Gorilla Doctors

Category: Field Procedures, Monitoring Visits, Snares | Date: Jul 25 2009 | By: sheryl bottner

Snare removal from the right arm of Nyakagezi Female on April 13, 2008 in Nyakagezi Group, UG

When I joined Benard (Dr. Ssebide) in Uganda for my second snare removal case—a wire wrapped around the arm of a young female gorilla in Nyakagezi Group—he explained that the wealthier poachers often used bicycle brake cable wire to make their snares. It’s virtually impossible for the gorillas to bite through or untwist this metal. Though we often give gorillas with a rope snare a few days to get it off on their own, we intervene right away if it’s a wire one. If only the gorillas could learn how to use wire cutters!

Umoja, severely injured, with his mother, Nyiramurema on April 26 2008 in Kwitonda Group, RW

As a 2-year-old, Umoja was badly injured during a fight between competing gorilla groups. When we saw that his intestines were hanging out, his leg was broken, and his wrist torn open, we didn’t hold out much hope that he would survive—and we couldn’t intervene until the two groups parted ways. That took three days. But little Umoja wasn’t about to die, thanks in large part to the fact that his family members carried him everywhere. We were able to do surgery just in time—the holes in his abdomen were healing and beginning to kill his intestinal tissue. Miraculously, Umoja lived.

Ururabo and her infant, Imena, recovering from respiratory illness five days after treatment on May 25, 2008, in Susa Group, RW

April through August 2008 was a particularly bad time for respiratory illness in Rwanda—among people as well as gorillas. The outbreak began in May with Susa Group. At one point, more than half the 39 gorillas in the group were showing signs of moderate to severe illness. Several had hacking coughs that reverberated through the forest. The sickest animals were Ururabo and her three-month old infant; both were on the verge of pneumonia. We intervened by anesthetizing the mother and treating both with antibiotics. Fortunately, they were much better the next day. The infant survived and was named Imena.

Lucy and Benard removing snare from Kirungyi on September 12, 2008 in ? Group, UG

After joining Benard for yet another wire snare removal in Uganda—this time it was the blackback, Kirungyi, from ? Group—I decided to put together a summary of recent cases. In less than two years, the gorilla doctors had removed six snares, more than in the prior five years. Despite ongoing protection of the park, it seemed to me the number of snares was increasing. The statistics available from park officials, however, don’t support this conclusion. Thanks to a slow but steady increase in the gorilla population, the relative number of snared gorillas has actually decreased. Hmm.

Umugisha dying of cancer on December 6, 2008 in Amahoro Group, RW

Umugisha’s rapid deterioration surprised us all until we learned that she, too, had cancer. As in the case of Puck before her, there was a huge tumor. This one involved the muscle of her abdominal wall and her rib cage. It’s hard to imagine how she could have continued to eat and keep up with the group and appear generally healthy almost to the end. When the trackers called us, they’d found Umugisha near death. We were able to examine her, collect samples, and administer shock treatment without anesthesia. She was found dead the next morning.

Mushya and Icyizere six days after treatment for severe parasites and anemia on December 26, 2008 in Isabukuru Group, RW

We’d put Mushya in the category of “failure-to-thrive,” largely because his mother, Icyizere, didn’t seem to have much milk. Then his gums turned pale and he started to itch like crazy. I worried that the problem might be due to mange mites, a highly contagious infection that gorillas can share with humans, and recommended that we intervene. Rather than mites, we found both mother and infant suffering from anemia as a result of heavy parasitism with intestinal worms. Within a month of being given a single dose of dewormer, Mushya had stopped itching and Icyizere’s mammary glands had doubled in size. Though all wild gorillas have some parasites, we’re still investigating why these two developed such a high load.

Inkumbuza before snare removal on March 1 2009 in Shinda Group, RW

The good news was that Inkumbuza’s snare was loose. The trackers had found the infant caught by a rope around his arm and had successfully cut him free—a dangerous move, but one they felt was necessary in case the silverback hurt the infant in an attempt to remove it himself. The result was the bad news: Inkumbuza’s snare had a long trailing end. Every time he loosened the loop of rope with his teeth, his family members tightened it again. We went ahead with the intervention, though I think the gorillas might have been able to figure this one out.

Nyandwi before snare removal on May 26, 2009 in Pablo Group, RW

My last intervention was yet another snare removal, this time a rope around the arm of Nyandwi, a young female in Pablo Group. Though my patient cooperated, I had a struggle coordinating the team of people involved in the procedure, which included a film crew. Pablo Group is notoriously difficult to intervene in because it is so large and there are several silverbacks on the lookout for odd behavior by humans. We did our best, and although we got the snare off—on the second attempt—we came away without video proof of our success. So it goes . . .

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