Saving The Gorillas

The mountain gorilla are a critically endangered species. They are a prime target for poaching not as often for meat like many animals but are killed to steal babies to be sold to zoos and as pets. Gorillas are very protective so whole groups are killed to get just one baby. Some are killed for meat and their heads, hands, and feet.

Gorillas are also being killed because they are just in the wrong spot and the wrong time. There is a lot of political unrest in the gorillas habits. Gorillas also are dying from human illnesses and losing their habits as humans are moving in closer to their habits.

There is some good news for the Gorillas. In Rwanda and Uganda they are helping to protect the gorillas while promoting tourism to the countries. Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest has around 340 gorillas and the Virunga Mountains Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda are home to around 300 gorillas.

The Ugandan Wildlife Authority has now set up a Facebook page and also Twitter so you can "follow" the gorillas. You can even track the gorillas online. Be sure to check out these sites and add them to your social network sites. Spreading awareness of what is happening to the gorillas will help save them.

Hopefully with the help of the people in Uganda and Rwanda the gorillas can be saved. If you want to help the gorillas you can donate to the World Wildlife Fund.


Photo Credit: Philip Kromer