The "experts" predicted a population of 50,000 and were surprised to find that they were wrong. Go figure.


Surprising Number of Lowland Gorillas Discovered in Africa Jeanna Bryner
Senior Writer
LiveScience.com
Tue Aug 5, 7:22 AM ET

A new tally of lowland gorillas has found massive and surprising numbers of these African primates alive and well in the Republic of Congo, Wildlife Conservation Society scientists announced.

The new census puts the number of western lowland gorillas (called great apes, along with chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans) within two adjacent areas in the northern part of the Congo at 125,000 individuals, including infant gorillas. The results were announced today during a press conference at the International Primatological Society Congress in Edinburgh, Scotland.


Previous estimates from the 1980s placed the entire population of western lowland gorillas, which live in seven Central African nations, at fewer than 100,000 individuals. Sine then, scientists thought the number would've at least halved due to hunting and disease.


Western lowland gorillas are one of four recognized gorilla sub-species, along with mountain gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas and Cross River gorillas. While the eastern lowland gorilla is considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the others are labeled "critically endangered," which means the group faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.


Counting apes


With partial funding from admission fees to the Bronx Zoo's Congo Gorilla Forest exhibit, WCS researchers combed rainforests and isolated swamps to count gorilla "nests," which gorillas construct out of leaves and branches each night for a sleeping area.


The researchers estimate 73,000 came from the Ntokou-Pikounda region and another 52,000 from the Ndoki-Likouala landscape, which includes a previously unknown population of nearly 6,000 gorillas living in an isolated swamp.


"We knew from our own observations that there were a lot of gorillas out there, but we had no idea there were so many," said Emma Stokes, who led the survey efforts in Ndoki-Likouala. "We hope that the results of this survey will allow us to work with the Congolese government to establish and protect the new Ntokou-Pikounda protected area."


Ape conservation


The researchers attribute the high numbers to successful long-term conservation tactics in the area; the remoteness and inaccessibility of the key gorilla hideouts; and a food-rich habitat.


"These figures show that northern Republic of Congo contains the mother lode of gorillas," said Steven E. Sanderson, WCS president and CEO. "It also shows that conservation in the Republic of Congo is working."


For instance, WCS has worked with the Republic of Congo government in the northern area of the country for nearly 20 years. There, the cooperative effort helped to establish the Nouabale-Ndoki National Park and manage the Lac Tele Community Reserve, while working with logging companies outside of protected areas to reduce illegal hunting.

Fox news said 100,000 gorillas.

Let's go hunting!

Ooh, this so ripe.

Can anyone recommend an outfitter to book a gorilla hunt? What caliber would the forum recommend to hunt the mighty kong?


dale

I have used a 458 Win Mag with good results.

I would prefer a double rifle, however.

Gonna need plenty of time, it's a two-week boat trip just to approach the neighborhood.

They should give the gorillas guns and maybe we'll have our own version of the Planet of the Apes - I bet they could run Sub-Sahara Africa better than the most of the current governments.

quote:

Originally posted by Austin Hunter:
They should give the gorillas guns and maybe we'll have our own version of the Planet of the Apes - I bet they could run Sub-Sahara Africa better than the most of the current governments.

Dammit! I just sprayed coffee all over my monitor!

Austin Hunter beat me to the punch line. Go get 'em Eric. See you soon.

quote:

They should give the gorillas guns and maybe we'll have our own version of the Planet of the Apes - I bet they could run Sub-Sahara Africa better than the most of the current governments.

Maybe the gorillas could organize a fund raiser for the elephants that are going extinct.

Carl Ackley descibed hunting Gorilla,
thrilling to read, really...

Posted 06 August 2008 05:04 Hide Post
They should give the gorillas guns and maybe we'll have our own version of the Planet of the Apes - I bet they could run Sub-Sahara Africa better than the most of the current governments.


"Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid" -- Ronald Reagan
we got a mini version running for pres. now

I think we should create a new wildcat for our hunting expedition - the world always needs another Wildcat!

Maybe start with the 400 Mugabe?

How about replacing the classic 470NE with the 470IS? (Ian Smith)

quote:

Originally posted by daleW:
Can anyone recommend an outfitter to book a gorilla hunt? What caliber would the forum recommend to hunt the mighty kong?


dale

The gorillas will rank somewhere around 5th or 6th on the list of immediate risks, well behind the forest elephants and dwarf buffalos, both reportedly being unsociable in very thick cover, possibly dwarf elephants which the pygmies report are always pissed off, leopards who think humans are tasty fare, and poachers from Chad. Of course, that all overlooks the minor details that the area is the original incubator for ebola, and HIV, and who knows what other exotic surprises.

You don't go hunting up there, you mount an expedition.