the respective haplotypes. Branch excluded Numt sequences from the las (A) distinct from eastern lowland lengths are also proportionally analysis, 4 major mtDNA haplogroups gorilla populations (B) (Garner & represented and hash marks for were identified (A–D), comprising a Ryder 1996). closely related haplotypes indicate total of 36 unique mitochondrial The most striking finding in this individual mutational steps. haplotypes at 23 different sites of the study is the identification of two dis- Haplogroups A to D are colour gorilla range. Haplogroups A and B tinct groups within western lowland coded and subgroups C1, C2, D1, correspond to mountain and eastern gorillas (haplogroups C and D). Ge- D2 and D3 are indicated. lowland gorillas, respectively. Haplo- netic divergence in the mitochondrial Reproduced by permission of groups C and D together cover the control region between the two west- Blackwells Publishing from Clifford western lowland gorilla range, with C ern groups C and D is on average et al (2004) spanning from the Cross River region greater than that seen between the in Nigeria/Cameroon, through Dja and two eastern haplogroups A and B, ing is evident within both groups C and Lobéké in Cameroon to Ipassa in which are presented in the new taxo- D. The Cross River gorillas (G. g. northeastern Gabon and one museum nomic description as two different diehli) belong to the most diverse sample from the Uele Valley, Demo- subspecies (Groves 2001). This diver- haplogroup (C), which also includes cratic Republic of Congo. Haplogroup gence within western lowland gorillas gorillas from south of the Sanaga River D encompasses Gabon, Congo, Cen- does not coincide with any previously in southern Cameroon and from adja- tral African Republic and Equatorial recognised biogeographic barrier, but cent northeastern Gabon. Guinea, as well as one museum sam- may potentially be linked to historic Within the two western lowland ple from Cameroon. The separation climatic events and changes in forest gorilla haplogroups, two major sub- between eastern (A, B) and western cover (see later). In addition, western groups are evident in haplogroup C (C, D) haplogroups recapitulates the gorillas are more genetically diverse (C1, C2) and 3 geographically parti- large genetic distance and major evo- within each haplogroup than are the tioned subgroups in haplogroup D (D1, lutionary split between eastern and two eastern groups, and sub-structur- D2, D3). Subgroup D1 comprises go-

24 Gorilla Journal 29, December 2004 GORILLAS

rillas almost exclusively from Equato- Equatorial Guinea. Riverine barriers such as Numts, heteroplasmy and in rial Guinea, subgroup D2 constitutes do not appear to have influenced go- vitro recombination, and future work gorillas from Central African Republic, rilla history to the same extent. will clarify the importance of hetero- northern Congo and one sample from Recognised barriers such as the plasmy and nuclear integrations as Lobéké, and subgroup D3 comprises Sanaga River (Grubb 2001) have had evolutionary markers in their own the majority of gorillas from Gabon no apparent effect on gorilla diver- right. In a historical and biogeographi- and adjacent Congo. Interestingly, gence; rather the occurrence of cal context, our results show that subgroup D3, which covers the largest haplogroups C and D in Lobéké distribution of forest cover during the surface area and contains the largest (Cameroon) may reflect recent gene recent past may have had profound number of gorillas, also shows the flow between adjacent haplogroups effects on the divergence of gorilla lowest genetic diversity of the 5 sub- across the Sangha River following re- populations, and we would suggest groups. cent post-glacial expansion. Similarly that conservation policy should aim to Patterns of genetic variation indi- admixture consistent with ongoing preserve these regional differences. cate that a history of population frag- population expansion out of Nigeria/ E. Jean Wickings, Stephen L. mentation may have given rise to the Cameroon, and refuges in Gabon Clifford, Nicola M. Anthony, Kathryn distinct haplogroups identified in this (Monts de Cristal and Massif du Jeffery, Mireille Johnson-Bawe, study. Mismatch distributions provide Chaillu), could explain the diversity of Katherine A. Abernethy and limited evidence of demographic ex- types found in northeastern Gabon. Michael W. Bruford pansion in eastern lowland gorilla What are the implications of these Field collaborators: Kahuzi-Biega, D. R. populations as observed in a previous findings for gorilla conservation? The Congo: D. Bonny, K. P. Kiswele (CRSN), I. Omari, C. Sikubwabo (ICCN), L. White, J. study (Jensen-Seaman & Kidd 2001). relatively deep subdivision between Hall, I. Bila-Isia, H. Simons Morland, E. Wil- Within western gorillas, sub-groups haplogroups C and D within western liamson, K. Saltonstall, A. Vedder, K. Free- D2 (CAR) and D3 (Gabon/adjacent gorillas in conjunction with the divi- man, B. Curran (WCS) J. Yamagiwa (Kyoto Univ.); Itombwe, D. R. Congo: I. Omari, F. Congo) show evidence of expansion sions between eastern and mountain Bengana (ICCN); J. Hart (WCS); Concouati, whereas gorilla populations in Nigeria/ gorillas would support the recognition Congo: B. Goossens (Univ. of Cardiff), A. Cameroon (C) exhibit a more complex of four distinct evolutionary significant Jamart (HELP); Rabi, Gabon: S. Lahm population structure and history. Peri- units (ESU, Moritz 1994). It might be (IRET); Petit Loango, Gabon: J. Yamagiwa (Kyoto Univ.); Lopé, Gabon: C. Tutin, K. Ab- odic changes in climate during recent premature to base such conclusions ernethy, E. Dimoto, J. T. Dinkagadissi, R. Pleistocene history led to repeated on mtDNA diversity alone, given the Parnell, P. Peignot, B. Fontaine (CIRMF), M. retractions of vegetation cover into iso- stochasticity of a single marker sys- E. Rogers, L. White, B. Voysey, K. McDonald, tem and the fact that neutral markers (Edinburgh), R. Ham (Stirling), J. G. Emptaz- lated refugia during glacial maxima Collomb; Lastourville, Gabon: Y. Mihindou (Maley 1996). Distributions of species may fail to detect divergence in eco- (WCS-MIKE); Ipassa and Belinga, Gabon: S. dependent on closed canopy forest logically important traits. Neverthe- Lahm, J. Okouyi (IRET); Itombe, Gabon: P. would have followed these changes, less, “demes” based on morphological Telfer (NYU); Lossi, Congo: M. Bermejo, G. Illera, F. Maisels (ECOFAC); Bai Hokou, leading to population fragmentation traits identified in western gorillas Central African Republic: M. Goldsmith within restricted forest refugia, from (Groves 1967, 1970) correspond by (Tufts Univ.), L. White (WCS); Nouabalé- which expansion would later follow and large to the geographical separa- Ndoki, Congo: P. Walsh (WCS); Lobéké, during climate warming. Such re- tion seen in genetic signatures, al- Cameroon: L. White, L. Usongo (WCS); Dja, Cameroon: E. Williamson (ECOFAC), L. peated isolation and expansion events though the morphologically distinct Usongo (WCS/ECOFAC); Afi Mts./Cross may have had profound effects on ge- Cross River gorillas in Nigeria belong River, Nigeria: K. McFarland, J. Oates netic structure, as demonstrated in to a larger haplogroup encompassing (CUNY, USA). E. Nwufoh (CRNP); Monte Alen, Equatorial Guinea: M. Bermejo, G. western gorillas. Several montane ref- gorillas in Cameroon. The conserva- Illera (ECOFAC); Belar, Cameroon: M. Har- uges have been identified in western tion status of all gorillas within group C man (Powell-Cotton Museum) Central Africa (Maley 1996), and the appears equally precarious, due to existence of fluvial refuges has also extreme habitat fragmentation and hu- References Avise J. C. (1994) Molecular Markers, Natural been proposed (Colyn 1991). The man pressure (Oates 2002; Groves History and Evolution. New York (Chapman present location of D2 would corre- 2002). and Hall) spond to one of these fluvial refuges, This study demonstrates that au- Clifford, S. L. et al. (2004) Mitochondrial DNA whereas the remaining subgroups thentic mitochondrial genetic diversi- phylogeography of western lowland gorillas (G. g. gorilla). Mol. Ecol. 13: 1551–1565 could be traced to montane forest ty can be assessed in the context Collura, R. V. & Stewart, C.-B. (1995) Inser- remnants in Cameroon and Gabon/ of biological and analytical artefacts tions and duplications of mtDNA in the nuclear

