World’s Rarest Gorillas Gain New Refuge

For those of you who missed this…good things happening a world away!

Dan Morrison
for National Geographic News

April 22, 2008

The rarest gorillas in the world are being protected in a new sanctuary nestled in the mountains of Cameroon, the government announced recently.

A community of 20 Cross River gorillas now live in the Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary, the first exclusively dedicated to this subspecies of western lowland gorilla.

 The apes are listed as critically endangered by the World Conservation Union: As few as 250 to 300 survive.

The animals are scattered over 11 mountain and forest sites in Cameroon and Nigeria, driven to the verge of extinction by hunting and loss of habitat.

Cameroonian Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni announced the Kagwene sanctuary in a decree on April 3.

 

Excuse me if I smell tonight…

nah, actually I’m going to grab a shower because our 8th graders (and teachers) took a tour of the CCMUA…What an experience! It really was quite interesting to see what exactly happens after you flush. Well, to sum it up- the soiled water travels through our sewers etc. and makes it way (with some helpful force) to the treatment plant in Camden. Once there, bacterium does its work to eat up some of the bad composite, all the while gravity also helps certain sediment to settle…Next, water is moved throughout a series of chambers, most of which are  outdoors- swishing and moving about, again more bacteria taking aim at the stuff left in the water. I believe some chemicals are also added ( bleach) and then the water is returned to the Delaware River.

 

It was quite smelly,  but, in my opinion totally worth it.