Endangered gorilla population increases to over 1,000

The population of mountain gorillas has increased to over 1,000 individuals, marking a major milestone for the endangered species.

African wildlife authorities told Reuters that the latest census of the species, which lives in the forests of central Africa, has increased to 1,004 individuals, a 25 percent increase since 2010.

Joel Wenga Malembe, a spokesman for the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature, told Reuters that 604 of the gorillas were located in Virunga National Park, a tropical rainforest reserve spanning parts of eastern Congo, Uganda and Rwanda, and 400 others were living in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

{mosads}“These numbers are truly remarkable, far exceeding our expectations, and are the result of a collaborative, three-country effort with governments and partners all playing an important role,” Mike Cranfield, from charity organization Gorilla Doctors, told Reuters.

The species is under critical threat from poachers, farming and other environmental concerns, including oil drilling.

The plight of the mountain gorillas has drawn international attention, including from celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres and Ashton Kutcher.

DeGeneres traveled to Rwanda this month after her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, surprised her with a gorilla conservation center in her name. The center represents a significant investment in Rwanda, where it is located.