Gorillas under threat

A quartered gorilla, crocodile and other bushmeat seized from poachers. Photo: Laga Cameroon

The natural habitat of western lowland gorillas is the tropical rainforest of Central Africa. However, logging has made once remote and inaccessible areas reachable—not only to machinery transporting the harvested timber, but also to hunters and poachers. The population of western lowland gorillas is projected to decrease by more than 80 percent over three generations (approximately 66 years), based on the current rate of their decline, and they are therefore listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Halting their extinction will require support for responsible timber harvesting, the development of alternative livelihoods for rural communities, as well as continued education and public awareness efforts.

Poaching and bushmeat

The trade in wild animal meat, known as bushmeat, poses a serious threat to rare mammal species. One of the main issues is the pressure from the market, driven largely by dealers. These individuals either hire hunters from rural communities or are part of organised gangs that target gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, and pangolins. All of these species are legally protected; killing a gorilla, for instance, carries a fine of approximately €8,000 and up to seven years in prison. Yet a local poacher may sell an entire gorilla to a dealer for as little as €80, and the dealer then resells it for more than double the price to clients in both small towns and major cities. The meat then often ends up in restaurants, on the tables of high-ranking individuals, or even smuggled abroad. Law enforcement is extremely challenging, largely due to widespread corruption.

Poachers' eyes, rifles, cartridges, machetes and other equipment confiscated from poachers by the reserve guards. Photo: Prague Zoo archive.

Destruction of Rainforests

For decades, the tropical rainforests of Africa have been disappearing at an alarming rate. Much of the pressure currently stems from the global demand for commodities such as iron ore, timber, rubber, and palm oil—primarily from high-income countries, China and Vietnam. While measures like selective logging have been introduced in an effort to curb deforestation, the overall loss of forest cover continues unabated.

Plantations of oil palm or rubber trees, often established in areas where forests have been felled or burned, put a strain on both soil and water resources and require large quantities of pesticides. Small-scale farmers find it difficult to compete with large foreign corporations operating on an industrial scale.

Mining (including iron ore, gold, and rare metals used in the production of mobile phones, such as niobium and tantalum) also contributes to deforestation, environmental degradation, and pollution across many parts of Africa, including regions inhabited by gorillas. With new mines come new roads and railways for transporting minerals, compounding any potential impact on surrounding ecosystems. Of great controversy are for example several gigantic Chinese mining projects and the linked construction of a railway line that cuts through some of the most valuable forested areas of Central Africa.

The remaining tropical rainforests are increasingly criss-crossed by roads and infrastructure, intensifying human pressure on nature. As the rainforests vanish, so too does the habitat of the western lowland gorilla—and with it, a unique ecosystem of immense biodiversity, crucial for carbon storage and water retention, and irreplaceable in its ecological function.

Loads of harvested timber flow along Cameroonian roads every day. Photo: Prague Zoo archive

Other threats

Diseases also pose a significant threat. From time to time, gorilla populations are struck by outbreaks of Ebola, which can decimate their numbers. Respiratory illnesses transmitted by humans are another serious risk.

Climate change further undermines the gorillas’ chances of survival. Longer periods of drought lead to food shortages and forest dieback, which in turn contribute to increased poverty among local people—often resulting in further deforestation and a rise in poaching

Help with us

• By visiting the zoo: 8 CZK from every entry goes towards our conservation programmes.
• By buying “We Help Them to Survive” souvenirs at the zoo or in our online shop.
• By donating using the touch screens in the zoo’s grounds.
• By transferring any amount you wish to the We Help Them to Survive collection account. Its IBAN (International Bank Account Number, used in cross border transactions) is CZ24 0100 0000 4368 0466 0247, the SWIFT code (bank identifier code) is KOMBCZPPXXX.
• By taking that old mobile phone or tablet out of your drawer, where it can do no good, and putting it in a collection receptacle at the zoo to be recycled. For every device put in, the company Remobil, z. s. will pay CZK 10 into our collection account.
• By sending a donation text message (DMS) to 87 777, choosing between the one-time and the permanent donation alternatives.. The price of a DMS is 30, 60, 90 or 190 Czech crowns, of which 29, 59, 89 or 189 crowns respectively will go towards the project. This service is available only for phone numbers registered with Czech mobile operators. The prescribed texts for these DMS text messages are:
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