A few weeks ago the trackers and rangers at Mount Tshiaberimu took part in a four day training course at the Kalibina summit at Tshiabirimu. The training was facilitated by Dr. Gladys and Stephen Rubanga of Conservation Through Public Health under the financial support of ZSL and the Gorilla Organization.

The training covered both theory and practical skills and looked at clinical signs, the collection of data on the health of gorillas, processing data, the laboratory, the autopsy and veterinary treatment. The training was planned following the death of two gorillas earlier in the year.

During the training Dr. Gladys presented the team with antibiotics very kindly donated by Judy Brey from California and equipment offered by ZSL. These drugs and equipment will be kept at Mount Tshiberimu in case of an emergency – if another gorilla gets ill the team will be able to make a decision about whether to intervene and if it is decided that they should they now have all the necessary equipment that the need.

Here the trackers and rangers gather round at the beginning of the training