THE KARISOKE RESEARCH CENTER

A Program of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International

Since its establishment by Dian Fossey in late 1967, high inside Volcanoes National Park, the Karisoke Research Center has been the centerpiece for mountain gorilla research and conservation in Rwanda and in the larger Virunga region. Now, nearly four decades later, the Karisoke Research Center has produced an unequaled amount of data about mountain gorillas and their habitat.

Although the original Center was destroyed following the war in 1994, today its programs are carried out from a DFGFI project house in the town of Ruhengeri, about 30 minutes by automobile from the boundary of Volcanoes National Park. Using high-tech equipment, nearly 40 gorilla trackers and antipoachers, numerous scientists and researchers, track, study and protect this endangered species.

Today, there are only 380 Virunga mountain gorillas in the world, according to a recent census. Although this number represents an increase since Dr. Fossey's death, it is still a critically low number. War, lack of protection, loss of habitat, poaching and disease still threaten their health and endanger their lives.

DFGFI in Action

At the Karisoke Research Center, we recognize that the more we know about mountain gorillas - about their lives and social systems - the better equipped we are to help them survive.

We conduct long-term research on gorilla biology, their habitat, population dynamics, social behavior, and genetic variability that tells us more every day on how we can better protect this fragile species.

We protect mountain gorillas through dedicated anti-poaching teams that monitor and control poaching and other illegal activities in their habitat.

We educate and train government leaders and wildlife managers so that they can make the best decisions about the long-term management of Rwanda's mountain gorillas and the forests where they live. We are also working with Rwanda's National University to help develop the next generation of conservationists. Finally, we are educating the local community about conservation issues, encouraging them to see Volcanoes National Park as a biological treasure and a valuable asset for the country.

Research and Monitoring

Collecting long-term behavioral and demographic records on the same mountain gorilla family groups that Dian Fossey first observed in 1967 continues to form the core of all our research activities. This data collection is one of the longest running projects of its kind on any primate.

Today, Karisoke staff monitor about 100 identified mountain gorilla individuals, living in three family groups. During these daily visits, trackers verify the health status of all group members, record all births, deaths and transfer of individuals between groups. Researchers collect information on the behavior and day-to-day activities of individuals and groups, giving us a clear view of the complex dynamics of mountain gorilla life.

GPS technology enables us to also monitor gorilla ranging patterns. When combined with other data we collect, including satellite images, our scientists can better understand how the gorillas use the land in the Virungas - where they go, what they eat, and how this has changed over time.

All behavioral, demographic and location observations are entered into a number of DFGFI long-term databases. These data are used in ongoing research projects, often in collaboration with major scientific institutions, including the Georgia Institute of Technology, Clark Atlanta University, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, the National University of Rwanda and others. All data from the Karisoke Center are also shared with the Rwandan National Parks Authority enabling them to better manage their precious resource.

Ongoing Research Projects:

• Virunga mountain gorilla demographics and population dynamics
  Our long-term database has behavioral and demographic data that span more than 30 years, covering the life span of the mountain gorilla. Our scientists, collaborating with scientists at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany, analyze these data to draw comparisons between different individuals, identify trends and discover the key factors that determine life history patterns.

• Paternity analysis
  To determine the paternity of individual gorillas, Karisoke trackers collect fecal samples from all individuals within the research groups for DNA analysis. This collaborative study with the Max Planck Institute will help us to answer many questions about mountain gorillas' reproductive behavior and mating patterns.

• Fluctuating asymmetry
  In humans, fluctuating asymmetry in the face has been linked to health, longevity, attractiveness, and mate choice. At Karisoke, research assistants use digital photography to collect images of gorilla faces in the field. These photos are transferred to one of our DFGFI scientists who is studying the relationship between facial patterns and inbreeding, reproductive success and parasite loads. This novel approach to investigate possible effects of inbreeding in the small isolated population of mountain gorillas holds great promise for understanding the dynamics of mate selection.

