DemonKnight Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 I just watched a show about a recent rash of lowland gorilla murders so this is real nce to see if true. A new tally of lowland gorillas has found massive and surprising numbers of these African primates alive and well in the Republic of Congo, Wildlife Conservation Society scientists announced. The new census puts the number of western lowland gorillas (called great apes, along with chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans) within two adjacent areas in the northern part of the Congo at 125,000 individuals, including infant gorillas. The results were announced today during a press conference at the International Primatological Society Congress in Edinburgh, Scotland. Previous estimates from the 1980s placed the entire population of western lowland gorillas, which live in seven Central African nations, at fewer than 100,000 individuals. Sine then, scientists thought the number would've at least halved due to hunting and disease. Western lowland gorillas are one of four recognized gorilla sub-species, along with mountain gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas and Cross River gorillas. While the eastern lowland gorilla is considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the others are labeled "critically endangered," which means the group faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Counting apes With partial funding from admission fees to the Bronx Zoo's Congo Gorilla Forest exhibit, WCS researchers combed rainforests and isolated swamps to count gorilla "nests," which gorillas construct out of leaves and branches each night for a sleeping area. The researchers estimate 73,000 came from the Ntokou-Pikounda region and another 52,000 from the Ndoki-Likouala landscape, which includes a previously unknown population of nearly 6,000 gorillas living in an isolated swamp. "We knew from our own observations that there were a lot of gorillas out there, but we had no idea there were so many," said Emma Stokes, who led the survey efforts in Ndoki-Likouala. "We hope that the results of this survey will allow us to work with the Congolese government to establish and protect the new Ntokou-Pikounda protected area." Ape conservation The researchers attribute the high numbers to successful long-term conservation tactics in the area; the remoteness and inaccessibility of the key gorilla hideouts; and a food-rich habitat. "These figures show that northern Republic of Congo contains the mother lode of gorillas," said Steven E. Sanderson, WCS president and CEO. "It also shows that conservation in the Republic of Congo is working." For instance, WCS has worked with the Republic of Congo government in the northern area of the country for nearly 20 years. There, the cooperative effort helped to establish the Nouabale-Ndoki National Park and manage the Lac Tele Community Reserve, while working with logging companies outside of protected areas to reduce illegal hunting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Interesting to apply the word "murder" to a gorilla. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Interesting to apply the word "murder" to a gorilla. Why do you hate the Republic of Congo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Why do you hate the Republic of Congo? Because they conspired to murder Barbaro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Sweet, won't be long before grilled gorilla is back on the menu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whomper Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Sweet, won't be long before grilled gorilla is back on the menu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yo mama Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Interesting to apply the word "murder" to a gorilla. Not really. The word "murder" only applies to the killing of a human (with malice aforethought!) when used as a legal term of art. But the definition of the word also includes its less technical usage when describing a brutal slaughter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whomper Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Not really. The word "murder" only applies to the killing of a human (with malice aforethought!) when used as a legal term of art. But the definition of the word also includes its less technical usage when describing a brutal slaughter. A murder is also a term used to describe a group of Ravens similar to how the word school is used for fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yo mama Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 A murder is also a term used to describe a group of Ravens similar to how the word school is used for fish Also a term to describe something that is particularly difficult or arduous on someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Not really. The word "murder" only applies to the killing of a human (with malice aforethought!) when used as a legal term of art. But the definition of the word also includes its less technical usage when describing a brutal slaughter. Didn't say it was incorrect... said it was interesting (to me at least). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Not really. The word "murder" only applies to the killing of a human (with malice aforethought!) when used as a legal term of art. But the definition of the word also includes its less technical usage when describing a brutal slaughter. Exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whomper Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Also a term to describe something that is particularly difficult or arduous on someone. Like reading your posts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yo mama Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Like reading your posts I think you left the "I" off the beginning of that sentence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonKnight Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 Didn't say it was incorrect... said it was interesting (to me at least). They are a member of the great ape family just as we are. They use tools, have very complex family structures and behaviorsand we share 98% of the same genes. Could you, in good concious kill a gorilla/chimp/orang? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
untateve Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 They are a member of the great ape family just as we are. They use tools, have very complex family structures and behaviorsand we share 98% of the same genes. Could you, in good concious kill a gorilla/chimp/orang? If he's breaking into my home, to do harm to me or my family, I'm grabbing my swiss army knife and carving up monkey steaks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoopazz Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 I was surprised that in one article I read they essentially pinpointed the location of said gorillas. Do poachers read the news? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonKnight Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 I was surprised that in one article I read they essentially pinpointed the location of said gorillas. Do poachers read the news? Conservation agences pay to have a vertible army protecting the congo 24/7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 They are a member of the great ape family just as we are. They use tools, have very complex family structures and behaviorsand we share 98% of the same genes. Could you, in good concious kill a gorilla/chimp/orang? You ask that question as if you think that I believe it is ok to kill gorillas. I don't. All I did was make an observation about a word. Can a gorilla be murdered? That's an interesting question to me. Obviously gorillas can be killed (and tragically are killed far too often) by other animals and as well as by human beings. If a gorilla is killed by some other non-human animal is it murder? Most people would say that it is just nature. If a human being kills another non-human animal (like a cow for instance) even if it is premediated, can it be called murder? What if a gorilla kills a human? In this context, I tend to think that the application of the word "murder" is exclusive to human beings. You clearly believe that a gorilla can in fact be murdered. But you're a hippie, so that's ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 If he's breaking into my home, to do harm to me or my family, I'm grabbing my swiss army knife and carving up monkey steaks. Or if I was really, really hungry... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubfoothead Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 If he's breaking into my home, to do harm to me or my family, I'm grabbing my swiss army knife and carving up monkey steaks. I'm putting $20.00 on the monkey. No offense. http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_001b.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 A murder is also a term used to describe a group of Ravens similar to how the word school is used for fish why do you hate ray lewis? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 I'm putting $20.00 on the monkey. No offense. http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_001b.html reminded me of this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
untateve Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 I'm putting $20.00 on the monkey. No offense. http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_001b.html Well, then, no monkey steaks for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.