Gorillas – WILDLIFE RESEARCH & CONSERVATION

Make 2015 the Year of Conservation Achievements

January 5th, 2015tinalc0 Comments

As 2014 came to a close, I felt inundated with reports of record numbers of animals killed to fuel the illegal wildlife trade. In 2014, almost 1,200 rhino were killed for their horns. Numbers of elephants slaughtered for ivory were in the tens of thousands. It appears that life in the sea is just as dangerous on land as over 100 million sharks were killed for their fins. Gorillas, tigers, okapis, hippos, lions, and cheetah are not only losing their lives, but also their homes. Sadly, they are not the only ones. This cannot continue. As we begin 2015, …

Answer the Call for Gorilla Conservation

October 3rd, 2011tinalc0 Comments

Columbite-tantalite, more commonly known as colton, is a valuable mineral that is used to manufacture capacitors found in electronic devices such as cell phones, video game systems, MP3 players, computers, and DVD player. Colton is mined in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo, China, Ethiopia, and Mozambique. Unfortunately, most of the world’s coltan reserves are found in the same region as gorillas and the mining is destroying their last remaining habitat. In addition, mining open access roads into gorilla habitat making it easier for poachers to find not only gorilla, but other endangered wildlife and resources. By recycling …

Student Creates Wildlife Conservation Project

September 28th, 2011tinalc0 Comments

For as long as Tina Dow can remember, she’s had a passion for wildlife. Dow, a West Virginia University student, is pursuing her passion through an organization she and her husband formed – Wildlife Research and Conservation. “I don’t ever remember a time not being interested in wildlife,” Dow said. “As a kid I always felt more at home outside with the creepy crawlies than I did inside.” During her doctoral studies at WVU, Dow’s focus has been on elephant captivation and the effects it has on the species’ fertility. Though Dow is unsure where she’ll end up after graduation, …