Endangered mountain gorillas could face another threat — coronavirus, officials say
Endangered mountain gorillas in Africa could face another threat — from the coronavirus, wildlife experts say.
As the disease spreads in humans, park officials have put restrictions on tourism to help protect the vulnerable gorilla population.
Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo isn’t allowing visitors on mountain gorilla tours until at least June 1.
The decision was taken “following advice from scientific experts indicating that primates, including mountain gorillas, are likely susceptible to complications arising from the COVID-19 virus,” the central African park wrote earlier this month.
Also in the region, Rwandan parks where gorillas and other primates live are also closed to tourism, the Associated Press reported.
Mountain gorillas are listed as an endangered species, and roughly half of the 1,000 remaining animals live in the Virunga range, according to National Geographic. Habitat loss, climate change and hunting have all contributed to dwindling populations, experts say.
The primates are at risk for getting respiratory infections and other diseases that impact humans, Ohio University says. People can pass along potentially deadly illnesses while they are on wildlife trips, according to the school.
“If anyone has a cold or a flu they are not allowed to go and see the gorillas,” Paula Kahumbu of the nonprofit group WildlifeDirect told the Associated Press. “With coronavirus having such a long time of no symptoms in some cases, it means that we could actually put those gorillas at risk.”
The population has started to rebound for mountain gorillas, which eat plants to help balance the food chain, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
In its decision to close, Virunga National Park says it also took into consideration the practice of social distancing, staying away from others to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
This story was originally published March 24, 2020 at 10:22 AM.