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genomes of Old World monkeys and ho- Tully, L. A. et al. (2000) A sensitive denaturing population fragmentation. There is an minoids. Nature 378: 485–489 gradient gel electrophoresis assay reveals a urgent need to develop a realistic Colyn, M. (1991) L’importance Zoogéographic high frequency of heteroplasmy in the hyper- du Basin du fleuve Zaïre pour la spéciation. variable region 1 of the human mtDNA control management plan, one that takes ac- Annales Sciences Zoologiques 264: 180–185 region. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 67: 432–443 count of the small size of the remain- Constable, J. J. et al. (1995) Nuclear DNA from Vigilant, L. et al. (2004) The problem with ing population, its fragmentation, and primate dung. Nature 373: 393. gorilla mitochondrial DNA analysis. Gorilla Garner, K. J. & Ryder, O. A. (1996) Mitochon- Journal 28: 15–17 the continuing pressures on the ani- drial DNA diversity in gorillas. Mol. Phyl. Evol. mals and their habitat. 6: 39–48 One of the main factors hindering Gagneux, P. et al. (2001) Gene flow in wild Possible Existence of the development of such a plan is the chimpanzee populations. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. Ser. B 356: 889–897 Previously Unrecorded lack of population-wide data for these Groves, C. P. (1967) Ecology and Taxonomy Cross River Gorillas gorillas. In order to provide government of the Gorilla. Nature 213: 890–893 officials and conservation profession- Groves, C. P. (1970) Population systematics Conservationists from the Cameroon- als with quantitative data upon which for the gorilla. J. Zoology 161: 287–300 Groves, C. P. (2001) Primate Taxonomy. based Environment and Rural Devel- to base management decisions, I am Washington, DC (Smithsonian Inst. Press) opment Foundation have discovered conducting a population and habitat Groves, J. (2002) Good news for the Nigerian 12 previously unrecorded nesting viability analysis (PHVA). The goal of gorillas? Gorilla Journal 24: 12 Grubb, P. (2001) Endemism in African Rain sites of what are believed to be the this analysis is to evaluate the overall Forest Mammals. In: African Rain Forest Ecol- critically endangered Cross River go- viability of each of the Cross River ogy & Conservation. Weber, W. et al. (eds.). rilla Gorilla gorilla diehli and the en- subpopulations and to identify the New Haven (Yale Univ. Press), pp. 88–100 dangered Cross River chimpanzee main threats to their persistence, Higuchi, R. et al. (1988). DNA typing from single hairs. Nature 332: 543–546. Pan troglodytes vellerosus. If verified, thereby contributing to a conservation Jeffery, K. (2003) Application of Forensic this discovery, made during February– action plan. This evaluation will inte- Genetics to the Population Biology of Western March 2004 in Bechanti-Fossimondi- grate existing information from new Lowland Gorillas at Lopé, Gabon. Thesis, Uni- Besali forest in southwestern Camer- field surveys, a study of their genetic versity of Cardiff Jensen-Seaman, M. I. & Kidd, K. K. (2001) oon and comprising over 40 individual variability, remote-sensing analysis Mitochondrial DNA variation and biogeogra- nests, would confirm that the range of (satellite imagery), and demographic phy of eastern gorillas. Mol. Ecol. 10: 2241– both subspecies extends further than modeling with previously collected 2247 Maley, J. (1996) The African rain-forest – originally thought and that total popu- data on subpopulation size and distri- main characteristics of changes in vegetation lation numbers are higher than current bution. and climate change from the Upper Creta- estimates. The surveys were funded ceous to the Quaternary. Proc. R. Soc. Edin. B by the Flagship Species Fund – a joint Approach 104: 31–73 Morin, P. A. et al. (1994) Kin selection, social initiative between Fauna & Flora Inter- Cross River gorillas have proven ex- structure, gene flow, and the evolution of national (FFI) and the UK Govern- tremely difficult to study in the field. chimpanzees. Science 265: 1193–1201 ment’s Department for Environment, The extremely rugged terrain in which Morin, P. A. et al. (2001) Quantitative polymer- Food & Rural Affairs. they live, coupled with their scarcity ase chain reaction analysis of DNA from noninvasive samples for accurate micro- Daniel Pouakouyou and and extreme wariness after years of satellite genotyping of wild chimpanzees (Pan David Beamont hunting, has made them challenging troglodytes verus). Mol. Ecol. 10: 1835–1844. First published in Oryx 38, 252 (July research subjects. In Nigeria, Kelley Moritz, C. (1994) Defining evolutionary signifi- cant units for conservation. Trends Ecol. Evol. 2004) McFarland conducted a pioneering 9: 373–376 ecological study of one subpopulation Oates J. F. et al. (2002). The cross river on Afi Mountain, and in Cameroon, gorilla. Gorilla biology. Taylor, A. & Goldsmith, Population and Habitat Jacqui Sunderland-Groves has con- M. (eds.). Cambridge (Cambridge University Press), pp. 472–502 Viability Analysis of the ducted surveys throughout their range Ruvolo, M. et al. (1994) Gene trees and homi- Cross River Gorilla and established a long-term gorilla re- noid phylogeny. Proceedings of the National search and monitoring site at Ka- Academy of Sciences, USA 91: 8900–8904 Taberlet, P. et al. (1996) Reliable genotyping The Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gwene. Other than these studies and of samples with very low DNA quantities us- diehli) is one of Africa’s most endan- limited distribution surveys, little re- ing PCR. Nucleic Acid Res. 24: 3189–3194 gered primates, numbering approxi- search has been conducted on them. Thalmann, O. et al. (2004) Unreliable mtDNA mately 250 individuals split into at Despite the success of these prior data due to nuclear insertions: a cautionary tale from analysis of humans and other great least 10 subpopulations, and threat- and ongoing research projects, little is apes. Mol. Ecol. 13: 321–325 ened by hunting, habitat loss, and known of levels of migration between

