Mountain gorillas face new perils as numbers rebound

In the Virunga Mountains between Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, the mountain gorilla population has grown from 242 individuals in 1981 to more than 1,000 in 2020. This success has brought new challenges. Rising numbers have led to increased conflict between gorilla clans, often with fatal consequences for infants, and risk of exposure to diseases.

Nelson Guma, head of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Uganda (male, English, 21 sec): said  "The threats facing these gorillas include respiratory illnesses, meaning diseases transmitted from humans to gorillas or vice versa, due to the high population density around Bwindi."

In response, Rwanda plans to expand gorilla habitat by 23 per cent, a move that will require the relocation of around 3,400 families. The gorillas also face ongoing threats from climate change and poaching, particularly in Uganda, where NGOs promote alternative livelihoods such as coffee farming while working to improve living conditions for local communities.