Co[ngo]Existence

For generations, humans have lived in or ventured into the jungles of Africa to look for treasure. Those with the most careful of eyes find the treasure looking right back at them. In the eyes of the great apes, we find a reflection of ourselves. Both gorillas and chimpanzees are social creatures and demonstrate a wide variety of emotions and ways to communicate. While it sounds surprising to say, researchers observe them having their own version of culture… passed down behaviors and practices from the older generations to the younger ones. The more apes give us access to their world, the more we discover.  

As we uncover new information while continuing to witness worldwide deforestation, the desire to protect apes intensifies. Gorillas and chimpanzees live in forested areas. Habitat loss through the lumber, mining, and agricultural industries is the main threat to these apes and many other animals.  There has been a global effort over the decades to save these beautiful and mysterious creatures. Some notable works are those of Dian Fossey (mountain gorillas) and Jane Goodall (chimpanzees). Both women lived amongst these animals to build trust and gain understanding of their social structures and behaviors. At Zoo Atlanta, we are fortunate to continue the efforts of ape conservation through our partners and our passionate team members. 

Home to one of the largest populations of western lowland gorillas in human care in North America, Zoo Atlanta constantly strives to strengthen connections with our partners as well as grow roots with more organizations doing the work to protect these magnificent animals in the wild. This month, I am excited to share about another partner we have been working with for a while: The Goualougo Triangle Ape Project (GTAP). GTAP, founded in 1999, has been working to preserve wildlife in the Congo Basin by studying the apes, the ecosystems, and the forces that threaten their survival. While preventing habitat loss is a main focus for this organization, they also excel in comparative ecological research as well as non-invasive behavioral studies of their local gorilla and chimpanzee populations. They truly look at the entire web of life of the Congo Basin, not just the parts.  

Our direct involvement with their organization has been through the Mabel Dorn Reeder Conservation Endowment Fund. This fund allows Zoo Atlanta to financially support conservation projects all over the world. The Goualougo Triangle Ape Project has been championed by Jodi Carrigan, Zoo Atlanta’s Curator of Primates. Not only has she been their point of contact, but she recently had the unique opportunity to travel to the Republic of Congo to work with the Goualougo Triangle Ape Project thanks to a Mickelberg Field Conservation Grant. This grant provides opportunities for Zoo team members to work directly with our conservation partners in the field, bringing to life a dream of the late Dr. Jennifer Mickelberg. 

I hope you are as excited as I am to hear about why Jodi is so driven to work with this organization and her personal experience/adventures in the Congo. If you can’t wait for her blog and want to go learn more now, you can visit the Goulougo Triangle Ape Project website to learn more about their work. From there, if you are asking yourself, “How can I help?”, check out our Mabel Dorn Reeder Conservation Endowment Fund page to donate to GTAP and/or other amazing conservation organizations around the world.      

Lindsey Maglietta
Volunteer Coordinator