There is a disturbing article in the October issue of Smithsonian Magazine about recent incursions into mountain gorilla habitat in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The article details the account of three mountain gorillas were slaughtered by rebel forces for food. So called "bushmeat" continues to be a threat for many species, but is particularly detrimental to the tiny populations of mountain gorillas which number perhaps 800 total in their three range countries.
Read the complete article: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/guerilla.html
The online version doesn't contain the disturbing shots of villagers bringing the three gorillas' bodies out of the forest to be buried.
Woodland Park Zoo supports two conservation programs focusing on gorillas: the Mbeli Bai Project that studies western lowland gorillas in the Congo and the Association of Zoos & Aquariums' Bushmeat Task Force which helps with programs to help curtail the bushmeat trade in Africa and other countries. (Photo of lowland gorilla at WPZ by Dennis Conner)
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