Gorillas and Global Warming

Gorillas and Global Warming

Gorillas are just one of many animals out there adversely affected by global warming. The reason it is such a big deal for them though is that they are already on the list of highly endangered animals. As more threats to their environments arise it is getting harder and hard to see any type of future for them in the wild.

Gorillas eat heartily for about 1/3 of their day. They rely upon lots of vegetation including trees, leaves, plants, and fruits. In order for these items to grow plentiful there needs to be lots of rain in the forests. Due to global warming though that rainy season can be drastically cut short. As a result it can be more difficult than before for these animals to get enough food.

Since they don’t have a set breeding season, this can be affected as well. When these animals experience high levels of stress or they aren’t getting enough food they are less likely to breed. Many studies show that they do breed more often during the rainy season than other times of the year.

Gorillas don’t need to consume much water which means they can live in areas that aren’t close to rivers or lakes. However, they get the supply of water they do need for the foods they consume. They may be lacking enough water when they are short on food. This can cause some very serious health problems for them. They can suffer from dehydration just like humans can. The young and the old are more likely to have such problems. If they are close to a body of water they can use their hands to scoop it to their mouths.

For the people in Africa, global warming can result in their crops not growing like they should. This is a serious problem because that increases their need to go into the forests and take food that the gorillas would be consuming. It also means more of these animals will be killed as a source of meat for the people of these villages.

The Mountain gorillas will see the biggest changes due to global warming and there is already less food for them in these areas. The problem is very serious too because they are the sub species of gorilla that has the lowest numbers right now. The fact that so many conservation efforts are in place for gorillas means that global warming has to be a top priority.

As you can see the gorilla population is already in grave danger of becoming extinct. We certainly don’t want to encourage any additional problems for them due to global warming. Part of the overall protection for these animals and effective conservation has to include being able to offer them a better environment to survive in.

Reducing global warming is something that we can all take part in. This will create a better world for all animals and for humans. It isn’t something that can be accomplished overnight. However, it is something that needs to be considered and that people need to be educated about. You will be surprised a the many ways you can help to reduce problems associated with global warming.