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River National Park (CRNP), the De- partment of Forestry Development, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), the Wildlife Conservation Soci- ety (WCS) Nigeria Biodiversity Re- search Programme and the Biodi- versity Preservation Group (BPG), surveys of 3 of the Nigerian subpop- ulations were made: those at the Boshi Extension area of Cross River National Park, the Mbe Mountains, and the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctu- ary. Research was conducted with the assistance of rangers from CRNP and the Forestry Department as well as NCF research staff, BPG research staff, and local guides. Further field work in Southwest Province, Cameroon was conducted between October 2003 and June 2004 in cooperation with the Cameroonian Ministry of Environment and Forestry Locations where gorilla faecal samples were collected. Topographic (MINEF) and WCS Cameroon. All 7 relief shown in shades of grey Map: Richard Bergl Cameroonian subpopulations were surveyed in upper Mbulu, Kagwene putative Cross River subpopulations or are losing forest most rapidly, and Mountain, Takamanda, and Mone. the genetic ”health” of the population how much potential gorilla habitat re- Research was conducted with the as- as a whole. Small populations such mains. Analysis of satellite imagery sistance of WCS/CRGRP staff and as this are in danger of reduced fit- will allow assessment of existing for- local guides. ness due to decreased genetic diver- est cover, identification of corridors Over 40 nest sites were found from sity caused by inbreeding and genetic between gorilla habitat patches, and which samples could be collected. In drift. In order to elucidate patterns of the potential carrying capacity of the total, over 300 faecal samples were sub-structuring and estimate relative remaining forest. collected from nest sites, trails, and levels of genetic diversity within the I will also use demographic model- feeding sites. Cross River population I am analyzing ing to examine the effects of various Molecular genetic laboratory work microsatellite DNA data which is ex- population parameters on population is being conducted in collaboration tracted from faecal samples. This growth trends in the Cross River goril- with the Max Planck Institute for Evo- technique is entirely non-invasive and las. Demographic models are compu- lutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Ger- does not require any contact with the ter-based ways of predicting changes many. Analysis of the molecular ge- gorillas. in population size and composition. netic data is just beginning; prelimi- In addition to small population size The goal of these analyses will be to nary data suggest at least some and its associated genetic problems, examine which demographic variables genetic differentiation between several the Cross River gorillas are threatened are predicted to affect the population of the Cross River gorilla subpopula- by habitat loss and fragmentation. In- most significantly. tions. tense human population pressure is The remote sensing analysis and causing forest loss throughout the go- Field Work and Analysis demographic modeling portions of the rillas’ range due to small-scale log- The first field survey for the PHVA PHVA are also in the early stages, but ging, clearing of forest for farms, and project was conducted between De- initial analysis of satellite imagery in- burning by pastoralists. It is currently cember 2002 and March 2003 in dicates considerable forest loss within unclear how connected each of the Cross River State, Nigeria. In coopera- and between many of the forest gorilla habitat areas are, which areas tion with the management of Cross blocks in which the gorillas live. This

