Gorilla Conservation Volunteer

With only 17% of the population living in protected regions, gorillas are listed as an Endangered Species/Critically Endangered Species on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). There’s a long way to go in protecting this magnificent creature as the population for most of the gorilla species is dwindling.

Thankfully, there are agreements in place to help conserve the gorilla population. The main one being The Gorilla Agreement which is focused on the conservation of gorillas and their habitat by the ten gorilla range states. The agreement obliges the governments of these states to combat threats such as illegal trade, poaching, and deforestation by implementing the necessary law enforcement.

Are you wondering why gorillas are important? Considering they just hang out with their troop eating and grooming all day, you might think their contribution to the environment is minor. This couldn't be further from the truth. Their past time is generally spent looking for foliage. As they do this, gorillas spread seeds across the forest enabling a variety of plants to flourish in the forest they inhabit. Their way of looking for food breaks trees which allows more sunlight to enter the jungle. This, in turn, gives sun-loving plants exactly what they need to thrive.

Gorillas are like gardeners who maintain their habitat which also happens to be the second-largest tropical rainforest in the world. The green heart of Africa without the gorilla gardener may have a disastrous environmental impact in the years to come.

The western cross river gorilla is currently the world’s rarest great ape with a population of only 250-300. The mountain gorilla which counts a mere 880 individuals is the only species that has shown an increase in its population the past few years. The eastern lowland gorillas, although counting around 4000, is drastically decreasing in number each decade. With 100,000 gorillas, the western lowland gorilla has the highest population. There are a variety of factors contributing to the gorilla becoming an endangered species. Let’s a take a closer look:

Deforestation

As mentioned before, only 17% of gorillas live in protected areas. Unprotected areas face the risk of deforestation to commercial activities such as agriculture, mining, oil, and gas. The need to cut down trees to make room for these activities has decreased the area for gorillas to forage and survive. Deforestation has also enabled poaching as access to the gorillas has become much easier due to the clearance of the dense vegetation which previously hindered poachers.

Poaching

Africa, being a poor continent, makes poaching tempting due to the monetary compensation for capturing exotic animals. Sometimes gorillas are killed for their meat or body parts or are even captured alive and sold as pets for private animal collections. Gorillas are often victims of traps set by poachers for other animals.

Diseases

The Ebola virus alone is said to have wiped out 1/3 of the gorilla population since the 1990s. Due to the genetic similarity to humans, gorillas are susceptible to similar outbreaks affecting humans. Some examples are polio, hepatitis A, tuberculosis and intestinal parasites.

Armed conflicts

African countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda are politically unstable resulting in frequent wars and armed riots. During these times, humans tend to invade new jungle territory belonging to gorillas. This invasion doesn’t allow them to roam safely and is, therefore, one of the contributing factors to the decline in the gorilla population.

There are two main species determined mainly by their geographic location, each containing 2 sub-species:

• The western gorilla species which are situated in Central West Africa include the western lowland gorilla and the cross river gorilla.
• The eastern gorilla species which are situated in Central East Africa include the eastern lowland gorilla and the mountain gorilla.

Eastern gorillas have the darkest fur compared to western gorillas which tend to have a brown grayish color. Mountain gorillas are rather bulky due to their lack of activity in the mountainous terrain they inhabit. Lowland species, on the other hand, travel more and sport a slender physique.

Africa, here I come! Gorillas are situated in both the Western or the Eastern part of Africa and spread over 10 African countries! The following countries are home to the Western gorilla:

• Nigeria
• Cameroon
• Equatorial Guinea
• Gabon
• Angola
• Congo
• Central African Republic

The famous mountain gorilla can be sighted in:

• Rwanda
• Uganda
• Democratic Republic of the Congo

Though it’s possible to see western gorillas in the West African countries mentioned above, the infrastructure and projects provided by countries like Rwanda and Uganda are more catered toward volunteers who want to contribute to the community. These countries are famed for their conservation projects inspired by Dian Fossey. If you remember the movie "Gorillas in the Mist", you are probably packing your bags this very minute.

If you’ve read this far, you obviously have a heart for gorillas! By joining a volunteer project for gorillas, you are in for a once in a lifetime experience. Besides having an incredible story to tell, you will have actively contributed to protecting this endangered great ape:

• Your funds will contribute to the organizations's activities.
• You will also actively participate in conservation work and reforestation efforts.
• You will help spread awareness about the importance of gorilla conservation.

During the program, you can help educate locals but you can continue to spread the word until long after your volunteer experience

The tasks you will have as a volunteer may really depend on the organization you choose to join as projects will differ. The thing they will all have in common is the viewing of gorillas in their natural habitat while other activities may vary. Just to give you an idea of what you can possibly expect:

• Trekking tour in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for a viewing of a gorilla family.
• There may be the opportunity to see more than one gorilla family so you can observe the differences!
• Community development projects focusing on sustainability and providing locals a better life.
• Visiting natural treasures like the Queen Elizabeth National Park, Mgahinga and Kazinga.
• Game drives where you can spot other African wonders such as the hippo, the elephant or the lion.
• Nature trips with local students where you witness them learning about the importance of the environment and help them connect to the habitat they share with the gorilla.

A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity

Seeing gorillas in their natural habitat is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you will never forget. That alone is reason enough for many people to pack their bags and volunteer with gorillas. It's also incredibly fun!

Meet New People

If you are interested in connecting with locals, this opportunity will be a great fit. Engaging with the community will give you an insight into their lives will allow you to contribute by educating the younger ones. You will also meet other volunteers that share your passion for conservation.

Boost Your Resume

Even if you are not planning on pursuing a career in this field, participating as a volunteer and actively contributing to a greater good demonstrates that you take responsibility and are motivated by a meaningful cause. Above all, it shows awareness of our environment and a willingness to take action. This kind of experience can set you apart from other candidates!

Broaden Your Horizons

Taking on this adventure will give you more confidence to continue exploring and engage in other exciting endeavors. You'll notice you can't get enough of it.

Health and Happiness

Volunteering has proven to be beneficial to people's health and sense of happiness because it gives people a sense of purpose. Contributing to something greater than yourself is very therapeutic. Traveling is also great for your brain. It forces you to use parts of the brain you don't usually use when you go about your daily life.