Mountain Gorilla Census
Mountain gorilla census involves the counting and putting into record the general.mountain gorilla population
The most recent mountain gorilla census was that of 2018 Bwindi-Sarambwe population surveys of mountain gorilla population under the transboundary framework of greater Virunga transboundary Collaboration.
This was comprised of protected area authorities in Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo that is Uganda Wildlife Authority and I’Institut Congo lais Pour la Conservation de la Nature and supported by a number of organizations including
Rwanda development board
Gorilla Conservation Programme
Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit of the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund
Institute of Tropical Forest conservation
Wildlife Conservation Society Uganda office
Gorilla Doctors
Conservation through public Health
Fauna and Flora international
Partners in Conservation at Columbus Zoo and Acquarium
WWF
Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Trust
According to their recent survey documentation, a total of 459 mountain gorillas also known as beringei beringei was recorded marking the largest mountain gorilla number to ever be recorded in the transboundary Bwindi-Sarambwe ecosystem from 50 groups and 13 solitary individuals, compared to an estimate of 400 individual gorillas in 36 groups and 16 solitary individuals from the same area in 2011 survey marking the 15th gorilla population census for the area and the very first in which Sarambwe Nature Reserve is included
The recent gorilla population census was carried out following the steps taken in the previous census in the Virunga Massif in which teams walked predetermined and occupied the entire forest areas in search for gorilla signs , other key mammals and also human activities
In case of detection of fresh gorilla signs , the following procedures were employed
- Following the gorilla trail in order to find the recent nest sites
2.Collection of fecal samples from the nests
3.Genetic analysis to determine individual genotypes
This was done in two phases the first one starting from March to May 2018 marking 62days and the second one starting from October to December 2018 marking 60 days with reasons that undetected gorillas in the first phase would-be found and included in the second phase .
Other selected mammal species such as elephants and chimpanzees were also considered as well as human activities such as tree cutting however, due to limitations of study, no declines in their population was recorded
In a nutshell, gorilla population census shows increase in the number of mountain gorillas , a great implication of the conservatory efforts to ensure the endangered species is protected
