Slapped by a Gorilla: 30 Ultimate Hiking Images
We are back into lockdowns and travel restrictions throughout the Gorilla Highlands region, so we remember last month especially fondly. May 2021 was the go-time…
Category: Gorillas
The Godfather and the Controversial Martyr of Mountain Gorilla Research
The first scientist to study mountain gorillas full time in the wild was George Schaller. When he reviewed the literature he could find few verifiable facts, largely…
Showered Siblings
500mm, 1/400s, f/4, ISO800 Well, this takes me back quite a few years! My first gorilla experience was actually in DR Congo, in Virunga National…
Were Batwa Really Dangerous to Gorillas?
The sad story of the Batwa “Pygmies” of the Gorilla Highlands reached its dramatic peak when they were kicked out of national parks. This was in line with the…
How Do Gorillas Get Habituated (Used to Humans)?
In the national parks of the Gorilla Highlands, many gorilla groups roam. But only some of them can actually receive one-hour visits from tourists. That…
Big 1
500mm, 1/500s, f/4, ISO500 I’m not sure if you have come across the New Big 5 Project: basically, an initiative to come up with, obviously,…
Why Do Gorillas Fart So Much?
Contrary to old myths about bloodthirsty gorillas hunting humans, mountain gorillas are peaceful vegetarians. What Do Mountain Gorillas Eat? They are herbivores, eating up to 140…
Marhale and His Gift of Joy
One of the most rewarding parts of studying the social behaviour of animals is getting to know individuals and watching their personalities come through. For…
How Human are Gorillas?
Researchers are often struck by gorillas’ apparent humanity. Taking into account our genetic similarities of 95% or above, there has been a long debate about…
Dawn of Gorilla Tracking as a Tourism Activity
While there were sporadic non-scientific expeditions to mountain gorillas before, real tourism began with the arrival of Walter Baumgartel. Baumgartel was a German who had…