A celebration for nature - for the first time in a long time, five baby gorillas were observed in one family in Central Africa

The year 2009 was declared as the year of the gorilla. These new babies bring optimism to the promoters of the destiny utilization efforts in the war-torn region of the heart of Africa

2009 was declared by the UN and green bodies as the year of the gorillas, a year in which the need to increase awareness for the preservation of gorillas will be emphasized.

About a month before the start of the year, we receive good news: the mountain gorillas are perhaps the most well-known creature in need of protection. About 700 gorillas live in the mountains shared by Congo, Uganda and Rwanda, where the "Congolese" population of about 200 individuals is in constant danger because of battles and conflicts between the government army and rebels who control most of the reserve (Virunga). Most of the reserve inspectors fled from the rebels and following the escape we were informed of the murder of gorillas. A short time ago we were informed that the rebels are "committed" to maintaining the gorilla population and as a result some of the reserve inspectors have returned to their jobs.

After horrific scenes of murdered gorillas the mood changes, now there is a reason to party. A family of gorillas made a home at an altitude of 4500 meters on Mount Mykonos. There are 30 members in the family. When the inspectors returned to the reserve they discovered that five females were holding babies that were born, in a population where the natural increase in the last ten years was 11%, to discover a family that in one has grown by 15% is a great surprise for the reserve inspectors and for everyone who cares about gorillas.

Under the auspices of the United Nations, a treaty for the protection of gorillas, the Gorilla Agreement, was drawn up two years ago, according to which governments undertake to protect gorillas and their habitat, to share information and cooperate in conservation activities, to minimize the "frictions" between gorillas and human populations, and to raise awareness of the conservation of the species.

The treaty signed by the African countries gave a boost and allowed the establishment of a reserve in Cameroon (West Africa). This week (end of November 2008) Cameroon announced the establishment of a new nature reserve whose purpose is to protect about 115 lowland gorillas, in the reserve - Takamanda National Park, part of a population of about 300 individuals whose isolation gave them the name and attribution of a subspecies - "bank gorillas". The new reserve for the protection of the coast gorilla borders Nigeria, and was established with the help of the "Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)" About 15,000 people live in the territory of the reserve, their inclusion in the conservation project was a real necessity since the people live from the forest and in it, by their inclusion There is a situation of profit for all parties. The residents continue their (sustainable) existence from the forest resources, while maintaining and profiting Direct from conservation activities, tourism, etc.

The new newborns together with the new reserve give a glimpse of a chance for the continued existence of a unique species, a species that may have been genetically close to humans at its core, a closeness that is an incentive for attempts to preserve and protect it.