One-of-a-Kind Kadogo: World’s Only Bald Gorilla
Move over King Kong – there’s a new primate in town who is creating quite the “buzz” in the jungle! Kadogo is not your average silverback gorilla. At birth, it was apparent Kadogo was different. He was much smaller than other gorillas and was born bald. Yes, bald.
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Kadogo, which means “very small” in Swahili, lives in the Virunga National Park, home to 200 gorillas. The star attraction of 
Virunga lives with a family of other mountain gorillas.
Described by one of the rangers as “calm and curious”, Kadogo got into a bit of a scuffle last month with the group’s alpha silverback, Mawazo, most likely over the affection of the only female in the group. With a few scratches to his bald head and bite wounds on his feet, nine-year-old Kadago appeared to be more dejected than injured.
Mountain Gorillas
Silverbacks, male mountain gorillas, are named because of the silver or grey patch on their backs. Listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, it is estimated that only 720 of the mountain gorillas exist today. Threats include poaching, habitat destruction, war, instability and human disease.
Virunga National Park
Founded in 1925, Virunga National Park, located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is the second oldest national park in the world and the largest in Africa. Managed by the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN), the park covers over 4,800 square miles.
Dedicated rangers at Virunga, patrol the “Gorilla Sector” of the park every day, keeping the gorillas safe and clearing the area of poacher’s snares. Over 500 snares were located and destroyed in the Mikeno Sector of the Park between November 2008 and January 2009.
Illegal Charcoal Production
Illegal charcoal production is a main threat to mountain gorillas. Most people in the area heat their homes and cook with illegal charcoal obtained from the Virunga National Park’s forest. It is estimated that in 
just one year, 20 percent of the southern sector of the park was deforested!
The Biomass Briquettes Project may be the solution to this alarming problem. Leaves, grass, scrap paper, coffee husks and other products are pressed into briquettes. Using briquettes, which heat faster than charcoal, will slow down the rate of deforestation, reduce poverty and preserve the habitat for gorillas.
In a press release issued today, the Congolese National Park Authorities have sent specially trained rangers in the “biggest ever deployment of armed rangers” to combat charcoal-making operations in the Virunga National Park. It is estimated the illegal trade, run by armed groups, generates nearly $30 million in revenue. In the past week, over 250 charcoal kilns have been destroyed and over 50 people have been arrested in the operation.
How to Help
Virunga Guardians are people who generously donate $25 a month to help protect 30-acre sections of the Park. Currently, 63 areas are protected by Guardians. If you would like to support Kadogo and the effort to protect these magnificent gorillas, please visit the website for further information.
All photos courtesy of Gorilla CD.
What is the state of the local waterways? Are they clear and open, or are there weed infested swamps and seasonal marshes? If they are open and clear, GOOD! If not, the weeds that infest them can be made into charcoal or biomass briquettes, improving your water supply as well as providing fuel.
He is so adorable. For a little guy he still gets the ladies.