Camera Trap Video From Cameroon Offers Glimpse of World's Rarest Gorilla
Posted on May 8, 2012
Conservationists working in Cameroon's Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary have collected the first camera trap video footage of the Cross River gorilla. Cross River gorillas are the world's rarest gorilla and a notoriously elusive species rarely observed directly by field researchers. There are fewer than 250 of these gorillas remaining in the world.
Steve Sanderson, WCS President and CEO, said in a statement, "This video gives us all a spectacular view into the hidden world of one of our closest relatives, which is in dire need of our help to survive."
The footage reveals eight Cross River gorillas casually making their way along a forest path. Take a look:
The Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary was established by the government of Cameroon in 2008 for the sole purpose of protecting the Cross River gorilla and evolved out of the "Gorilla Guardian" community network, created by WCS to improve gorilla survival prospects in the most vulnerable unprotected forest sites in Cameroon. Kagwene is the only site where daily monitoring of Cross River gorilla movements takes place.