East Africa’s mountain gorillas

By ⋅ December 6, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment
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Head for the Great Rift Valley for the Geo Quiz: we’re searching for a chain of volcanic mountains in East Africa. These mountains cross the borders of Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The range includes some smouldering mountain peaks that rise 10-12 thousand feet into the sky.

This mountainous region is also home to some endangered mountain gorillas. Poaching, deforestation, and civil wars have put these gorillas on the list of critically endangered species. So, can you name this East African mountain range?

Geo Answer:

The answer is the Virunga Mountains in East Africa. Wildlife artist Steve Quinn from the American Museum of Natural History traveled there recently. Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with him about his effort to find the exact spot that’s depicted in the museum’s mountain gorilla diorama painted in 1921 and to see the endangered gorilla population close up.

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Discussion

8 comments for “East Africa’s mountain gorillas”

  • Amadi P.Ogbonmwan (ob-on 1)

    I really enjoyed your report on East African Mountain gorilla. The only thing that still baffles me is this pervasive, dominant, and yet unconvincing notion that we descended from these animals. Do these animals have identical genes with us? They said “Yes”. Do we evolve or metamorphose into ‘them’ or them into us? Absolutely NOT!
    I haven’t seen an African living in one of those Nordic countries, born to African parents, that evolved, transformed, metamorphosed, into a Nordic Caucasian .

    • silverback

      Hi Amadi,
      gorillas share approximately 97.5 of their DNA with us, Chimpanzees more like 99 %……you are right to say that we do not metamorphose or transform into them, the theory of evolution does not work like that.
      Evolution works on a series of sequential changes that occur to the genome of an individual when outside forces “select” for advantageous mutation in the genetic machinery of that individual. For example giraffes have a long neck that helps them feed on high up leaves in the tree tops. It is likely that as trees that got taller on the savannah that giraffes with longer necks had a survival advantage over short neck individuals (the long neck helping them feed better). Subsequently long neck individuals breed more and give birth to long neck youngsters, with shorter necked giraffes gradually disappearing. In other circumstances individuals are selected for by sudden changes, that can change the future generation over a single generation, such as a natural catastrophe or disease outbreak (ie individuals without disease resistance die out.) t

      It would be impossible for a gorilla to spontaneously change into a human and highly unlikely that an African could change into a Nordic Caucasian as this is not how evolution works.

      That said genetically, morphologically and behaviourally Gorillas and Humans are remarkable similar….gorillas are highly intelligent and social animals that live in tight knit family groups…

      If you want to learn more about evolution , perhaps read some Steven J.Gould, Richard Dawkins and of course Charles Darwin.

  • http://www.artistsforconservation.com Bill Whiting

    Thanks so much for posting this about an exciting expedition to the Congo. As a Director and active participant in the Artists For Conservation Foundation (AFC) I am delighted to see this attention being drawn to the Mountain Gorillas and this expedition. It is an enlightening message re the tenuous existence of these magnificent creatures.
    It is amazing that it was an artist – Carl Akeley – whose work in the region over 90 years ago, led to the first national park in Africa which was largely aimed at preserving the habitat of the Mountain Gorillas.
    It is a fascinating read to follow the blog of Stephen Quinn and Jeffrey Whiting of the Artists For Conservation Foundation on their quest to find the grave of that artist and to revisit the site of his drawings that were captured and reproduced as a diorama at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
    The AFC’s mission is to support wildlife and habitat conservation, biodiversity, sustainability and environmental education, through art that celebrates our natural heritage.

    Read more about the expedition and the blog at the AFC website http://www.artistsforconservation.org/programs/flag-expeditions/expedition/11/how-artist-saved-mountain-gorillaorg

  • http://www.sippublicity.com Jennifer Maloney

    I’ve been following Steven Quinn’s live blog postings from this trip on http://www.artistsforconservation.org
    What an amazing journey they’ve had! The way he describes the poaching that’s still taking place – despite their only being 740 mountain gorillas left – is heart wrenching.
    Thank goodness for organizations like gorilladoctors.org who are looking out for this beautiful species!
    -Jennifer

  • http://www.kellydodgeart.com Kelly Dodge

    I too have been following Stephen Quinn’s journey.As a past recipient of an Artists for Conservation Flag Expedition fellowship I have been spellbound at Stephen’s dedication to bring greater public attention to the unique and threatened habitat and endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

  • http://www.gorilladoctors.org Molly Feltner

    Good new everyone! The results of the 2010 Virunga mountain gorilla census are in and the population has increased by 26.3% over the last 7 years! http://ow.ly/3lfHs