🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
Human respiratory infections have caused documented outbreaks among mountain gorilla groups.
Genetic analysis shows that mountain gorillas share more than 98 percent of their DNA with humans. This places them among our closest living relatives, separated by only a few million years of evolutionary divergence. The genetic similarity explains shared traits such as expressive facial muscles, complex social bonds, and prolonged parental care. It also means they are vulnerable to many of the same diseases that affect humans, including respiratory viruses. A common cold transmitted by a tourist can become lethal in a gorilla troop with no immunity. The closeness is both scientifically fascinating and biologically dangerous. The boundary between species is thinner than most people imagine.
💥 Impact (click to read)
To comprehend this similarity, consider that the genetic difference between humans and gorillas is smaller than the variation between some species of birds. Despite massive differences in body mass and habitat, the underlying biological instructions are strikingly aligned. This shared DNA underpins their intelligence, emotional capacity, and grief behaviors observed in field studies. When a troop member dies, others often remain near the body for hours or days.
Yet this genetic closeness creates a conservation paradox. Tourism generates essential funding for protection efforts, but it also increases disease transmission risk. Strict mask mandates and distancing rules now govern gorilla trekking experiences. Their survival depends on managing the biological consequences of their kinship with us. The more like us they are, the more fragile they become in our presence.
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