Research efforts here are overseen by Dr Magda Bermejo of the University of Barcelona and her partner, German Illera. Magda and German have focused their research on this gorilla species in northern Congo (Brazzaville) for the past 15 years, first in the Lossi area where they pioneered the successful habituation of Western Lowland Gorillas, and more recently in the Ndzehi area where they have been based since 2010. Initial research at Lossi focused on range size, diet, activity patterns and home range overlap. Current efforts are twofold: the location of the study site makes it ideal for the investigation of the human-gorilla interface and the potential for examining any human-wildlife conflict, while the overlap between gorillas and smaller Central Chimpanzees provides an ideal opportunity to look at competition, resource sharing and other interaction between the two species.
A key element of Magda and German’s efforts is the habituation of gorillas for ecotourism purposes and the effect this has on broader gorilla conservation. Their permanent research team in the Ndzehi Forest includes three highly skilled local gorilla trackers led by Zepherin Okoko. The training of trackers is significant for three reasons: it enables detailed observation of the gorillas that would otherwise not be possible in this environment; it preserves a unique set of traditional skills; and it provides employment opportunities for not only this team but an ongoing set of apprentices from all over west-central Africa.