The gorillas still face a very real threat of extinction, resulting from poaching or being unintentionally caught in hunting traps. Fortunately, the mountain gorillas were situated at a high enough altitude that they weren't directly affected, although the threat of resource depletion was very real (Virunga National Park). This caused massive deforestation and poaching at the UNESCO site. In 1994, the Virunga National Park was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, as a result of the war in Rwanda and the massive influx of refugees from that country. In 1993, it was thought that approximately 300 mountain gorillas lived in the Volcanoes National Park (Roberts, 1993). This makes the mountain gorillas the only great ape population to show an increase in numbers in recent decades. The latest census conducted on mountain gorillas in the Virungas showed that their numbers increased from about 260 individuals in Fossey's day to approximately 480 by 2010 (Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International). Although her methods were questionable, Dian Fossey undoubtedly had a large impact on the future of the mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park and may be the most important reason for their current survival. The Virunga National Park (Virunga Massif) is termed a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site (Virunga National Park). It also provides conservation education to schools in the area. It helps to run many local health and education programs, which includes treating intestinal parasites, providing clean water, and health rehabilitation clinics. Karisoke, supported by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, has established relations with many of the communities surrounding the park. Guards remove close to 1,000 snares each year and help to bring poachers to justice (Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International). These daily patrols are done thanks to the government of Rwanda and the general public contributions, the Digit Fund, the Mountain Gorilla Project, the Fauna and Flora Preservation Society of Great Britain, and the World Wide Fund for Nature (Hayes, 1990). Today, there are daily patrols which monitor the health and safety of the gorillas. It now holds the title of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and is sponsored by the Morris Animal Foundation of Englewood, Colorado. This fund became a reality as Fossey carried out a series of lectures around the world, concerning the mountain gorillas. As a result of the death of Digit, Dian Fossey's favorite gorilla, the Digit fund was established in 1978 (Cara, 2007).
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