Threatened Newborn Gorilla Steps Into Limelight at Colorado Zoolander
In a heartwarming and significant development, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has welcomed a new western lowland gorilla, born to mother Asha. This birth offers hope for the future of this critically endangered species, currently threatened by factors such as disease, poaching, habitat destruction, and coltan mining.
Goma, a 34-year-old gorilla who arrived at the zoo in 2016, is showing signs of attachment to the newborn and seems to have a protective instinct towards them. Asha, the mother, is bonding exceptionally well with her newborn, and visitors at the zoo may have a unique opportunity to witness the baby gorilla and its family in the Primate World habitat.
The western lowland gorillas' critical endangerment is due to the aforementioned threats, with coltan mining—a key component in electronics production—being a significant factor in habitat destruction. This mining disrupts the forests these gorillas depend on, further threatening their already critically endangered populations.
Conservation Strategies
Conservation efforts for western lowland gorillas focus primarily on protecting their habitats from threats such as mining, logging, poaching, and disease. These efforts include habitat preservation, anti-poaching measures, captive breeding programs in zoos, and public awareness campaigns.
- Direct Protection in the Wild: Continuous, on-the-ground protective patrols help prevent poaching and habitat destruction, as demonstrated by successful efforts with mountain gorillas, whose populations have stabilized and partially recovered through decades of such measures.
- Captive Breeding Programs: Zoos in the United States collaborate in breeding programs to maintain genetic diversity, provide safe environments for gorillas, and raise public awareness.
- Public Awareness and Fundraising: Campaigns like The Perfect World Foundation’s "Save the Gorilla" raise awareness and funds essential for conservation work.
- Recycling Initiatives: Since coltan is recyclable, public contributions involve recycling small electronics and cell phones, which helps reduce the demand for raw coltan mining and preserves gorilla habitats. For example, some zoos have collection bins for cellphone recycling to support this cause.
How the Public Can Contribute
The public can make a meaningful impact on preserving these critically endangered gorillas through various means:
- Donate: Support organizations dedicated to gorilla conservation through donations. Funds help maintain protected areas, fund anti-poaching patrols, and support scientific research.
- Recycle Electronics: Donate old cell phones and small electronics to recycling programs that recover coltan, thereby reducing the need for habitat-destructive mining.
- Spread Awareness: Engage in and promote education campaigns about the threats gorillas face to encourage broader public support for conservation.
- Responsible Tourism: For regions where ecotourism is possible (e.g., mountain gorillas in Rwanda), supporting responsible wildlife tourism helps fund conservation and local economies, indirectly benefiting gorilla populations.
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo encourages public participation in coltan recycling to help conserve the gorillas' habitat by providing Eco-Cell recycling bins and working with electronics stores. As long as Asha and her baby are doing well, keepers will allow Asha to take the lead in caring for her newborn. This rare and uplifting moment in the conservation efforts for western lowland gorillas serves as a reminder of the importance of public involvement in protecting these magnificent creatures.
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo promotes public involvement in conserving western lowland gorillas by providing Eco-Cell recycling bins and collaborating with electronics stores, encouraging the recycling of small electronics and cell phones to reduce the demand for coltan mining.
Public contribution to gorilla conservation also includes supporting organizations through donations, educating others about threats to gorillas, responsibly participating in wildlife tourism, and promoting conservation efforts on social media. These actions directly support protective patrols, anti-poaching measures, scientific research, and habitat preservation for these critically endangered primates.
