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The Great Apes
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Credits to Credits to Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
Cantsbee still missing, another silverback ill: The big daily search for elderly mountain gorilla silverback Cantsbee has still not uncovered any evidence of him, so for now our staff has stopped this special effort. Of course everyone holds on to hope that he may come back again and since we have 10 teams in the forest every day protecting gorillas, we are always still looking for him. But since Cantsbee is past the normal life expectancy for mountain gorillas, we won’t be surprised if he is not found. Meanwhile, his group is seeing changes, as they adjust to Cantsbee’s absence. Mainly this includes temporary subgrouping, new alliances among the other silverbacks, and even a group member leaving. We are especially concerned right now about another leading silverback, 24-year-old Isabukuru. He is actually Cantsbee’s half-brother and among the largest of our silverbacks. Isabukuru is known for helping to take care of youngsters in his group, but he currently looks very unhealthy and is showing significant weakness. He has been visited by veterinarians from Gorilla Doctors several times recently, who have also collected samples for testing. Tomorrow, he will be visited again by the veterinarians.  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Other group news At this time of year, the gorilla groups tend to wander out of the national park, in search of bamboo shoots that are a tasty treat for them. Titus’s group has been going out of the park almost daily recently, and our trackers had to herd them back into the park when they went too far. Then Kuryama’s group came out in the same area, causing an interaction between the two groups! Luckily, this was very peaceful, with infants from the two groups playing together and the silverbacks seeming to be unconcerned. This is likely in part because these two groups were formerly a single group —called Beetsme’s group — and so many of the adult group members are familiar with each other. On a positive note, the Ntambara group, currently led by silverback Twibuke, which has recently returned again after ranging over the border in Congo, gained a new female while there. However, this female is not from any habituated group, so is very scared of our trackers. Our staff are keeping a good distance away for now, as she gradually gets integrated into the group and becomes used to the presence of human observers in the area.  *This image is copyright of its original author Female from Ntambara’s group.
Leading Silverback Isabukuru found dead:
We are deeply saddened to report that 24-year-old dominant silverback Isabukuru was found dead on Sunday March 26, 2017. Isabukuru’s case is atypical and the cause of his death remains unknown. For the past two years he showed signs of illness from frequent episodes of diarrhea, but his body condition and behavior appeared to be normal. During the last three months, Fossey Fund staff reported that Isabukuru seemed to being losing muscle mass and strength, and continued to monitor him closely with stool analysis and regular veterinarians’ assessments from Gorilla Doctors. Fossey Fund staff also noted that Isabukuru’s resting times had increased and that various females were emigrating from the group, which can be an indication of the group leader’s weakness. Isabukuru, June of 2015  *This image is copyright of its original author On March 24, 2017, an experienced team composed of veterinarians from Gorilla Doctors and the Rwandan Development Board (RDB) along with Fossey Fund trackers and researchers performed an intervention on silverback Isabukuru. This intervention served as a hopeful last effort to save his life from a condition which remains to be unknown. Kubaha, the second silverback of the group, has taken over and is leading the group peacefully so far. Silverback Kubaha is also taking care of the three young gorillas who were “adopted” by Isabukuru, as their mothers transferred to other groups while they were still very young. The Fossey Fund trackers will continue to monitor Kubaha every day in the hopes that he will continue a peaceful takeover of the group. Caring for young gorillas was just one special aspect of Isabukuru’s personality and history. He was a brother to silverback Cantsbee, who was the longest-reigning, most-successful of the silverbacks studied by the Fossey Fund over its 50-year history. Secondly, he was exceptionally large for his age and very popular among females, even as a younger blackback. He broke away from the group led by Cantsbee in 2007, and started his own group at the young age of 14, taking three females with him. The Fossey Fund is awaiting further analysis from Gorilla Doctors as to the cause of death in the hopes of informing similar cases in the future. Intervention team, March 24, 2017  *This image is copyright of its original author Isabukuru before the intervention on March 24, 2017  *This image is copyright of its original author
Credits to Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International.
Silverback Kubaha, who is now leading Isabukuru's group, has been especially caring towards the orphan gorillas since Isabukuru's death. Here he is seen waiting for them to cross the stream and staying close by their side.  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author This is an interesting, although not uncommon, reaction from this male. Why do I said this? Well, the late Isabukuru had the costume of going away from the group to fight rival silverbacks, and several times when he was away, Kubaha tried to assort his dominance on the group and even killed youngsters fathered by Isabukuru. It goes to show how complex these creatures are.
Credits to Gorilla Doctors.
