Ways to protect Mountain Gorillas

Ways to protect Mountain Gorillas: Mountain gorillas are some of the most famous primates in the wild, garnering almost a thousand tourists visiting the wild just to have a chance to glimpse at these famous primates. However, though they are famous and some of the most visited animals in the wild. The mountain gorillas are critically endangered animals meaning their population in the wild is nearing extinction and the factors leading to the endangerment of the animals are still prevalent in the wild and the world at large. 

It’s for that reason that in this article we want to share some ideas on how we can protect the endangered mountain gorillas and support the growth of the mountain gorilla population in the world at large. 

Before we go further it’s important to know that one of the biggest contributors to mountain gorilla conservation is mountain gorilla trekking, which is one of the ways of raising moneys for mountain gorilla conservation activities and sensitising people on lives and importance of mountain gorillas. 

However though mountain gorilla trekking is one of the main avenues of mountain gorilla conservation, it’s also one of the avenues that can harm the mountain gorillas. Through direct contact with the humans, mountain gorillas can easily get diseases from humans, humans can easily lure mountain gorillas into traps, and humans can easily poison the mountain gorillas among other things. 

Thus most of the mountain gorilla protection measures listed below will deal with how to make human interaction with the mountain gorillas more amicable so that there is no or there is less harm to the mountain gorillas. 

Therefore some of the ways we can protect mountain gorillas are:-

Not going for mountain gorilla trekking while you are sick or suspect you may be sick. 

Mountain gorillas share about 98% of their DNA with humans so they are susceptible to all the diseases that human suffer; also humans can spread these diseases easily to the mountain gorillas. That’s why for the protection of the mountain gorillas, as a human you are advised not to trek to see the mountain gorillas, to reduce chance of disease transmission. 

Always keep a 7 meter distance between you and the mountain gorillas

Keeping a 7 meter distance between you and the mountain gorillas reduces the chance of disease spread to you or the mountain gorillas. This distance is close enough for you to see and observe the mountain gorillas and far enough to stop any chances of disease transmission. 

Don’t Touch the mountain gorillas 

During your mountain gorilla trekking experience, when you find the mountain gorillas you may be tempted to touch the mountain gorillas to feel their skin or fur etc; the temptation is really because these mammals really make you feel welcome in their presence. 

However touching the mountain gorillas is not good, it can be an avenue for disease spread for the mountain gorillas and also the touching can irritate the gorillas and it causes the gorilla to react which may turn into a chaotic scene for you and the mountain gorillas.

Don’t feed the mountain gorillas 

Though it’s tempting please desist from feeding the mountain gorillas with your food or their food.  Feeding the mountain gorillas can be another avenue for disease spread for the mountain gorillas. Also the food may contain ingredients that may be harmful or very harmful to the mountain gorillas causing sickness and death in the mountain gorillas.

Don’t destroy the mountain gorilla habitat

One thing that is very important to the mountain gorillas’ survival is their habitat, a health and conducive habitat for the mountain gorillas. The mountain gorilla habitat is destroyed by trekkers loitering the forest and communities cutting down trees from the forest. Both of these acts are harmful to the mountain gorilla and efforts should be channelled towards preserving the mountain gorilla habitat. Trekkers should be sensitised about keeping the forest clean as they found it and communities around the mountain gorilla habitats sensitised about forest preservation and afforestation. 

These five are the top ways we can protect the mountain gorillas, but also there are more ways in which mountain gorillas can be protected and preserved in their habitats.