Discovery Of Gorilla Species in Somaliland

[Jacaylbaro]

SHEIKH, 7 December 2009 (Somalilandpress) – It is always exciting when a new species are discovered in country, but the idea that most animals are long gone from Somaliland either by migration or the due to the civil war in the 80s has now changed with the discovery of what seems to be a Gorilla.

 

Now, it’s been reported that at least two gorillas has been discovered in mountains about 20-kms east of the town of Sheikh in Somaliland.

 

According to local reports, the inhabitants of the area, who never seen a gorilla before, described the animal about the size of a small donkey and moving around by knuckle-walking. At the time of the sighting, the locals said one of the gorilla was chasing a chimpanzee.

 

The sighting has created fear among the people of Geed-Lookor area. Many feared the animal could attack their livestock, which is livelihood to many here in Somaliland, while others feared it would create health hazards.

 

Mr. Mohamed Adan who is prominent expert on ancient studies, has been collecting data on the sighting of this animal. Mr Mohamed stated that the fear of the locals is that this animal might come to the water wells and ponds in search of water and could transmit diseases to local people and animals. Mr Mohamed is also a staff member of the Ministry of tourism in Somaliland.

 

In the past, diseases such as Ebola hemorrhagic fever broke out in number of African states and is highly contagious and causes a range of symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, generalized pain or malaise and in many cases internal and external bleeding. Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a deadly illness with case-fatality rate ranging from 50 percent to 89 percent that can occur in humans and in primates (monkeys, gorillas).

 

 

Although, gorillas are strong and powerful animal, it is a ground-dwelling and predominantly herbivorous, therefore posses no direct threat to local livestock and other animals. However, because we share 98% genetic material with gorillas we can easily transmit diseases to each other, therefore it’s important that the government determines if there really are gorillas in Somaliland’s Geed-Lookor mountains and protects both the endangered animal and the locals.

 

Somaliland ministry of tourism said they plan to send a surveillance team to investigate further into the sightings and will do health examinations if required.

 

It is not clear how and when these animals arrived in Somaliland because gorillas typically inhabit the forests of central Africa.

 

Gorillas were unheard of in Somaliland until now, however due to over-hunting, climate change and socioeconomic unrest animals such as ostriches, lions, and kudu that once were found in great numbers in this land are either extinct or near-extinct. Even though, in the past eighteen years, many animals have slowly returned because of stability in the region, many are endangered due to deforestations and land clearance. According to a study by the Academy for Peace and Development, more than 2.5 million trees are felled annually and burned for charcoal in Somaliland in 2007. The report stated that each household in Somaliland consumed an equivalent of 10 trees a month.

[Sherban Shabeel]

As exciting as a discovery such as this may be, the story sounds an awful lot like a fairytale.

 

The main source of this article is a guy that works for the Ministry of Tourism?

 

Please!

[Jacaylbaro]

hater ! !

[MZanzi]

lol@hater ..hada ma Gorila ayaa somaliland laga helay ayaad kufaani LMAO

 

PS.I'm waiting for the putland boys to come up with a similar story ..ayagana hadey oran Tiger ayaa qardho lagu arkay

[Jacaylbaro]

Aka "ana waa ikan" style ? ,,,

[Mr. Somalia]

Ha ha ha, ana waa ikan-- we got more pirates than all the animals in your little la-la land.

 

What u say 'bout dat, JB?

[Jacaylbaro]

I think that is exclusive for u ,,,,

[Mr. Somalia]

^^

Waayahay, hadaad saas ogtahay, waa dambe ha ku faaninina--Marfashland hadaad tihiin-- inaad naga xawayaan badantihiin!

 

Fahamtu?

[Jacaylbaro]

Are implying that pirates are xayawaan ??

[Mr. Somalia]

Ooops, did I say, pirates? NOO, I meant parrots. Two different species, JB.

 

You do know what a parrot is, right?

[Som@li]

Any pics?

[Jacaylbaro]

No pics yet ..... i guess someone will have the balls to take some photos ...

[NGONGE]

A Gorilla can not survive in Somaliland. There is not enough rain to sustain it and the trees it relies on. This mystery 'animal' is more likely to be a Yeti.

[Ibtisam]

^^^ Yeti needs snow, and apart from once when Red sea claimed it was snowing in Hargisa- I don't think they get much snow.

 

SL boys- SL is trying to cope with its human population, so why is a supposed gorilla in the news :rolleyes:

[Jacaylbaro]

could it be part of the population ?? ,,