Process

Learning about the Gorilla

To begin our study of the gorilla, we must know more about the animal. Visit some of the following websites to find the answers to the questions below. Then share the information with your classmates.

Exploring the Environment: Mountain Gorillas http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/mgorilla/mgbiology.html

Western-Eastern Gorillas http://www.western-gorillas-eastern-gorillas.com/

All About Gorillas  http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/apes/gorilla/

 Questions:
Kinds of gorillas
1. What is the scientific name of the gorilla?
2. How many subspecies are there?
3. Where does each one live in the wild? (Include a map, if possible)
4. How many gorillas are there in each habitat?
Life cycle
Describe the following (include an image, if possible): 
--a newborn gorilla
--a juvenile gorilla
--an adult female gorilla
--an adult male gorilla.
Social life (include examples, if possible)
1. What do gorillas eat?
2. What kinds of social habits do they have?
3. How do they communicate? 

Why are the Gorillas in Danger of Extinction?

Now that you know something about gorillas, let?s examine the dangers they face in the wild. The gorilla could become extinct within a few decades unless we do something to protect it. Each gorilla species has different problems and we need to know what dangers there are before we try to find a solution.

Visit some of the websites below and make a chart like the one below and fill in it with the information you find.

 Websites:

National economics:                  
Economics of Rwanda: http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/mgorilla/mgrwanda.html
Economics of Uganda: http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/mgorilla/mguganda.html
Economics of Congo: http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/mgorilla/mgcongo.html
Zaire: Mountain Gorillas in Peril: http://www.kilimanjaro.com/gorilla/marcel.htm
Conflict Hampering Great Ape Conservation   http://animal.discovery.com/news/afp/20050912/guerillas.html
The fight to save the eastern lowland gorilla
            http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science/05/17/gorillas/index.html

 Chart:

 Species

 Problems

 Eastern gorillas

 

 Western gorillas

 

 Mountain gorillas

 


When you finish your research, compare your list of problems with other students and make a class list that you can use to organize the final stage of our activity: deciding how we can save the gorilla.

 Saving the Gorilla

There are many organizations that are dedicated to saving the gorillas. Each one has it's own focus. Each on thinks it has the answer.

 In this part of our investigation, you will form groups and visit the websites of many of these organizations. Think of these questions as you prepare a presentation about the organization.

Where is the organization located?
Why was it created? (a little history)
What do they think the primary problems are?
How do they try to help the gorilla?
How do they fund their organization? Where does the money come from?
What do you think about the organization? Do you agree with their definitions of the problem and how they are working with the gorillas?

Websites:

International Gorilla Conservation Programme: http://www.mountaingorillas.org/about_igcp/about_igcp.htm

The Gorilla Foundation: http://www.koko.org/

The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International: http://www.gorillafund.org/

The Gorilla Reserve of Tanya: http://www.berggorilla.de/english/gjournal/texte/20tayna.html

The Bushmeat Project: http://bushmeat.net/about.html

Gorilla Haven: http://www.gorilla-haven.org/

When you have finished reading about your organization, prepare a class presentation. Be sure to include the answers to they questions above. Try to use maps, images, posters, etc. to improve your presentation. Be prepared to answer questions from your classmates about the organization.