Dian Fossey 1932-1985

First paragraph: I never met Dian Fossey. However, having spent six years as Director of the Karisoke Research Center, I have often been asked what it was like to "follow in her footsteps." There is no quick and easy reply, except that 90 percent of my job was difficult and unpleasant, but the gorillas were so utterly wonderful that they made everything else worthwhile

"Snare aware" mountain gorillas

First paragraph: People often ask whether mountain gorillas are still hunted, and if poaching remains a problem in the Volcanoes National Park. Until the ghastly resurgence of attempts to capture gorilla infants in 2002, there had been no known deliberate killing of gorillas in Rwanda for 20 years. Poachers set traps for antelopes, but these traps are indiscriminate towards their victims. If a gorilla is caught, his strength can enable him to break free, but during the struggle wire may cut into a hand or foot, and if these cuts become infected the animal may die. To protect gorillas and other animals, anti-poaching teams patrol the forests daily, to find and destroy snares, whilst a veterinary team will intervene to anaesthetize snared gorillas, and treat the wounds

Behavioural ecology of Western Lowland Gorillas in Gabon

The behavioural ecology of western lowland gorillas was studied for 16 months in the Lope Reserve, Gabon, where gorillas are sympatric with chimpanzees in lowland tropical forest. Data were collected by direct observation, and by examination of nest-sites, feeding-sites, and trails. The nature of frugivory and the extent of seasonal variation in food selection were emphasised. Dietary composition was identified, and the contribution of fruits was evaluated from the volume of fruit ingested estimated retrospectively from seeds in the gorillas' dung. Forest structure and composition were assessed using transects, and fruit and leaf production was quantified monthly to estimate food availability. Food distribution was patchy, and many foods showed seasonal peaks in abundance. The heterogeneity of the habitat was reflected in the diverse diet: gorillas ate 139 parts of 103 species of plants, including 78 fruits. One third of dung samples contained weaver ants. Vegetative parts of Aframomum and Marantaceae formed staple foods, due to their abundance, accessibility, and year-round availability. Succulent fruit formed over 90% of fruit intake. Seasonal variation was measured in all dietary parameters. Flexible foraging strategies enabled gorillas to cope with fruit scarcity, particularly during the major dry season: when less fruit was available gorillas consumed more stems, leaves, and bark, and ate poorer-quality fibrous fruits. Ranging was influenced by the seasonal availability of particular food species: when fruit was abundant gorillas travelled large distances between sources, when scarce they adopted a low cost strategy, shifting their diet towards more abundant, but poorer quality foods, and travelling less. Differences in feeding, ranging, and climbing between lowland and mountain gorillas result from striking differences in their respective habitats, especially in the abundance and distribution of fruit sources. Lowland gorillas' home ranges were larger; they spent more time in tress, mostly feeding; yet their social structure seemed to be similar to mountain gorillas. Lope gorillas adopted strategies similar to those of other frugivorous primates: fruits were preferred foods, consumed with fibre and leaves to meet nutritional requirements. The switch in diet was facilitated by the gorillas’ large body-size, which may have enabled them to cope with succulent fruit shortages, and allowed gorillas to remain in relatively stable groups

Guidelines for best practice in great ape tourism

Tourism based on the viewing of great apes is increasingly promoted as a means of generating revenue for range states, local communities, and the private sector (e.g. GRASP, 2006 ). This is despite known risks from tourism, including disease transmission, which have caused concern among conservationists and prompted the International Union for Conservation of Nature to publish guidelines on best practices for great ape tourism (Macfi e & Williamson, 2010 ). IUCN is one of the world's most respected authorities on species conservation, and brings together governments, UN agencies, and NGOs to conserve biodiversity and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable

Habituating primates: Processes, techniques, variables and ethics

First paragraph: Field biologists adopted the term habituation from physiology, as the relatively persistent waning of a response as a result of repeated stimulation that is not followed by any kind of reinforcement (Thorpe, 1963). Repeated neutral contacts between non-human primates (hereafter called primates in this chapter) and humans can lead to a reduction in fear, and ultimately to the ignoring of an observer. The techniques and processes involved have only rarely been described (e.g. Schaller, 1963; Kummer, 1995), as habituation has generally been viewed as a means to an end (Tutin & Fernandez, 1991). The few studies that have quantified primate behaviour in relation to habituators describe the process with African great apes (Grieser Johns, 1996; van Krunkelsven et al., 1999; Blom et al., 2001). As we become increasingly aware of the potential effects of observer presence on primate behaviour, and especially the potential risks of close proximity with humans, it behoves us to measure as much as possible about the habituation process

