Mountain Gorillas

Tucked into one of the most beautiful and conflicted regions of the world are the last of the mountain gorillas. These apes have survived centuries of human encroachment into their habitat and range and decades of intense conflict and violence. The remaining 720 mountain gorillas exist in a fragile habitat, nestled in an area torn by human interests and needs for land, water, and minerals. With captivating photography and the most recent scientific research, Mountain Gorillas takes you deep into the montane rain forests of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to reveal the complex story of the mountain gorillas of the Virunga Volcanos and Bwindi. Gene Eckhart and Annette Lanjouw reveal how humankind affects the gorillas and their habitat, detail the innovative conservation and education efforts undertaken by governments and nongovernmental organizations, and explain how ecotourism and other conservation-focused enterprises support efforts to protect the two mountain gorilla populations. This perfect blend of intimate photography, thought-provoking scholarship, and engaging stories demonstrates the inexorable ties among the animals, environment, and peoples of the region, and makes clear why the continued existence of the Virunga and Bwindi gorillas is so important. Mountain Gorillas features stunning photos and four appendices documenting key biological and ecological information, habitat vegetation, milestones in mountain gorilla conservation, and travel information.

When Bill Weber and Amy Vedder arrived in Rwanda to study mountain gorillas with Dian Fossey, the gorilla population was teetering toward extinction. Poaching was rampant, but it was loss of habitat that most endangered the gorillas. Weber and Vedder realized that the gorillas were doomed unless something was done to save their forest home. Over Fossey's objections, they helped found the Mountain Gorilla Project, which would inform Rwandans about the gorillas and the importance of conservation, while at the same time establishing an ecotourism project -- one of the first anywhere in a rainforest -- to bring desperately needed revenue to Rwanda. In the Kingdom of Gorillas introduces readers to entire families of gorillas, from powerful silverback patriarchs to helpless newborn infants. Weber and Vedder take us with them as they slog through the rain-soaked mountain forests, observing the gorillas at rest and at play. Today the population of mountain gorillas is the highest it has been since the 1960s, and there is new hope for the species' fragile future even as the people of Rwanda strive to overcome ethnic and political differences.

Describes the physical characteristics, behavior, and life cycle of mountain gorillas.

Dian Fossey was fascinated with the sad plight of the mountain gorilla and went to Africa. She imitated the gorillas' sounds and habits and came to know them individually. After several of her favorite gorillas were killed, she became impassioned about stopping the poaching And The destruction of the gorillas' natural habitat. Her research and her book, Gorillas in the Mist, led to current efforts to protect this endangered species.

Humans have always regarded gorillas with conflicting emotions. As evidenced by the intense controversy sparked by the killing of Harambe at the Cincinnati Zoo, the treatment of gorillas is intertwined with how humans perceive them. This book sheds light on the truth about mountain gorillas and the consequences that could result from their extinction. Offering readers an unbiased look at the animal, the text covers the challenges that gorillas face in the wild and the actions that must be taken to ensure their survival. The dynamic text is augmented by colorful photographs, a handy timeline, and sidebars.

Describes the physical characteristics of mountain gorillas and the conservation efforts being carried out to keep them from becoming extinct.

Audisee® eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and text highlighting for an engaging read aloud experience! Learn what a mountain gorilla has in common with a hippopotamus. Find out what sets a mountain gorilla apart from a raccoon or a mountain lion. Readers will compare key traits of mountain gorillas—their appearance, behavior, habitat, and life cycle—to traits of other mammals. Charts and sidebars support key ideas and provide details. Through gathering information about similarities and differences, readers will make connections and draw conclusions about what makes this animal a mammal and how mammals are alike and different from each other.

Presents thirteen years of field research on the endangered mountain gorilla of the African rain forest.