 The western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla), while more numerous than other gorilla species, is still an endangered animal. Population numbers are difficult to assess due to the dense forests and constant movement of family groups, but there are believed to be approximately 112,000 western lowland gorillas and the number is declining. According to the IUCN, western lowland gorillas are classified as critically Endangered.
Denver Zoo supports gorilla conservation in the northern region of the Republic of Congo. The Mbeli Bai project focuses on the long term study of western lowland gorillas in their native habitat to better understand their population dynamics, demography, threats, and ecology. Mbeli Bai is located in the Nouabale-Ndoki National Forest. This is a large swampy area, known as a “bai” that is home to many endangered species; the western lowland gorilla is a flagship species for rainforest conservation there.
The study has monitored gorillas for over 12 years and has identified 350 individuals in the wild. The National Forest is largely untouched and a unique habitat for research, which makes conservation and saving this area of great importance.
Since 1998, the Mbeli Bai Study has also been running a site based conservation education project, “Club Ebobo” (Ebobo is the local name for gorilla), in several local schools. Club Ebobo’s objective is to teach the school children about the fauna and flora of the region’s ecosystem so that they appreciate and take pride in the biodiversity that exists in their homeland.
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