Programme Coordinator – Victoria Kostenko, Rostov-on-Don Zoo, Russia
The western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) is one of two recognized subspecies of the western
gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) (Groves 2001). Western lowland gorillas inhabit montane primary or secondary
forests and swamplands in Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. Gorilla gorilla gorilla is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The main threats to western lowland gorillas are poaching, high mortality rates caused by the viral disease (Ebola haemorrhagic fever), habitat loss and degradation, as well as the effects of climate change.
The low numbers of gorillas in EARAZA zoos necessitates the creation of a program to establish and
manage a genetically sound ex situ population of western lowland gorillas.
The programme is aimed at the creation and management of the sustainable, genetically healthy
population of the Western lowland gorilla at EARAZA zoos.
Programme objectives:
- Collection of data on the gorillas kept at EARAZA zoos, analysis of the population status and providing program participants with transfer and breeding recommendations;
- Increasing the numbers of animals and genetic diversity of the EARAZA population the western lowland gorilla through the management of the captive population;
- Encouraging other EARAZA zoos that have adequate housing conditions and expertize for keeping gorillas to participate in the program;
- Development of cooperation between the program participants;
- Conducting research into biology and behavior of gorillas;
- Public conservation education aimed at raising public awareness of the vulnerability of the species in the wild and the role of zoos in species conservation;
- Development of the methods of gorilla husbandry and care for promoting natural behaviors of the animals and improving their welfare.