• Gorilla Temperament Study
  Each gorilla has a different personality. This study looks at individual gorilla temperament and behavior and also considers how personality influences reproductive success. For example -- How does temperament relate to different styles of group leadership or dominance? Do rank differences among adults correlate with temperament differences? Does fertility or reproductive success correlate with temperament? An understanding of mountain gorilla temperament will allow us to better predict this species' capacity to adjust to population demographic change (population size, number of groups, group density) and habitat change (change in food supply, loss of habitat, degree of human presence), and ultimately enable us to better conserve and manage this small, fragile population.

• GIS analysis of gorilla ranging patterns, vegetation classification, and illegal activities in the Virunga Conservation Area
  Karisoke Research Center staff collect GPS records on the location of gorillas as well as the location of snares, bamboo cutting, and other illegal activities in the park. These GPS points, along with historical information and maps, are entered into a computerized Geographic Information System (GIS), which helps us to understand how both gorillas and humans use the land. By analyzing poaching patterns in the Virungas since 1978, we can define optimal or suitable gorilla habitat and its implications for habitat management. These data are transferred each month to the national park authority (ORTPN), and are used to inform park management activities.

• Tourism Impact Study
  Over 70 percent of the Virunga mountain gorilla groups have been habituated and many are visited by tourists on almost a daily basis. Although a number of specifically designed rules help to minimize the impact of regular tourist visits on the mountain gorillas, no studies have been conducted on the potential impact that tourists may have on their behavior and long-term survival. This study uses both behavioral and physiological data (urine and fecal samples) to assess the impact of tourism on the Virunga mountain gorilla population. It also looks at the impact our researchers might have on the three research groups they study.
  
  The first phase of the Tourism Impact Study found clear evidence of a negative impact of tourist visits on gorilla behavior. The gorillas were more aggressive and exhibited a number of stress-related behaviors during the one-hour tourist visits. During the visits, gorillas ate less, spent more time moving and traveled greater distances. The gorillas also spent less time doing their normal activities and a greater percentage of time watching the tourists rather than interacting with one another.
  
  Although the long term impact of these visits is still not known, the suggestion that gorillas are experiencing higher levels of stress as a result of the tourist visit may result in reduced reproductive success and slower population growth. This study has provided the park management authorities the scientific information needed to guide sustainable long-term management of the gorillas in the face of increased economic pressure to include more gorilla groups in the tourism program and to increase the number of visitors and visits per day to each group.

• Male Behavior and Physiology Study
  In recent years, the number of male gorillas - blackbacks and silverbacks - within individual groups has risen. One of the questions we'd like answered is what is the impact of these larger multi-male groups on male behavioral patterns? And can we consider these changes to be adaptive? This study utilizes both traditional animal behavior data collection techniques and fecal and urine sampling to investigate male gorilla social dynamics and reproductive strategies.

• Golden Monkey Behavioral Ecology Research Project
  The Golden Monkey can now only be found in two small populations - one in the Virunga conservation area; the other in Nyungwe Forest in southern Rwanda. Members of the Karisoke Research Center staff are investigating the behavior and feeding ecology of this little known primate, which will provide Rwanda's Office of Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN) important information on the golden monkey's ecological requirements and help ensure that this rare species is properly protected and managed, since it has become a new tourist attraction.

• Study of Crop Raiding Patterns around Volcanoes National Park
  Engaging local communities to become partners in conservation is not easy when they have to contend with animals raiding their crops. Data have been collected on the frequency of crop raiding, the species of crop raiding animal and the effectiveness of different barriers used to protect crops. This study, led by Dr. Andrew Plumptre of the Wildlife Conservation Society, will help identify solutions to this persistent problem.

• Twin Study
  The birth of twins is a rare event for any population of gorillas, and when it does happen, survival of both twins is extremely unusual. For this reason, when twin gorillas were born in Susa Group and were still surviving at three months of age, this provided an exceptional opportunity to study the behavioral development of twin offspring. This study is a collaboration between Dr. Alison Fletcher of University College Chester, UK, Rwanda's Office of Tourism and National Parks, and Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International.

