The gorilla’s evolutionary path diverged from ours ten million years ago. A figure that translates into an «anecdotal» difference of 1.6% between our genomes. Although our evolutionary paths have diverged, the interaction between the two species has always been strong. Now, more than ever, the future of the gorillas depends on us.
In his 2003 book Eating Apes, author Dale Peterson recounts some of the testimony given to photographer Karl Amman by hunters from Congo, Uganda, and Gabon. They said they preferred to hunt gorillas because they tended to move in families, making it easier to take more prey in less space. It was estimated that five to ten gorillas were killed every day in these areas. The aim was to exploit their meat for human consumption (some adults can weigh up to 200kg) and to sell their skulls to collectors. Since then, anti-poaching pressure has increased, but the current status of the two gorilla species (Gorilla gorilla and G. beringei) remains critically endangered, with poaching playing a major role.
In 2018, hunters handed over Kala, just eight months old, to the Gabonese authorities. What happened to her mother could not be confirmed. Unlike chimpanzees, it is not profitable to sell baby gorillas on the illegal market because they do not survive well in captivity. It is therefore common for baby gorillas to be found after their mothers have been killed. Fortunately, she arrived at Lekedi Biodiversity Park, one of the 23 sanctuaries that make up the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance,
whose work in Gabon focuses on rehabilitating gorillas and chimpanzees that have been the victims of poaching. It is a long process that, in Kala’s case, will end with her release into the wild in the next few years.