Death of Silverback Isabukuru: By Dr. Julius Nziza. Gorilla Doctors is deeply saddened to report that silverback Isabukuru died on Sunday, March 26 in Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda). He was the 24-year old half-brother of Cantsbee, caregiver to several orphaned juveniles in his group, and a formidable silverback in his prime. Isabukuru had battled intermittent diarrhea for many months, but until recently had maintained his weight and normal activity level despite this periodic illness. But over the last few months, Isabukuru’s condition deteriorated, so a meeting was held last week with our partners at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and Karisoke Research Center, where it was decided that a veterinary intervention was necessary. Our team reached Isabukuru on March 24 and after immobilizing him with anesthetics, we conducted a full physical examination and administered antibiotics, parasiticides, vitamins, and fluids. Despite our efforts to help him, the ailing silverback was eventually left behind by his group and he died two days later. Our veterinarians performed a postmortem examination earlier this week and discovered severe lesions in Isabukuru’s gastrointestinal tract – evidence of chronic gastritis and gastroenterocolitis. Multiple samples were collected from Isabukuru’s carcass for further analysis. We are partnering with laboratories and experts to more closely identify the underlying causes that may have contributed to Isabukuru’s death, which may also help explain other silverback mortality in recent years. We hope to be able to use this information to prevent deaths like these in the future.  *This image is copyright of its original author
 (03-31-2017, 09:30 PM)Polar Wrote: how often do they get diseases in the wild? It's often enough that you see a lot of mortality for this cause. It's no surprise that there are vets specifically dedicated to them. They also can pick up a lot of diseases from us, which is why they make the turists wear masks.
Credits to Gorilla Doctors.
Dr. Martin performed a routine health check on #Nyakamwe group last month - all appear to be healthy (including the playful babies)! Adults Gatho & Kanyarunga rest while their babies play close by.  *This image is copyright of its original author Silverback Nyakamwe.  *This image is copyright of its original author Blackback Sebakuba.  *This image is copyright of its original author
Credits to Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
Life after silverback Isabukuru: After two years with episodes of illness and a few recent weeks showing visible deterioration, dominant silverback Isabukuru died on March 25. Fossey Fund staff were especially concerned for his group, because Isabukuru was helping to care for three young gorillas whose mothers had transferred out of the group. Luckily, none of these youngsters showed any sign of illness. In addition, second-ranking silverback Kubaha smoothly took over leadership of the group, and is now helping to take care of the three young gorillas. Our trackers and researchers are following Kubaha and the group closely, and so far the transition has gone well. Isabukuru’s body was recovered within 24 hours of his death, giving veterinarians with Gorilla Doctors the opportunity to study his body and examine him closely, collect samples, and begin research on the causes of his illness and death. Severe and chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract were seen, but samples have been sent to outside laboratories for further analysis and identification of underlying causes.  *This image is copyright of its original author .A great history Helping young gorillas was just one special aspect of Isabukuru’s personality and history. He was a brother of legendary silverback Cantsbee, who was the longest-reigning, most-successful of the silverbacks studied by the Fossey Fund over its 50-year history. Other interesting characteristics included being exceptionally large and holding great popularity among females, even as a younger blackback. He broke away from the group led by Cantsbee in 2007, started his own group at just age 14, taking several females and Kubaha with him, and successfully expanded and led his group until his death last month. Isabukuru with one of his many offspring.  *This image is copyright of its original author “Isabukuru was one of those gorillas whose personality stood out above others,” says Veronica Vecellio, the Fossey Fund’s gorilla program manager in Rwanda. “He was strong and brutal against other males during interactions, yet gentle with members of his own group, especially the very young ones who always gathered around him for cuddles and play sessions. This was a unique virtue among the silverbacks we’ve observed. Seeing him lose his majestic powers was heartbreaking for all of us.” “Isabukuru was a special gorilla in many ways,” says Felix Ndagijimana, director of the Fossey Fund’s Rwanda programs and Karisoke Research Center. “I personally got to know him as an inquisitive young silverback in Pablo’s group and later as a leader when he challenged his brother and left to form a new group. For all of us at Karisoke, who have had the privilege of knowing Isabukuru, it was difficult to see the drastic transformation of his body due to this illness.”
Those gorillas sure don't skip chest or trapezius days!
Furthermore, here is a mock video edited by me... 
Credits to Gorilla Doctors.