Protection

The Karisoke Research Center's 25 trackers and two armed anti-poaching patrols (five-member teams) monitor parts of Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park for poachers and destroy thousands of snares each year.

When insecurity in the area forced the suspension of all tourist visits to Volcanoes National Park in 1997 and 1998, Jean Bosco Bizumuremyi, Field Operations Coordinator at that time, took the initiative to organize military escorts to enter the park with the trackers so they could monitor the gorilla groups that had been studied for three decades. During this period, many of the Karisoke staff members were robbed and their homes were looted for raingear, boots and other equipment by rebels hiding in the forest. To combat these and other risks, the men underwent a rigorous paramilitary training provided by the Rwandan army. Today, they continue to risk their lives to protect the mountain gorillas.

• Protection for research gorilla groups
  Following the poaching attacks in 2002, which resulted in the death of nine mountain gorillas, the Karisoke Research Center began dawn-to-dusk protection for the three research groups. This protection continues today and trackers remain in close, but not visual, proximity to the gorillas so that they can deter poachers from attacking habituated gorilla groups.

• Monitoring of Illegal Activities
  Karisoke Research Center's anti-poaching teams remove snares set for antelopes and other small game from the forest. These “active conservationists” collect information daily on the location of the different types of illegal activities and all types of park encroachment, including cattle grazing and firewood collection. Their data is analyzed by Rwandan and DFGFI scientists, strengthening further our joint protection efforts. These data are also entered into the park management database each month to guide park management decisions.
  
  A mobile anti-poaching unit, which includes Karisoke's anti-poaching teams and staff from the National Parks Authority of Rwanda (ORTPN), provides added protection for mountain gorillas living deep in the forest. Team members set up campsites from which they jointly patrol Volcanoes National Park for one week at a time. The location of the camp and team members are kept secret and changed weekly, enabling them to catch the poachers off-guard.
  
  Working closely with Rwandan authorities and trusted by the communities in which they live and work, the Karisoke anti-poaching teams play a leading role in gathering the intelligence needed to catch poachers and those engaged in animal trafficking.

• Protection for confiscated primates
  Working with our partners, including the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, we provide behavioral reports and technical advice for the immediate and long-term care and placement of confiscated chimpanzees and gorillas. We also provide ongoing care for these animals until long-term arrangements can be made.

Education and Training

Our ultimate goal is to build capacity within the Rwandan wildlife authority, local universities and community conservation organizations, through technical support, training and educational activities.

• Support to the National University of Rwanda
  We work with our partners at the National University of Rwanda to encourage young students from the university to develop their theoretical and practical training on biodiversity and conservation, through field courses and research projects in and around Volcanoes National Park. We do this by providing scientific supervision and financial support for field courses and training.

• Training
  We conduct training programs and workshops for Rwanda's Office of Tourism and National Parks staff to enhance their skills to protect Rwanda's threatened and endangered species and their ecosystems. The training covers all aspects of Volcanoes National Park and its conservation, including general conservation issues, history of the park, primate ecology, gorilla and golden monkey behavior and the botany of the ecosystem. Our training manuals for tourist guides and trackers ensure these conservationists are equipped with the latest research to further improve their knowledge and the quality of the tourist experiences they provide.

• Biodiversity Database
  Our Biodiversity Database for the Virunga Conservation Area includes information on approximately 1,000 species of plants and animals found in Park.

• Herbarium
  Our herbarium contains more than 600 species of plants found in Volcanoes National Park and provides important documentation about the Park's rich biodiversity.

• Caring for our staff
  We provide school fees, uniforms and materials for all our employees' children for primary and secondary education. We also cover medical expenses for all our employees and their immediate family members.

The Karisoke Research Center is under the direction of Kathryn (Katie) Fawcett, Ph.D., a specialist in primate behavior, ecology and fieldwork, and a host of Karisoke Research Staff.

Karisoke in the early days		Inside the original center
Karisoke rebuilt in 1993		Karisoke Researcher in 1993
Destruction of Karisoke after 1994 evacuation due to war.		Karisoke has since been rebuilt, and has since been evacuated again due to war