Why Are There No Mountain Gorillas in Zoos?
Have you ever come across a mountain gorilla in a zoo? The answer is obviously no because the gorillas you have seen are possibly the lowland gorillas (mostly Western lowland, sub-species of western gorillas). These Great Apes have never survived in captivity since time immemorial but only live in their natural habitats comprised of mountainous and densely forested regions of East-Central Africa. Zoos across the World will have chimpanzees, lowland gorillas, lions, tigers, zebras, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, and many other wildlife species but none has been known for sheltering the mountain gorillas.
Gorilla trekking Experience in Uganda
Surprisingly, several attempts were made in the 1960s and 1970s to capture these Giant Apes, to put them in captivity. During this time, most adult gorillas were murdered to get their infants but shockingly, none of them survived. This left zoo owners bewildered because the lowland gorillas survived and until date, you will see a number of western lowland gorillas in captivity. Some say they were stressed, others believe they quickly succumbed to diseases while some are of the view that their dietary preferences were very special. This post explores some of the possible reasons why there are no mountain gorillas in zoos (captivity). First, it should be noted that these primates are actually endangered with only about 1063 of them living in their natural environments of Mgahinga Gorilla and Bwindi Impenetrable National Parks in Uganda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
Therefore, the following are the possible reasons why there are no mountain gorillas in zoos;
The complex and specific dietary needs of Mountain gorillas
A typical menu of mountain gorillas comprises large quantities of vegetation (given the fact that they are herbivores), with stems, shoots, and leaves of 142 flora species making 85.8% of their diet, tree barks making up 6.9% of their diet, roots of specific plants composing 3.3%, fruits making 1.7% and flowers being 2.3 % of their menu in addition to invertebrates comprising only 0.1%. Not only that, the male Giant Apes can consume up to 30 kilograms of vegetation each day while females need about 18 kilograms of vegetation each day. This unique dietary requirement is difficult and costly to be fulfilled in a zoo setting. Interestingly, most of these are natural vegetation (not planted) and therefore their natural habitats are able to fulfill these special needs.
Their unique natural environment
Mountain gorillas live in some of the most natural and pollution-free environments but with the increase in global warming, the jungle is the only convenient place for them. These Great Apes live in “mountainous and densely forested” regions and it is for this reason that they have longer, darker, and thicker hair, making them live comfortably in their environment. No zoo in the World can provide the two conditions that characterize their natural ecosystems -mountainous and densely forested.
Where are mountain gorillas found?
The mountain gorillas don’t live in zoos and their natural habitats are found in East-Central Africa within the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda.
Gorilla Trekking
Visitors who wish to see them from the Democratic Republic of Congo have to visit Virunga National Park, in the Eastern part of the country where only about 200 individuals call home. A total of 8 habituated gorilla families can be trekked here by 64 visitors per day (8 visitors for each habituated group).
For mountain gorilla treks in Uganda, visitors have to make journeys to the south-western part of the country where two incredible destinations-Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga National Parks are found. For these two places, a total of about 21 habituated gorilla families are trekked by 168 visitors each day.
For travelers planning to see these endangered Giant Apes from Rwanda, the tours lead to Volcanoes National Park in the north-western side of the country. Here, a total of 12 gorilla groups have been habituated for trekking by 96 visitors each day.