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The Gorillas of "Petit Evengue" About 3 years ago ”Operation Loango” started a project to develop research and eco-tourism in and around the Petit Loango Reserve in the south west of Gabon. Part of this project involves an island with four (2.2) west- ern lowland gorillas. Originally 3 of these animals came from the CIRMF (Centre International de Recherches Medicales Franceville) research cen- tre where they had lived in cages for most of their life, but fortunately were never used for any medical research. They were put on the island for sev- eral reasons – first of all to give them the opportunity to live a more natural life, including simple but important Richard Bergl collecting samples in Cameroon things like finding natural food sources, climbing trees and building is particularly significant in several ar- known subpopulations may exist in nests. Furthermore it was planned to eas (e.g. the forest between the Boshi several highland areas in Cameroon, look at the possibilities of using them Extension area of CRNP and central meaning that the total population may for research and for the education of Okwangwo/Takamanda forest) as for- be larger than current estimates. Fur- tourists, and to help the local villagers est corridors between subpopulations thermore, at a workshop in Cameroon to learn to appreciate them. are on the verge of being eliminated. last year, the Ministers for Environ- The gorillas are housed in a small ment of both Nigeria and Cameroon enclosure surrounded by a 2 m high What Hope for Cross River Goril- both identified Cross River gorilla con- hotwire fence, where they also have las? servation as a priority for their respec- access to two small cages. The origi- When examining all the threats to the tive ministries. nal idea was that the gorillas would persistence of the Cross River gorilla Since resources for conservation have access to the whole island (ap- population, it is tempting to believe are limited and the situation facing the proximately 2 km2) with the exception that the conservation of the subspe- gorillas is dire, conservation efforts of a little tourist camp, based on the cies is a hopeless task. But it is im- must be directed where they can have other side of the island; this camp was portant to note that these gorillas have the most impact. The data accumu- also surrounded by a hotwire fence. persisted in the Cross River region lated by the Cross River gorilla PHVA despite years of bushmeat hunting will provide government agencies and and population fragmentation. Though NGOs working for the conservation of some of the extant subpopulations are these unique animals with a clearer likely separated from one another, understanding of population and habi- forested connections remain between tat dynamics to aid in making in- most areas. Substantial areas of for- formed management decisions. est also remain that are currently not Richard A. Bergl occupied by the gorillas. This research is supported by the Na- If hunting pressure and human dis- tional Geographic Conservation Trust, turbance of the forest were decreased Conservation International, Primate there is considerable area into which Conservation Inc., Lincoln Park Zoo, the gorillas could expand. Recent sur- and the Max Planck Society. Kim as a juvenile veys also suggest that previously un- Photo: Frans Keizer

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Furthermore it was hoped that it cerned left the project soon after this would be possible to follow the gorillas incident. from a short distance to do some re- search, preferably joined by a small A New Start group of tourists. After having visited the project a cou- ple of times, we decided that we would A Little History take over the job for one year. We had Mabeke (wild-caught), a silverback, not only to take care of the gorillas 21 years old, Kessala (wild-caught) a and improve their situation, but we female, 15 years old, and their off- also had to run and develop the little spring Kim (captive-bred, female), 3 tourist camp. years old, and Congo (captive-bred, As the camp had to be extended male), 8 months, arrived in July 2001. from two to four bungalows, it was After they had spent 3 months in their decided to tear down the hot wire The first orphan, Owendja small enclosure to get accustomed to fence that surrounded it. The gorillas Photo: Frans Keizer their new surroundings, they were re- will now get two smaller enclosures leased onto the island for the first and a big one of 50 ha, with a lot of screaming kids and barking dogs. His time. To reduce stress as much as forest, swamp and savannah, all im- mother had been trapped in a snare possible, no attempt was made to try portant parts of their natural habitat. and killed for bushmeat. to follow the animals, so it was not The part of the fence that has to cross The next day he was confiscated known where they went and where the savannah will be in a 2 m deep dry by the ministry of Eaux et Forêts, and they spent the night. moat so it will not be visible from a they gave us permission to look after The next morning, at the first feed- distance. him until further notice. We had hoped ing session, the young male Congo The part of the forest next to the it would be possible to send him to the was missing. Kessala, his mother, camp will be used to educate tourists PPG (Projet Protection des Gorilles) had left him at the edge of the forest, about some of the plants and fruits as soon as possible, but they had just where he was found dead after the that are eaten by the wild gorilla popu- decided not to take any new gorilla remaining three were locked up again lation. orphans for a while. The young male in their small enclosure. Kessala was On the 23rd of July 2003 the female was named Owendja, which means probably under considerable stress Kessala gave birth to a male offspring. ”the day” in Myene. and lacked maternal behaviour, which He was named Ozange, which means Owendja is still with us and he is may be why she had neglected him. ”light” in the locale Myene language. being taken into the forest on a daily The gorillas stayed in their enclo- routine, so he can learn to search for sure until April 2002 when they were The Orphans vegetation which is part of the diet of released for the second time, but now On the 2nd of July 2003, we received a wild gorillas. We were at once quite with an attempt to see if they would phone call concerning a one-year-old surprised by what he knew he could accept human company. male orphan gorilla tied up in one of eat or not eat, and he spends hours Without going into too much detail, the local villages, surrounded by high up in the trees by himself, looking it was very clear after about 20 min- for anything to fill up his big belly. utes that the silverback wanted to Essogoue (named after the village dominate the two female keepers. Af- he came from) was brought in on the ter displaying two or three times, he 27th September 2003 by two boys slowly approached them and started who said they had found him alone in biting and tearing at their arms and the forest and that his family had left legs. It was mainly with the help of the him, but the real story will definitely two female gorillas Kessala and Kim, turn out to be different. The young who started screaming at the silver- male, whose face was full of back, that the keepers were able to scratches and covered with lice and get to the boat without too many ticks, was estimated at 3–4 months scratches. Because of their dis- old, for he had only 2 upper and 2 illusionment, the two keepers con- Essogoue Photo: Frans Keizer lower teeth and he could not walk.

