The mountain gorilla is one of our closest relatives in the animal world. Unfortunately, these intelligent apes are also one of the most endangered animals in the world. Fewer than 700 mountain gorillas still survive in the highland forests of Central Africa.
Over the last two years, ESA and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), have been using satellites in the fight against poachers.
In an effort to protect these remarkable creatures from extinction, images from space have been used to map the dense forests where they live. The completion of this programme was announced during a meeting at ESA Headquarters in Paris on 7 April.
Mapping the rugged mountains and dense forest from the ground is extremely difficult, expensive and time-consuming. Despite frequent cloud cover, satellites can do the job much faster.
The maps from space show the exact location of the national park boundaries and the spread of different plants that the gorillas eat. They can also be used to help in planning future tourism in the parks.
“These maps will help us make our anti-poaching efforts more effective,” said Eulalie Bashige, from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“After all this time and hard work it is exciting to get our hands on the finalised maps and products,” said Maryke Gray of the International Gorilla Conservation Programme.
The home of the mountain gorillas covers five national parks. Three of these have been designated World Heritage Sites by the United Nations.
