Mountain gorillas face extinction due to threats of both coronavirus and poaching

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Craig Sholley, a conservationist renowned for his work with gorillas and vice president of the African Wildlife Foundation, told The Independent; “anti-poaching activities throughout Africa have been diminished due to the loss of important tourism revenue.” “But, for the mountain gorilla there is the added danger of transmission of the virus which could be catastrophic. “Mountain gorillas live in two relatively closed populations, which makes them very vulnerable and their future incredibly fragile.” In June, the tragic loss of a silverback called Rafiki to poachers in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park sent shockwaves through the conservation community. But the loss of the 25-year-old male had “disrupted the group of gorillas, causing some to leave the group,” said Kalema-Zikusoka, adding that poachers getting close to the animals was “very worrying.” As well as a steep increase in the number of snares - traps laid to catch wildlife - found in Bwindi’s thick rain forests during lockdown, earlier this month rangers discovered a baby gorilla tangled in a poacher’s snare in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga park. The proactive steps taken to quickly shut down tourism to protect gorillas from coronavirus were welcomed by the conservation community, but they have left gorillas vulnerable to people who should not be in the forest” UNESCO’s Rapid Response Facility has provided emergency support to Bwindi’s rangers, helping to monitor the gorillas to ensure a swift response to any possible virus outbreak, as well as supporting extended patrols to deter poachers.