Safeguarding World Heritage sites

Gorilla habitats


 
A baby gorilla
 
 
African mountain gorillas are close human relatives. Even so, hunting and deforestation have brought them to the brink of extinction: only a few hundred mountain gorillas remain alive, concentrated in relatively inaccessible forest parks.
 
Located in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, most of these national parks are recognised World Heritage sites, but even so the mountain gorillas remain under threat. Long-term regional unrest has driven refugees into the region and led to illegal poaching and forest clearances.

To help conserve the mountain gorillas, ESA is co-operating with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and groups on the ground in Central Africa in a project called Build Environment for Gorilla or BEGo.

It involves ESA supplying Earth Observation imagery and products to conservation bodies and authorities working to monitor and protect the habitats of mountain gorillas within national parks in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  
 
Virunga volcanoes
 
Virunga volcanoes
 
 
Tracking land use change

The data is combined with ground observations to produce maps and digital elevation models of the terrain as well as highlight land use changes over time – which may correspond with encroachment onto gorilla habitats.

And previously unavailable vegetation classification maps derived from space observations will enable researchers to find out more about how the gorillas migrate through and utilise the resources of the forest around them, improving authorities' ability to care for them.
 
 
  
Last update: 5 February 2007


Related news

 •  Satellite maps will ease plight of endangered mountain gorillas (http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMKCEV797E_environment_0.html)
 •  Satellites map volcanic home of Africa’s endangered gorillas (http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMGO825WVD_environment_0.html)
 •  Plans finalised for satellites to help safeguard gorilla habitats (http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMLINWLDMD_environment_0.html)
 •  ESA maps satellite help for gorilla guardians (http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMIYZ1A6BD_environment_0.html)

Special features

 •  'Overflying' gorillas' habitat with BEGo data (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/video/EO/VolcNatPark.mov)
 •  Biodiversity (http://www.esa.int/esa-mmg/mmg.pl?type=V &single=y &collection=Observing the Earth &start=1)

Related missions

 •  ERS overview (http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMGWH2VQUD_index_0_m.html)
 •  Envisat overview (http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMWYN2VQUD_index_0_m.html)

In depth

 •  Data User Element (http://due.esrin.esa.int/)

Related links

 •  UNESCO (http://www.unesco.org)
 •  International Gorilla Conservation Programme (http://www.mountaingorillas.org/)
 •  United Nations Great Ape Survival Project (http://www.unep.org/grasp/)
 •  Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International (http://www.gorillafund.org/index.html)