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Congo-Kinshasa: Gorilla Population Increases
International cooperation on wildlife conservation seems to be working in the Republic of Congo, where the number of gorillas, a species at risk for extinction, has risen substantially.

A recent census by the Wildlife Conservation Society indicates there are currently 125,000 western lowland gorillas in the northern part of the Congo. Estimates from the previous two decades placed the entire population of western lowland gorillas found in seven Central African nations at 50,000.

"These figures show that northern Republic of Congo contains the mother lode of gorillas," said Steven E. Sanderson, president of the Wildlife Conservation Society. "It also shows that conservation in the Republic of Congo is working. This discovery should be a rallying cry for the world that we can protect other vulnerable and endangered species, whether they be gorillas in Africa, tigers in India, or lemurs in Madagascar."

Paula J. Dobriansky, the under secretary for democracy and global affairs at the U.S. Department of State, agrees: "For the first time in recent memory, we are hearing good news about an endangered species. What that tells us is that conservation strategies are vital, and they are working." Dobriansky addressed a Wildlife Conservation Society event September 15.

The new results showed more than 125,000 western lowland gorillas living in two adjacent regions covering 47,000 square kilometers (18,000 square miles) in the northern part of the Congo. Population densities ranged as high as eight individuals per square kilometer in one particularly rich forest patch, which ranks as among the highest densities for gorilla populations ever recorded, according to a statement by the Wildlife Conservation Society.

CONGO BASIN FOREST PARTNERSHIP

The census was undertaken by the Wildlife Conservation Society together with the Congolese government. Both are members of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership, launched in 2002 by Secretary of State Colin Powell with the countries of the Congo Basin, South Africa and more than 30 international governments and nongovernmental organization partners.

The United States has contributed close to $100 million to this partnership in support of projects to combat deforestation and to protect biodiversity. Much of this funding came from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with support from the U.S. Forest Service.

The Congo Basin Forest Partnership has several benefits, according to Dobriansky. Sustainable forest practices in the Congo Basin lead to the conservation of the world's second largest tropical forest, with a positive effect on biodiversity and climate change. Sound forest management leads to the expansion of small- to medium-sized enterprises, more jobs, improved food security prospects and strengthened rule of law with fewer opportunities for corruption and illegal activities.

Dobriansky speculated that the success of this partnership will attract not only interest, but also investment. "Working together with our friends in the Republic of Congo, we improve not only the welfare of the western lowland gorillas, but also our own capacities for fruitfully effecting positive change on multiple levels."

Africa is home to four gorilla subspecies: western lowland gorillas, mountain gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas and Cross River gorillas. All are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, except eastern lowland gorillas, which are endangered. Gorillas are threatened by deforestation, hunting, regional armed conflict and the spread of the Ebola virus, which is lethal to both humans and gorillas.

The United States continues to support park rangers and endangered wildlife in other regions of the Congo. In September 2007, the State Department and USAID contributed $496,000 to support endangered wildlife of the Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. (See "U.S. Increases Funding to Protect Mountain Gorillas of Congo.")

In July 2008, the United States participated in a conference of Central African government ministers that examined the causes of mountain gorilla killings in the Virunga region, which includes parts of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. (See "Threat to Great Apes Highlighted at Virunga Meeting.")

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Claudia McMurray, who attended the conference, praised local leaders: "The remarkable dedication of our conservation partners in Virunga, despite many dangers, deserves wide recognition. We believe that conservation can play an integral role in establishing stability and supporting economic development in the region."

http://allafrica.com/stories/200809190501.html
 

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