In her original field research, Dian Fossey manually plotted the movement of Gorilla groups in the Virungas using a felt tip marker on a xeroxed and enlarged Belgian Colonial Service Volcanology map. These daily maps of gorilla movements were produced each month of her field research. The image below shows the movements of three gorilla bands each day in the month of February. Some 18 of these maps were produced. The original maps were salvaged from the Karisoke Research Center after it was ransacked by fighters in the 1990's.
We purchased several GPS receivers and have used them extensively in the field for a variety of purposes. Local staff and park wardens have been trained in their use and they are able to track Gorilla groups, as well as pinpoint the locations of snares and poaching activities. We can collect data in the field, input the GPS data into the GIS for analysis with other data, collect field data on vegetation communities, and georeference satellite imagery.
Research and applications of integrating GPS data are continuing. The GPS data collected on the ground showing gorilla movements, feeding and nesting sites, and poaching locations are being used to create GIS-derived models. These models should assist us in answering basic questions about gorilla ecology, and assist in anti-poaching activities.
Learn more about GPS in this tutorial from Trimble
Learn more about GPS for conservation ecology
Visit the
Informatics International GPS Resources website
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