VULNERABILITY OF HABITUATED GRAUER'S GORILLA TO POACHING IN THE KAHUZI-BIEGA NATIONAL PARK, DRC

Abstract

Kahuzi gorillas lived without any major disturbances since their habituation started in 1970. The wars from October 1996 to May 1997 and from August 1998 to June 2003 in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo led to a large-scale slaughter of gorillas. The results of this study based on interviews with ex-poachers suggest that when habituated and non-habituated gorillas are exposed to similar poaching-pressures, the habituated gorillas are more likely to be killed than the non-habituated. The estimated ratio of killed habituated gorillas was as high as 71% vs. 42% for non-habituated gorillas. Habituated gorillas were 1.6 times more susceptible to poaching than their non-habituated counterparts. It is recommended that habituation should not be expanded, although already habituated families should be maintained as such.