SAVING gorillas takes serious jet-setting these days, as two female western lowland gorillas have just discovered. In June, Kuimba (above) and Mayombe were flown from Beauval in France, where they were born, to Gabon鈥檚 Bat茅k茅 Plateau National Park (below) and released on an island.
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The big move was organised by Beauval and the Aspinall Foundation, a UK-based conservation charity that has reintroduced over 70 gorillas to the wild. Kuimba and Mayombe have already started exploring the island, but it will take them up to 12 months to adjust to their new climate and diet. Reintroduced gorillas are fed until they are self-sufficient and are tracked using camera traps.
Western lowland gorillas are considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Their numbers have fallen by 60 per cent over the past 25 years, says the foundation, as a result of deforestation, Ebola and the bushmeat trade.
Reintroducing gorillas to the wild isn鈥檛 simple, especially if they have been mistreated and have fractures, bullet wounds or ligature marks from being tied up, says Amos Courage, director of the foundation鈥檚 overseas projects. Then there is emotional trauma: 鈥淕orillas are very sensitive. If they are neglected, the lights go out.鈥�
Mixing Kuimba and Mayombe with other gorillas is vital, he says. A 12-year-old male from Howletts Wildlife Park in the UK will soon join the females on the island. Once the gorillas are independent, they will be released into the rest of the national park.