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My wife Marian undertook the species-specific behaviour as possi- had met a man claiming to be inter- heavy task of looking after him, for he ble. ested in buying Kita, a baby chimpan- needed attention 24 hours per day. For us, our gorilla adventure in Ga- zee that he kept chained in his For a couple of weeks his face was bon ended at the end of September, backyard. When the policeman show- swollen with the inflammation, but for I have to start work again at the ed up and caught him trying to sell luckily that soon healed and now he is Apenheul primate park, but I hope to Kita, he thought that with a few bucks a healthy looking gorilla. We also take be able to return to Gabon to see how he would sort out this minor problem. him into the forest every day, so he everything develops in the future. This time it did not work out that way. can learn from his big pal Owendja the Frans and Marian Keizer Outside the court journalists were art of climbing into and falling out of Updated version of an article first pub- waiting to report on this unique case – trees. lished in Gorilla Gazette 17(1), 2004 the first wildlife law violator that has ever been prosecuted in Cameroon. September 2004 The numbers of wild chimpanzees, By the end of June 2004 the second Wildlife Law Enforce- gorillas, forest elephants and other enclosure with an area of 4,000 m2 ment in Cameroon threatened species are declining at a was finally finished, and now the goril- worrying rate. One of the main causes las enjoy the larger space very much. Tonye Nken stood in the courtroom, of this crisis is what is known as the They can climb the big Raphia palms, holding the wooden rail with both ”bushmeat problem” – wild animals and build nests in and under the other hands. He could not believe that the are hunted for their meat. It is impor- vegetation where they still find a lot of sentence was referring to him – 30 tant to mention that not all bushmeat fruits and plants that they add to their days in prison and CFA 600,000 fine is illegal; there are species that are diet. (US$ 1,000). A few months earlier he not protected under the law, so hunt- So far, we have dug just a part of the moat for the 50 ha enclosure. Un- fortunately we have had a lot of prob- lems with our bulldozer, which has meant still further delay. In April 2004 we started with the introduction of the orphan Owendja to the group. First he was housed in a small enclosure next to the group so they could all get accustomed to each other. The real introduction happened within 2 months and went very smoothly. In the beginning the two females Kessala and Kim made life tough for him, but slowly he started to feel more confident, and nowadays he plays a lot with the one-year-old male Ozange. The orphan Essogoue is still with us in the camp and is taken into the forest and to the gorillas on a daily routine. Next to the island of Petit Evengue lies the bigger island of Grand Even- gue, with an area of about 8 km2. We hope it will be possible to use it in the near future to re-introduce the orphans into a more natural situation, and to try to help them to develop as much Caricature in the Cameroon Tribune (for explanation see text)

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not unique to Cameroon but common A caricature was published by the to most countries in Africa with for- Cameroon Tribune after Tonye Nken’s ests. prosecution, the first ever prosecution The precedent on July 2003 was led of wildlife crime in Cameroon and by The Last Great Ape Organization most of the sub-region. In this carica- (LAGA). LAGA is a young field-based ture, a dealer chooses a rifle. The organization designed to establish ef- public recognizes the dealer as a fective enforcement of local wildlife law wealthy, well-fed man. The seller in Cameroon. It is the first specialized warns the dealer that he should not law enforcement NGO in the sub-re- hunt protected animals, and shows gion and it focuses on threatened spe- him a list in his possession. The wild- cies, dealers – the primary generators life law is so strange to the public that of the illegal bushmeat business, the it seems a caricature. This is the be- ivory trade and the pet trade. ginning of a public debate that will LAGA follows wildlife cases from continue as new cases arise. the first stage (the field) to the last Legal precedents, by their nature, stage (the executions of prosecution). are heralds. In the one and a half As in the case of Tonye Nken, under- years since the Tonye Nken case, 28 cover agents collect filmed and audio cases have been brought to court in recorded information about wildlife law Cameroon, thanks to the collaboration violations. When the evidence is con- between LAGA and MINEF. All this Gorilla poached in Abong Mbang crete, LAGA coordinates between needs to be put in proportion, consid- Photo: LAGA MINEF and the enforcement agencies ering that we are in very early stages to arrest the violators. In most opera- of the process, but we see budding of ing and trade in some bushmeat is tions, suspects attempt to bribe their a change in governance through atten- legal. way out or arrest. tion to wildlife law and its enforce- The trade in threatened and endan- It is only possible to enforce and ment. gered species is a modern business apply the wildlife law if efforts are that requires a well organized system, made to fight corruption in the field from the hunter through the dealer and and if good governance is promoted. the seller to the clients. Apes and LAGA formed a legal department to elephants are generally no longer assist MINEF’s lawyer, who repre- hunted for the villagers’ pots – their sents the wildlife cases. LAGA’s legal meat is an exclusive product which department also tracks the cases in fetches much more profit from wealthy court. This enables them to Identify customers in modern towns. bottlenecks in the judicial system The Cameroonian wildlife law is which is extremely important. Obsta- strict regarding threatened species. cles that were intentionally thrown out According to this law, any person by middle-level officials were solved by found with a protected animal (living or bringing the incidents to the attention dead) or part of it in his possession is of a higher-level official. considered to have killed it. This law Punishing all criminals is not possi- has existed since 1994, and some ble. The most important thing in law efforts have been made by MINEF enforcement is to create a deterrent. (Ministry of Environment and Forestry) By publicizing arrests and punish- to enforce it but none of these efforts ments, LAGA is trying to reach active resulted in a trial. For 9 years the and potential wildlife criminals. Creat- wildlife law has been neglected and ing public debate by using the media – has not constituted any threat to the television, radio and press – is essen- trade in endangered species; the tial for raising awareness and for de- Ofir Drori with bush-meat trade has continued. The situation is terrence. including apes Photo: LAGA