Dr. Martin checked on the 9 members of Munyaga group in Virunga National Park - he reports that all members appear to be healthy, including the adorably fuzzy babies! Bilalli's baby.  *This image is copyright of its original author Silverback Gasore is a very sweet father, as is evident here while he lets his baby sit on his back and practice grooming!  *This image is copyright of its original author Silverback Gasore rests on the ground with his family.  *This image is copyright of its original author
Credits to Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
Field update: Mafunzo hoots and chestbeats after an interaction between his and Giraneza’s groups. Female Inziza transferred to Mafunzo’s group during the interaction which was not surprising as she was the only female in Giraneza’s group who did not have an infant. Inziza will also be reunited with her only surviving offspring Igitangaza, who is a 9 year old female living in Mafunzo’s group! I want you to turn the volume up for this one, feel the power of that hoot and chest beat. Click on it to play.
Credits to Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
Gorilla trackers meet up with lone silverback Inshuti:  *This image is copyright of its original author Twenty-nine-year-old silverback Inshuti has had an interesting life, spending most of his adulthood as a lone silverback, though for some periods of time he managed to have a small group of his own. This week our trackers accidentally saw him in the forest two times, and he seemed well and acting normally. Inshuti’strong temperament has made him one of the most difficult gorillas for our staff to track, but also one of the most remarkable to observe. Among the many gorillas the Fossey Fund has followed long-term, Inshuti is known for his perseverance and physical resistance; no other observed gorilla has survived such severe injuries nor instilled the same amount of fear among other gorillas. Inshuti was born in 1988 in Group 5, one of the historic groups habituated by Dian Fossey. The group split into Pablo’s and Shinda’s groups in 1993 and while in Shinda’s group, Inshuti developed a peculiar temperament. His change in disposition was possibly encouraged by the presence of several other adult males coexisting in the same group. In 2003, when he was 15, he left to become a solitary male. That’s when he became feared, not only by humans but also by gorillas of the neighboring groups. Inshuti seen on April 20.  *This image is copyright of its original author In 2007 he finally succeeded in forming a group and it seemed to do well for a few years, with females moving in and a few births. But an unfortunate series of events starting in 2012 led to the females leaving the group, until by 2014 Inshuti was once again alone. Yet, he remained determined to start a group, kept the same core home range, and continued to interact with existing groups, so our trackers were used to seeing him. But more recently, probably due to his age, these interactions had decreased and we had not seen him very often, until last week. So we were happy to see Inshuti still doing well, despite his years of challenges.
Credits to Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
Gorilla mothers deal with missing silverback: The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund staff are concerned about an unusual situation in one of the mountain gorilla groups we follow every day, because the one and only adult male – the leading silverback – has left the group, with two mothers and their infants now having to fend for themselves without his protection. Mountain gorilla groups normally have at least one adult male who leads the group’s travels and protections, sometimes along with other adult males, and a variety of females and youngsters. But last week, leading silverback Giraneza disappeared from his small group of two females and two infants, and has now been found several kilometers away and showing signs of illness, which is likely the reason he became separated from the group. The two mothers are clearly distressed, making hooting vocalizations and walking a lot, but are not within range of Giraneza at this time. Concerns for the females We are especially worried because these mothers each have an infant of just over 1 year old. We have assigned a tracker team to follow Giraneza separately, while another team follows the mothers and infants. Gorilla infants are completely dependent on their mothers at this young age, and won’t start the weaning process until they are about 3-4 years old. Thus, the mothers are very busy carrying, caring for, and feeding the infants, including getting enough food for themselves to produce the energy and milk needed during this time. The reason this situation is so concerning is that infant gorillas are particularly susceptible to injuries, including potentially fatal ones, inflicted by unrelated males from outside the group. One of the key roles of a silverback is to defend his group’s infants, and so the infants of these females, without an adult male, are at particularly high risk. The two mothers have even run into buffaloes in the forest since they’ve been without the silverback. Gorilla motherhood isn’t easy “Gorilla moms are simply amazing,” says Dr. Tara Stoinski, Ph.D., president and CEO/chief scientific officer of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. “They are incredibly nurturing and each infant requires years of investment—roughly nine months of pregnancy plus three years of nursing—before it is fully weaned. Raising an infant gorilla is not an easy task even under the best of circumstances. Infant mortality is high—generally a fourth of all infants die before their third birthday—and injuries from outside males play a significant role, Dr. Stoinski adds. “So it is no wonder we are seeing the females actively searching for Giraneza.” Mother Pasika is 26 years old and has good experience raising offspring. Her current infant (named Mashami) was born in March 2016 and is her fourth offspring, three of whom are still living. Mother Kurinda is 14 years old and her current infant (named Nyampinga) is her third offspring, although the previous two did not survive. Pasika and infant Mashami  *This image is copyright of its original author Female Kurinda chestbeats  *This image is copyright of its original author Studying the silverback’s behavior Silverback Giraneza is 22 years old and formed his small group in 2015, after a variety of failed attempts, some years as a lone silverback. It is not clear whether he is the father of the two infants, since the mothers transferred to his group at a time when they could already have been pregnant. The leading silverback in their previous group died after being wounded in an interaction. Several times in the past Giraneza has formed groups only to see the members leave him for other groups or having to battle with other silverbacks to gain females. Just last month a third female in his group transferred out to another group. But the situation this time is different, due to his possible illness, and will be closely monitored by Fossey Fund staff. The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s Karisoke Research Center, established by Dian Fossey in 1967, is the longest-running gorilla research project in the world. Yet, even with 50 years of gorilla data, there is still much to learn. The detailed data the Fossey Fund collects on the lives of individual gorillas like Giraneza, Pasika and Kurinda provides the scientific building blocks that help us understand gorilla life history, reproductive success, infant survivorship and thus, ultimately, their conservation. With fewer than 880 individuals remaining, mountain gorillas are one of the world’s most-endangered animals and so this kind of close observation is of critical importance.
