When Gorillas ‘Rescue’ Themselves

When Gorillas 'Rescue' Themselves By Gorilla Doctors Staff on Tuesday, March 12th, 2024 in Blog.

On the morning of February 19, Dr. Lina hiked out from our Tshivanga field station at Kahuzi-Biega National Park, DR Congo. It was a little before 9:00AM, and she was planning a routine health check of Bonane group, a family of nine critically endangered Grauer’s gorillas led by silverback Bonane. Not far into the forest, […]

Gorilla Doctors Rescue Infant Mountain Gorilla from Snare

Gorilla Doctors Rescue Infant Mountain Gorilla from Snare By Gorilla Doctors Staff on Wednesday, August 16th, 2023 in Blog.

Field Report: By Dr. Gaspard Nzayisenga The last couple of weeks have been stressful for 2.5-year-old infant Ingabire of Isimbi group in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. On August 8 we received a report that Ingabire had been trapped in a wire snare. The trackers were able to successfully detach the wire from the bamboo stake, […]

Busy Boy Bonane – A Newborn Grauer’s Gorilla

Busy Boy Bonane - A Newborn Grauer's Gorilla By Gorilla Doctors Staff on Wednesday, March 22nd, 2023 in Blog.

We are thrilled to announce a newborn Grauer’s gorilla in Bonane group at Kahuzi-Biega National Park, DR Congo. On Monday, Dr. Lina conducted a routine health check of the group and was delighted to see adult female Mukono holding her newborn (2-3 days old). Silverback Bonane has been busy! This is the second infant born […]

The Lonely Loved One

The Lonely Loved One By Gorilla Doctors Staff on Monday, January 16th, 2023 in Blog.

By Dr. Gaspard Nzayisenga, field veterinarian, Rwanda During my health monitoring of Muhoza group on January 5, I was surprised to find Inkundwa, a lone silverback mountain gorilla, interacting with Muhoza group (led by silverback Muhoza). Apparently, there had been a fight early that morning before our arrival, which resulted in a couple of minor […]

Photography & Conservation: A Discussion with Ian Wood

Photography & Conservation: A Discussion with Ian Wood By Gorilla Doctors Staff on Thursday, November 5th, 2020 in Blog.

This month through November 15th, UK-based wildlife photographer Ian Wood is auctioning a limited edition mountain gorilla photo signed by the legendary Sir David Attenborough (now on Netflix with A Life on Our Planet). Ian is donating 100% of the auction proceeds to Gorilla Doctors. He’s also selling a collection of limited edition prints on […]

Growing Up Gorilla Doctors

Growing Up Gorilla Doctors By Gorilla Doctors Staff on Monday, August 3rd, 2020 in Blog.

“The mountain gorillas will be extinct by 2000. We need a veterinarian on site.” According to mountain gorilla lore, Dian Fossey said this to Ruth Morris Keesling at the international symposium, ‘What We Can Learn about Humankind from Apes,’ held in California in May 1981. The genesis of Gorilla Doctors began with those six words […]

The Remarkable Healing of Silverback Gihishamwotsi

The Remarkable Healing of Silverback Gihishamwotsi By Gorilla Doctors Staff on Thursday, July 23rd, 2020 in Blog.

Sabyinyo group had been out of range for about 10-days when Volcanoes National Park rangers first spotted their return to the area on May 25th. Dominant silverback Gihishamwotsi had clearly been in a fight, with wounds all over his body, so rangers immediately reported his condition to Gorilla Doctors. We mobilized for a veterinary monitoring […]

Silverback Rafiki: Mountain Gorilla Killed by Poachers in Uganda

Silverback Rafiki: Mountain Gorilla Killed by Poachers in Uganda By Gorilla Doctors Staff on Saturday, June 13th, 2020 in Blog.

On June 12th, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) released a statement on the death of Rafiki, the lead and only silverback of Nkuringo group in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. Gorilla Doctors’ post-mortem examination on Rafiki revealed that the likely cause of death was the result of injury from a sharp device/object that penetrated his left […]

Update: Intervention to Treat Lead Silverback of Hirwa Group

Update: Intervention to Treat Lead Silverback of Hirwa Group By Gorilla Doctors Staff on Friday, May 29th, 2020 in Blog.

On March 28th, Dr. Fred first treated Uburanga, the lead silverback of Hirwa group, for mild respiratory illness. In the following days of monitoring, Uburanga’s resipiratory signs resolved but he was mildly lame in his right leg. Dr. Fred administered a second dose of antibiotics on March 31st and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park rangers continued […]

Gorilla Doctors Treat Lead Silverback of Hirwa Group

Gorilla Doctors Treat Lead Silverback of Hirwa Group By Gorilla Doctors Staff on Friday, April 3rd, 2020 in Blog.

On March 28th and again on the 31st, Dr. Fred treated Uburanga, the dominant silverback of Hirwa group, for mild illness. We are happy to report he is recovering and returning to normal levels of activity. Here is a summary of his case and Dr. Fred’s interventions: Hirwa group is originally from Volcanoes National Park, […]