31 Gorilla Journal 29, December 2004 GORILLAS

I remember the first time I partici- eroon (March 2003), Republic of jects and the adoption of a high-level pated in an operation. It was Friday Congo (April 2003) and Rwanda (July political declaration on great apes. morning, and I had recording equip- 2003). Richard Leakey, a world-renowned ment hidden in my bag as I waited for GRASP has also financially sup- conservationist and one of the the ivory dealer to show up. He arrived ported NGO partner projects such as GRASP patrons, will be taking a more with another man, looking very happy, the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation’s active role in GRASP activities. ready to close the best deal of his life. conservation of chimpanzees in the UNEP/GRASP intervened in the 50 m away the arresting team and Ofir Ivory Coast, Fauna & Flora Interna- April 2004 illegal occupation and for- Drori, the director of LAGA, were wait- tional’s conservation of Cross River est destruction of the Virunga National ing for my signal. It all happened very gorillas in Nigeria, the International Park, a world heritage site and home quickly; the dealer was arrested, he Gorilla Conservation Programme’s to the remaining population of the signed a complaint report on his crime conservation of mountain gorillas and mountain gorilla. Together with other and was locked up. their afromontane forest habitat, the conservation NGOs and governmental The scale of his offence was taken Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Europe’s agencies, UNEP/GRASP prevailed seriously in court. Seeing the proud Durban Process with artisanal miners upon the governments of Rwanda and expressions on our team members of coltan in the Democratic Republic the Democratic Republic of Congo to faces was one of the most satisfying of Congo and CARE/Nature Uganda’s bring to a halt the destruction of the moments in my work. For more than participatory environmental manage- park habitat by settlers and the sub- one year I have been working with Ofir ment in Kasyoha-Kitomi landscape. sequent withdrawal of all settlers who and LAGA’s team – a local team. GRASP carried out an awareness had moved into the park. UNEP con- These committed and devoted people campaign on the infant ape and bush- tributed US$ 50,000 towards the build- are proud to take a part in a process meat trade in April 2004 in coordina- ing of a wall to demarcate the park that aspires to turn around the gloomy tion with UN missions in the Demo- from the settlement area. forecast of the future of the great apes cratic Republic of Congo and southern Daniel Malonza and other threatened species. Sudan. Galit Zangwill Following a preparatory experts A few months ago, the Berggorilla & meeting for an intergovernmental Regenwald Direkthilfe became an offi- meeting on great apes and GRASP, cial GRASP partner. We will do our GRASP Update key partnership documents have been best to join our forces with GRASP to Since its launch in 2001, GRASP (the produced including the final report of solve the bushmeat problem that Great Apes Survival Project) has the preparatory experts meeting, the threatens almost all the gorilla pop- brought together a diversity of stake- Global Strategy for the Survival of ulations. holders to address the crisis facing Great Apes, the GRASP Outline the great apes and their habitat. From Workplan 2003–2007 and the draft a dozen partners in 2001, the partner- rules for the organization and manage- ship has grown to 39 partners includ- ment of the GRASP Partnership. ing UNESCO and virtually all the main These have been distributed to the NGOs with major programmes in Af- partnership and are available on the rica or Asia dealing with great ape GRASP website at this address: conservation and the four biodiversity http://www.unesco.org/mab/ related conventions. grasp/revised_documents.pdf GRASP has sent technical mis- GRASP is making progress to- sions to 17 of the 23 great ape range wards the convening of a major inter- states which have resulted in governmental meeting (IGM) to be strengthened support for great ape held in 2005. The IGM is expected to conservation and promotion of Na- adopt the Paris intergovernmental tional Great Ape Survival Plan meeting preparatory committee report (NGASP) workshops. To date, work- and documents and, most impor- shops producing national action plans tantly, to set the stage for a major have been held in Democratic Repub- increase in the funding of great ape lic of Congo (September 2002), Cam- conservation programmes and pro-

