Ghost of the Silverback

An elusive species of gorilla roams the deep forests of Gabon, West Africa. Their leader is a silverback called “Musiru”, distinguished by his rusty red forehead. These aren’t the famous mountain gorillas of East Africa made famous by Dian Fossey - they’re the western lowland variety seldom seen by humans. Gabon’s gorillas have survived logging, poaching and even the Ebola virus, and now the future of the region’s wildlife conservation could be resting on their shoulders.

A team of scientists from the Smithsonian Institute in Washington has been spearheading an initiative to habituate Musiru’s family, and bring ecotourists into Moukalaba-Doudou National Park. It’s part of an ambitious plan to increase sustainability in a country where oil pays for conservation and the ultimate goal is to mirror the lucrative mountain gorilla tourist industry already found in Uganda, the DRC and Rwanda.

The gorillas and the oil industry will continue to exist side by side for a while longer, but when the crude reserves run dry, gorilla tourism could ensure that Moukalaba-Doudou remains protected.