What is gorilla habituation, and how does it help conservation?
Habituated gorilla groups help wildlife and people in the Congo Basin
© Andrea Sotto MAyor
Missiki, a striking silverback, sits calmly in the dense vegetation of the Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas complex in the northern Congo Basin, observing a team of human monitors about 65 feet (20 meters) away. Before too long, the gorilla retreats further into the forest with his group. For his observers, this is remarkable behavior. Just months before, when Missiki first encountered the team, he displayed charges and vocalizations. Soon, though, he quickly adapted to a human presence, and now the team has daily visual “contact” with the gorilla.
As the dominant male of a group of gorillas, Missiki’s behavior is a critical model. While he is increasingly unfazed by human observation, other gorillas allow themselves to be observed too. The process of familiarizing a silverback and his group to the presence of humans is called habituation, and it’s an essential tool for the conservation of these endangered animals and their forest home. Missiki and his group are not fully habituated yet, but their behavior is a hopeful sign for gorilla conservation.
Why habituate gorillas?
Western lowland gorillas like Missiki are critically endangered. In the past few decades, their population has dropped by an estimated 60%, mainly due to outbreaks of Ebola in their forests. This, combined with human encroachment and poaching, has reduced their numbers, but not so in Dzanga-Sangha in the Central African Republic. In fact, today there are reasons for hope in Dzanga-Sangha, thanks to conservation efforts supported by local communities, governments, institutions, and organizations like WWF.
© Nuria Ortega
The Indigenous BaAka people are crucial partners in habituation, which has allowed tourists to see these gorilla groups in the wild since 1999. Such programs provide economic opportunities for local communities while protecting gorilla populations. Revenue earned directly from gorilla tourism funds conservation, and Dzanga-Sangha employs more than 360 people, mostly from local communities, including many BaAka, making it one of the largest employers in the country.
What does habituation entail?
Gorilla habituation goes beyond ensuring gorilla groups are comfortable in the presence of humans. Best practices mean that gorillas are not put at risk unnecessarily. Because gorillas and humans are so closely related genetically, gorillas are especially susceptible to human pathogens and disease. Visitors must keep a safe distance from gorillas, wear masks, and wash their hands and boots to prevent disease transmission.
The process of habituation is a long one, usually taking several years from when a group is identified to when the group can be visited by tourists. And once a group is habituated, it doesn’t last forever: When the silverback dies, the group will disband, and the females will disperse, sometimes joining another group or forming a new group with a young silverback. This means the whole process of habitation starts again.
A comeback for Dzanga-Sangha’s gorillas
In January 2025, there were no habituated gorilla groups in Dzanga-Sangha. Three male silverbacks had died in the last two years and, as a result, their habituated groups disbanded. Gorilla tourism came to a halt, and its vital revenue was in jeopardy, possibly for years to come.
Remarkably, just six months later, the seasoned staff of the Primate Habituation Project introduced a newly habituated group, which was first identified in 2023. Tourists can now view the group named Limo, after its silverback. Missiki’s group and a third gorilla group are still in the process of habituation. Once experts determine they are ready, there will be more opportunities for tourism, research, and employment.
The name Missiki means “to sit” in the local BaAka language. Trackers bestowed the name after witnessing how easily Missiki adjusted to his human monitors. Some believe that he may have grown up in a previously habituated group more than 20 years ago, but so far, that is not confirmed. What we do know is that the Missiki’s progress and the dedication of the habituation teams mean a brighter future for gorillas and the forests they call home.
How you can help
© WWF-US/Clay Bolt
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