Wild gorillas have been spotted in their natural habitat, which is the jungle, for the first time in the last 10 years.
Conservationists from the Bristol Zoological Society and the University of the West of England in Bristol placed a camera trap in Monte Alen National Park in Equatorial New Guinea, West Africa, to snap the amazing and rare images of the animals.
Initially, the conservationists did not know how long it would take them to get the pictures that they really wanted, however, the team got lucky.
Photos that were taken by hidden cameras showed young apes exploring their surroundings.
The apes in the pictures are the first western lowland gorillas that have been pictured in the last 10 years.
Dr. Gráinne McCabe, Head of Conservation and Field Science at Bristol Zoological Society and one of the researchers leading the project, was thrilled when she got the images.
Dr. McCabe said, “We were so excited when we saw the images. One of our assistants let out a shout when he opened the first photo of the gorilla. While local people had reported seeing the animals around the villages from time to time, we hadn’t been able to catch sight of one yet.”
She added, “This suggested their numbers in the park might be low, and researchers haven’t been working in this area for over 10 years. To see these animals in real life would be magical, but this is the next best thing, and so this is truly special – certainly a career highlight.”
Dr. McCabe said it was pretty exciting for them to see young gorillas as it shows a new generation has been born.
The gorillas that were pictured by the team are estimated to be around 4 years old.
Dr. McCabe said, “It is a huge milestone for the project as it confirms their existence here, despite heavy hunting pressure in this forest.”
The gorillas, mandrills, and other smaller monkeys in the park are heavily hunted for bushmeat, which is considered as a delicacy in South Africa.
Talking about their concern, Dr. McCabe said, “We have always been very concerned that they are at risk of being hunted into extinction in this area.”
Dr. McCabe also talked about them making a conservation plan to make sure the gorillas will be safe.
She said, “We will be able to work alongside the national park to find areas where patrols should be targeted to prevent poaching, for example. Eventually, if poaching can be controlled, we may be able to help bring back eco-tourism to the area.”
Dr. Patrick McLaughlin, a post-doctoral research associate, who is also part of the Bristol Zoological Society’s field team, said they are planning to plant more cameras in the park.
Dr. Patrick said they will be planting 30 cameras by Easter this year.
Researchers that will be looking at the gorillas will be using the data that they gather to establish the population size and location of the animals in the park.
They will also investigate signs of poaching by the presence of shotgun shells and more.
The western lowland gorillas are listed as Critically Endangered in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List.
The gorilla population in Monte Alén National Park is hugely important.
In 2005, there were around 2000 West Lowland Gorillas in the Monte Alén National Park.