Gorilla Conservation

The Mbeli Bai Study: Gorilla Ecology
Established in 1995 in a remote area of northern Congo, the Mbeli Bai study is the only long-term investigation of western lowland gorilla behavioral ecology through direct observation. From a high tower constructed at the edge of the Mbeli Bai, a swamping clearing in the rainforest where gorillas socialize and forage, researchers log over 2,400 hours of observation each year. Baseline data on behavior, social interaction and food preference is essential in predicting the demographic effects of problems such as logging and the bushmeat trade to wild gorilla populations. Experts predict that the best way to conserve gorillas will be to establish large tracts of connected national parks across central Africa. Information provided by this study will be crucial in understanding what the gorillas will require when defining these future protected habitats.