A new survey conducted by the Wildlife Conservation Society has found hundreds of thousands of western lowland gorillas inhabiting the vast forests and swamps of the Congo Republic.

The WCS conducted the survey with help from local researchers by combing 18,000 square miles of unexplored country, including a region called the “green abyss” by biologists.

Conservationists, understandably, are enthusiastic. Dr. Steven E. Sanderson, the president of WCS, told The New York Times, “The message from our community is so often one of despair. While we don’t want to relax our concern, it’s just great to discover that these animals are doing well.” Another, Richard G. Ruggerio, a conservation biologist at the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, told the Times, “This is the light of hope you look for. It’s a different kind of alarm call, an opportunity that is increasingly rare on this planet — to do something before there’s a crisis.”

Unfortunately, not all news is good when it comes to wild primates. A separate update on the state of global primates being issues today in Edinburgh warns that “forest destruction and, increasingly, hunting for meat, pets and Chinese medicinal products are imperiling monkeys and other primates, from Congo Republic to Cambodia.”

Still, optimism remains. From the Times report:

The lowland gorillas discovered in the Congo Republic survey are secure for now, but pressures are growing on wildlife in central Africa as international demand builds for tropical hardwood and other resources. The government of Congo Republic has granted national park status to one of the studied regions, Ntokou-Pikounda, which is estimated to hold 73,000 gorillas.

Gorilla murder mystery

Elsewhere in the region, in neighboring Rwanda, gorillas haven’t escaped from development and hunting. Last summer, seven mountain gorillas were found dead in Rwanda’s Virunga National Park. Learn more about the case in this Charlie Rose interview with Virunga conservationists. Also, the Gorilla Protection blog has an update on the year anniversary of the massacre.

Tracking western lowland gorillas

In NATURE’s Deep Jungle: The Beast Within, meet Italian primatologist Chloe Cipolletta, who is trying to befriend a group of western lowland gorillas in order to learn more about how to protect these endangered and poorly understood primates. Read more…