Rare Gorillas Caught on Camera
May 9, 2012—A group of elusive Cross River gorillas-including a chest-beating silverback—were recently captured by a Wildlife Conservation Society camera trap in Cameroon. WCS's Cross River gorilla conservation is supported by many government and non-governmental organizations, including
National Geographic.
It's rare video of a seldom seen gorilla.
The Cross River gorillas are the rarest, and they're elusive. The shy animals usually flee at the slightest hint of human presence.
So researchers working with the Wildlife Conservation Society hit pay dirt with camera traps in Cameroon's Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary.
Eight Cross River gorillas are recorded making their way along a forest path.
It's a rare glimpse of these animals, seldom observed, even by scientists who study them.
At one point, a silverback runs through the group, producing a classic chest beating display. WCS theorizes he may have been aware of the camera.
One gorilla appears to be missing a hand, an apparent healed injury, but a reminder of the presence of snares, placed by locals intended for other wildlife.
WCS estimates fewer than 250 individuals of this critically endangered species remain in the wild. Human encroachment on their habitat and poaching remain the biggest threats to these primates.
WCS's Cross River gorilla conservation is supported by many government and non-governmental organizations, including National Geographic.
Video courtesy: Wildlife Conservation Society