Credits to Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
Gorilla Cantsbee mystery appears solved: It appears that the fate of the elderly mountain gorilla Cantsbee may now have been solved. The legendary silverback disappeared from his group in late February after showing signs of weakness. Despite massive searches by our staff, no trace of him was found. But a few days ago, on May 12, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund trackers spotted a partially decomposed gorilla body in a river while on their daily patrols, and arranged for its removal and transport over the weekend. Yesterday, a necropsy was performed by Gorilla Doctors, in conjunction with Fossey Fund scientists and associated researchers. Due to the advanced decomposition of the body, identification was not simple, although it was clearly the size and shape of a big silverback. Luckily, a photo of Cantsbee’s teeth taken earlier this year by Gorilla Doctors was available and could be compared with the teeth from the carcass. “There are many signs that are unique to teeth,” says Dr. Jordi Galbany, a Fossey Fund research associate from the George Washington University who is studying gorilla growth using high-tech photogrammetry techniques. “Incisor teeth, which were clearly visible in the photo, present characteristic patterns of wear, chipping or periodontal disease,” he says. “All of these were a perfect match between the photo of Cantsbee’s teeth that we had and the teeth in the carcass.” It was also possible to estimate the age of the teeth, which matched up with Cantsbee’s age, says Dr. Galbany. In addition, the body was found in the area where Cantsbee was last seen. So Fossey Fund staff are ready to conclude that the carcass is indeed Cantsbee, although genetic analysis will still need to take place for final verification.  *This image is copyright of its original author The final mysterious months Cantsbee’s disappearance in February was not the first time he had disappeared. Last October he also went missing from his group, and due to his advanced age, it was presumed that he must have died, although no signs of his body were found, despite intense searching by Fossey Fund teams and Rwanda park authorities. Then, in January, he suddenly reappeared in his group, shocking even the most experienced and expert trackers and scientists. Although he appeared healthy at the time of his reappearance, he soon began to show signs of slowing down, moving less and not eating much, until one day he was no longer in his group again. Cantsbee’s historic legacy Cantsbee was the last of the leading silverbacks originally studied by Dian Fossey. She gave him his unusual name because until he was born, she had presumed that his mother was actually a male gorilla. Upon seeing the newborn, Fossey exclaimed “It can’t be,” which turned into the name “Cantsbee.” Since then, Cantsbee went on to create a historic legacy in many ways, leading the largest group of gorillas ever observed, remaining dominant for the longest reign ever recorded, siring the most offspring, and passing the statistical life expectancy for mountain gorillas. “The longevity and success of Cantsbee is credit to not only his own unique strengths, but also to the daily protection and monitoring provided to him by the Fossey Fund’s trackers,” says Tara Stoinski, Ph.D., Fossey Fund president and CEO/chief scientific officer. “At the time of Cantsbee’s birth, poaching was at some of its highest levels, which motivated Dian Fossey to start funding anti-poaching patrols. As a result of this increased protection, which we have maintained for decades, Cantsbee lived the longest and most successful life of any male gorilla ever observed. His legacy will continue for a very long time.” “I will remember Cantsbee as the most powerful and confident of all the silverback leaders,” says Veronica Vecellio, the Fossey Fund’s gorilla program manager in Rwanda. “I have bright memories of his group resting together, gathered around Cantsbee or following him by forming long lines, among the most surreal moments that I have experienced in the wild. With Cantsbee now confirmed dead, at age 38, there is now only one other gorilla still alive who was originally studied by Dian Fossey –41-year-old female Poppy. |
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