The forest in the DR Congo is home to the world’s largest gorilla sub-species- the Grauer’s Gorilla. The planet’s biggest primate which can weigh up to 180 kgs is found in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where minerals have been plundered for decades under the smokescreen of conflict and instability.
A new report by the Wildlife Conservation Society and Fauna & Flora International now shows that the numbers have fallen to 3,800 from an estimated 17,000 in 1995.
This has been linked to illegal mining for coltan, a key mineral used in the production of cell phones and electronics.Estimates of the animal’s numbers were based on widespread field surveys of ground nests since little is now available to actually go by.
Due to the current widespread artisanal mining in the region of the country, the report now recommends that the status of the animal be labelled critically endangered. This as activists call on cellphone and computer manufacturers to join the fight against illegal mining to help save the subspecies.