32 Gorilla Journal 32, December 2004 READING

A. Alonso Aguirre, Richard S. Bernard Chapais and Carol M. Ostfeld, Gary M. Tabor, Carol Berman (eds.) House and Mary C. Pearl (eds.) Kinship and Behavior in Primates. Conservation Medicine: Ecologi- Oxford (Oxford University Press) cal Health in Practice. Oxford (Ox- 2004. XII, 507 pages. Hardcover, £ 55. ford University Press) 2002. 407 ISBN 0-19-514889-4. pages, 12 line illustrations. Hardcover, Most primates are social animals US$ 45. ISBN 0-19-515093-7 with complex individualized long-last- Conservation medicine is an ing social structures, from which it emerging scientific field, focusing on can be assumed that related individu- the intersection of ecosystem health, als play a special role in those pri- animal health, and human health. It mates’ social behaviour and life his- explores the connections between tory. We have learned a lot about this these, traces the environmental important factor during the last dec- sources of pathogens and pollutants, ades, and this book summarizes the develops an understanding of the eco- new knowledge and understanding. It logical causes of changes in human includes various aspects of kinship and animal health, and addresses the research, from genetic analyses of re- consequences of diseases to pop- lationships and ecological aspects to ulations and ecological communities. the evolution of humans; the main fo- It relates to aspects of social and po- cus, however, is the influence of kin- litical sciences, which are fundamen- ship on behaviour in nonhuman pri- tal for understanding the human- mates. The authors do not deal with induced changes in climate and ha- are pioneers of this new discipline. It single species but give comprehen- bitats and the use of marine and also comprises a chapter on gorillas: sive overviews. terrestrial ecosystems. It unites eco- "The mountain gorilla and conserva- Part I introduces the methods of logists and zoologists as well as cell, tion medicine" by M. Cranfield, L. genetic analysis and a comparison of micro and molecular biologists, ep- Gaffikin, J. Sleeman and M. Rooney. these methods for testing different idemiologists, toxicologists, patholo- The 15 pages of this chapter are di- questions. In part II, socio-ecological gists, veterinarians and human doc- vided into the following subchapters: theories are discussed with respect to tors in transdisciplinary collaboration. historical background, clinical medi- kin groups and the development of Conservation Medicine defines this cine, preventive medicine, surveillance kinship ties in immatures. In some new discipline. It examines ecological and monitoring, serology, bacteriol- contributions, theories are reviewed health issues from various stand- ogy, parasitology, pathology, vaccina- critically; in others the results of field points, including the emergence and tions, zoonoses and research agenda studies are summarized. resurgence of infectious disease of the MGVP (Mountain Gorilla Veteri- In part III, the authors discuss the agents, the increasing impacts of nary Project). present state of knowledge of the influ- toxic chemicals and hazardous sub- I can wholeheartedly recommend ence of matrilineal and patrilineal kin- stances, and the health implications this book to everyone. The loss of ship on behaviour. Most research has of habitat fragmentation, degradation biodiversity affects the well-being of been done on female philopatric cer- and global loss of biodiversity. It pro- both animals and people. This book copithecines; therefore these species vides a framework in which to examine takes a look the state of our planet’s dominate the reviews, but other taxa the connections between health of the ecosystems and their inhabitants and including the great apes are also dis- planet and health of all species. It at the same time offers solutions and cussed. Part IV explains the proc- challenges practitioners and students hope for their survival. esses involved in the development and in the health sciences and the natural K. Alexandra Dörnath mechanisms of kin recognition and sciences to think about new, collabo- kin-biased behaviours. rative ways to address ecological Finally, part V, called “The evolu- health concerns. tionary origins of human kinship”, con- Conservation Medicine contains 29 tains contributions that include sub- chapters written by 65 authors, who jects like the history of kinship studies

33 Gorilla Journal 29, December 2004 READING

in cultural anthropology and the impor- line illustrations. Hardcover, US$ Karen Hayes and Richard Burge tance of various kin relationships in all 39.95, £ 25.95, Euro 36.90. ISBN Coltan Mining in the Democratic kinds of human societies – some- 0-674-01145-7 Republic of Congo: How tantalum- times also compared to chimpanzee using industries can commit to the societies. Chris Beard and Mark Klingler reconstruction of the DRC. London The book is a valuable source of The Hunt for the Dawn Monkey: (Fauna & Flora International) 2003. information and references – a great Unearthing the Origins of Monkeys, Available from FFI (www.fauna- number of important references is pro- Apes, and Humans. Berkeley (Univer- flora.org). £ 10.00, US$ 20.00, Euro vided by most authors. It certainly is sity of California Press) 2004. 363 17.00 very useful for anybody studying pri- pages, 14 color illustrations, 26 b/w mate behaviour if they also deal with photographs, 21 line illustrations. kinship. Hardcover, US$ 27.50, £ 17.95. ISBN New on the Internet Angela Meder 0-520-23369-7 Amnesty International published a re- port about the rape of women in the Barbara J. King Jean-Pierre Vande Weghe Democratic Republic of Congo: Mass The Dynamic Dance: Nonvocal Forêts d’Afrique Centrale. La na- rape – time for remedies. It can be Communication in African Great ture et l’homme. Tielt, Belgium downloaded at http://web.amnesty. Apes. Cambridge, MA (Harvard Uni- (Lannoo Uitgeverij) 2004. 368 pages, org/library/index/engafr620182004 versity Press) 2004. 304 pages, 7 half- Euro 44.95. ISBN 90-209-4783-4 The International Rescue Commit- tones. Hardcover, US$ 29.95, £ 19.95, tee published an analysis called "Mor- Euro 27.70. ISBN 0-674-01515-0 Rebecca Kormos, Christophe tality in the Democratic Republic of Boesch, Mohamed I. Bakarr and Congo: Results from a Nationwide Carel van Schaik and Perry van Thomas M. Butynski (eds.) Survey". The full report can be down- Duijnhoven Chimpanzés d’Afrique de l’Ouest. loaded at http://intranet.theirc.org/ Among Orangutans: Red Apes and Etat de conservation de l’espèce et docs/DRC_MortalitySurvey2004_ the Rise of Human Culture. Belknap plan d’action. Gland, Cambridge RB_8Dec04.pdf Press 2004. 272 pages, 148 color (UICN) 2004. 237 pages, many illus- The APPG (The All Party Parlia- illustrations, 8 maps, 5 hafltones, trations. Paperback. ISBN 2-8317- mentary Group on the Great Lakes 10 charts. Hardcover, US$ 29.95/ 0780-3. Region & Genocide Prevention) is the £ 19.95/Euro 27.70. ISBN 0-674- leading forum in the UK Parliament for 01577-0 Eldredge Bermingham, discussion and critical analysis of Christopher Dick, Craig Moritz policy issues affecting the people of James Mollison Tropical Rainforests: Past, Present, the Great Lakes region. It publishes James and Other Apes. London and Future. Chicago (Chicago Univer- reports on the situation in the Great (Chris Boot). 112 pages, 50 colour sity Press) 2004. 672 pages, 8 colour Lakes region. On 23rd December, the photos. Hardcover, US$ 39.95. ISBN plates, many line drawings and ta- report "Arms Flows in Eastern Congo" 0954689402 bles. Hardcover US$ 110.00, ISBN 0- was published; it is available for down- 226-04466-1. Paperback US$ 45.00, load at http://www.appggreatlakes. William H. Calvin ISBN 0-226-04468-8. org/content/word/ArmsFlowsin A Brief History of the Mind: From EasternCongo.doc Apes to Intellect and Beyond. New Elizabeth Losos and Egbert Giles In October 2004, the 13th meeting York (Oxford University Press) 2004. Leigh, Jr. of the CITES Conference of the Par- 240 pages, 34 halftones, 4 line illus- Tropical Forest Diversity and Dy- ties was held in Bangkok. They trations. Hardcover, US$ 26.00. ISBN namism. Findings from a large-scale passed a resolution on great apes 0-19-515907-1 plot network. Chicago (Chicago Uni- (www.cites.org/eng/cop/13/com/ versity Press) 2004. 688 pages, many E13-ComII-16.pdf), of which the final Juan Carlos Gomez line drawings and tables. Hardcover, version is available at http://www. Apes, Monkeys, Children, and the US$ 95.00, ISBN 0-226-49345-8-1. cites.org/eng/resols/13/13-04.shtml Growth of Mind (The Developing Paperback US$ 38.00, ISBN 0-226- and a resolution on bushmeat, down- Child). Cambridge, MA (Harvard Uni- 49346-6. load at http://www.cites.org/eng/ versity Press) 2004. 352 pages, 17 prog/bushmeat.shtml