Habituating primates: Processes, techniques, variables and ethics (2nd Edition)

Introduction Field biologists adopted the term habituation from physiology, as the relatively persistent waning of a response as a result of repeated stimulation that is not followed by any kind of reinforcement (Thorpe, 1963). Repeated neutral contacts between primates and humans can lead to a reduction in fear, and ultimately to the ignoring of an observer. Historically, the techniques and processes involved were rarely described, as habituation was generally viewed as a means to an end (Tutin & Fernandez, 1991). As we become increasingly aware of the potential effects of observer presence on primate behaviour, and especially the potential risks of close proximity with humans, it behoves us to measure as much about the habituation process as possible. However, most recent studies that have quantified primate behaviour in relation to habituators have focussed on great apes (see, for example, Ando et al., 2008; Bertolani & Boesch, 2008; Blom et al., 2004; Cipolletta, 2003; Doran-Sheehy et al., 2007; Sommer et al., 2004; Werdenich et al., 2003), with little information available for other primate taxa (but see Jack et al., 2008)

Long-term research and conservation of the Virunga mountain gorillas

First paragraph: BACKGROUND: The Virunga Volcanoes encompass three National Parks in three countries of eastern Central Africa: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda (Fig. 18.1). This region harbors one of only two remaining populations of mountain gorillas, 380 "Virunga" gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). The Virungas cover an area of about 425 km2 and contain a variety of afromontane habitats, stratified by altitude ranging from 1850 m to 4507 m above sea level. Much of this high altitude vegetation is not suitable for the gorillas (Weber and Vedder,1983), thus the gorilla population is concentrated below 3400 m in the mid-altitude Hagenia-Hypericum zone and the lower altitude bamboo zone

A Statewide Survey of School Counselors’ Perceptions on School Issues

School counselors maintain a unique professional role in a school setting. This article explores the perceptions of 255 school counselors in the State of Michigan on three contemporary school counseling issues: (a) pre-service training, (b) the professional role of counselors, and (c) school- related issues, related to the professional role of counselors. The results found no differences based on age among school counselors regarding school issues, while gender differences were found on three school issues. The results suggest that on certain issues, school counselors continue to be challenged with role ambiguity

Gorilla gorilla

Assessment Information: Justification: Gorilla gorillahas a large geographic range, covering over 700,000 km². The size of the population is currently being evaluated, but thought to be in the order of a few hundred thousand (Strindberg et al. in prep). Only a very small number of Western Gorillas are the G. g. diehli subspecies, therefore this rationale focuses on the G. g. gorilla subspecies. The country of Gabon lost over half its Gorilla population between 1983 and 2000 (Walsh et al. 2003). More recent population declines have been estimated using a predictive model that incorporated survey data collected between 2003 and 2013 across the entire range of Western Lowland Gorillas. The results reveal an 18.75% decline between 2005 and 2013, corresponding to an annual loss of ~2.56% (Strindberg et al. in prep). These population decreases were driven by poaching and disease (Ebolavirus) outbreaks.Despite their abundance and wide geographic range, Western Gorillas qualify as Critically Endangered under criterion A: a population reduction of more than 80% over three generations (one generation is ~22 years). This listing is based on ongoing population losses due to illegal hunting, disease and habitat loss: poaching is intensifying with the expansion of access routes into forests and Zaire Ebolavirus remains a highly significant threat. At a conservative rate of reduction (2.56% per year rather than 4%, calculated from Walsh et al. 2003), the reduction in the Western Gorilla population is predicted to exceed 80% over three generations (i.e., 66 years, 2005-2071). Illegal hunting has not ceased despite intense anti-poaching efforts, and the threat of Ebolavirus has not been removed. In addition, the scale of habitat conversion to industrial agriculture will increase, and the effects of climate change will become more evident.Gorilla gorillathus qualifies as Critically Endangered (A4bcde)