San Diego Zoo Global conservationists working with video traps have confirmed the presence of a small troop of western gorillas in Ebo Forest. Although Bethan Morgan, head of the Central Africa Program for San Diego Zoo Global, first observed these gorillas back in 2002, they had never before been captured on camera or video.

San Diego Zoo Global’s Ebo Forest Research Project includes two permanently staffed research stations, as well as community outreach programs to inspire people to protect their forest and its creatures. One important program for gorilla conservation is the Clubs des Amis des Gorilles (Gorilla Guardian Clubs), a network of community-run clubs near the gorillas’ habitat. These volunteer guardians, with the support and training of San Diego Zoo Global conservationists, monitor the gorillas’ activities and note any threats to them.

This footage and further videos were gathered as part of San Diego Zoo Global’s Ebo Forest Research Project, which is supported by the Arcus Foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Great Ape Conservation Fund, the Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation, the Offield Family Foundation, Fundacion Bioparc, and an award to monitoring coordinator Malenoh Ndimbe from the British Ecological Society. Bringing species back from the brink of extinction is the goal of San Diego Zoo Global. The work of San Diego Zoo Global is made possible by the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy and is supported in part by the Foundation of San Diego Zoo Global.

From a press release of San Diego Zoo