34 Gorilla Journal 29, December 2004 BERGGORILLA & REGENWALD DIREKTHILFE

Support We are very grateful to Nouvelles Approches for the We thank everybody who supported translation of the Gorilla Journal to French again! us during the period from May to Octo- ber 2004. We received large donations Nouvelles Approches, a Belgian based NGO, works to from Horst Engel, Jörg and Marianne safeguard the national parks of the Democratic Repub- Famula, Sharon Farbiash Hirzen, Ste- lic of Congo. We are the only NGO currently active in fan Faust, Detlev Fricke, Monika Gail- Upemba and Kundelungu National Parks of Katanga Prov- Drouinaud, Peter Haug, Hundeleben ince and we collaborate with the GTZ in Kahuzi-Biega National Park. GmbH, Helga Innerhofer, Frank Jaco- The fact that almost every member bi, Hans H. Kreischer, Angela Meder, of our Board of Trustees has lived or is Michel Hasson Brunhilde Präckel, Horst Richter, Er- still resident in the D. R. Congo, is an Nouvelles Approches a.s.b.l. win Rosenkranz and Kurt Walter. asset that gives us good knowledge of Rue E. Branly, 9 Boîte 35 We also received donations in kind the country. We maintain permanent 1190 Bruxelles, Belgium from the SerCon company and by the contacts in Bukavu, Lubumbashi, and Fax : (00322) 732 27 08 "Neue Alte" organisation in Bünde and Kinshasa. We keep excellent relation- [email protected] the Druckhaus Kirchner in Kirchlen- ships with the ICCN and all national http://www.nouvellesapproches.org gern printed stickers for distribution in and international organizations involv- N° identification nationale: the Kahuzi-Biega National Park. We ed in conservation in Central Africa. 10281/97 are very grateful to these individuals and companies as well as to all our other supporters too numerous to Information "Who's Who?" list of acronyms name here! Special thanks to Volker which is constantly updated. Jährling and Manfred Paul (Schenker) Perhaps you already are a regular Although we try our best to stay up- for their cooperation for many years! user of our site www.berggorilla. to-date, we may miss something im- org for news about the situation of portant, links/information may be out- Our New Account in Switzerland gorillas – if you have not seen it yet, dated, or a page may contain mis- We now have an account for our mem- you may be interested to visit it. We takes. We would appreciate a hint if bers and friends in Switzerland: provide latest information on our News you find something that should be cor- page and all kinds of other information rected (to [email protected]). Postscheckkonto Postfinance on our Information page. There you Of course we are also grateful for any Account number 40-461685-7 will find, among other things, our news on the situation. Africa Adventure Touristik Kurt Niedermeier

Mgahinga Safari Lodge is a luxury lodge, perched at the tip of a peninsula jutting into the waters of Lake Mutanda, in southwestern Uganda. The lodge is the ideal setting For further information contact: from which to track the mountain gorilla in nearby Mgahinga Gorilla National Park or during a day trip to Rwanda or Congo. AFRICA ADVENTURE TOURISTIK All our visitors have seen the mountain gorillas! Kurt Niedermeier Africa Adventure Touristik will be pleased to design individual safari tours to the Seeshaupter Str. 17 mountain gorillas, all over Uganda and neighbouring countries. We offer our services D-81476 Munich/Germany all-in-one, design of tours and reservation/booking in Germany, transportation in Ugan- Phone: +49-89 759 79 626 da and neighbouring countries, mainly with own guides/drivers and own cars, operating Fax: +49-89-759-79-627 Mgahinga Safari Lodge, situated right in the middle of all national parks where moun- E-mail: [email protected] tain gorillas are living. We offer tours to the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, already [email protected] designed and often tested. Please have a look at our website and/or contact us. http://www.aat-gorilla.com

35 Gorilla Journal 29, December 2004 How to Download the PDF Version of the Gorilla Journal

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