Dr Jean Felix Kinani Sangwa is a Wildlife Veterinarian who specializes in wildlife and conservation medicine, especially on mountain gorillas. A holder of a master’s degree in Epidemiology and Laboratory Management, Dr Kinani chose to take the laboratory route as it provides with vital information that helps make informed decisions about gorilla care, from diagnosis to treatment and beyond. Laboratory testing is a powerful tool that can help identify diseases, monitor disease progression, and track the effectiveness of our field intervention. Dr Kinani has had numerous other trainings, especially in One Health, in Epidemiology and in the Preparedness and Operational Readiness.

Dr Kinani is the founder of conservation organization ‘’ One Health Approach for Conservation (OHAC) – Gorilla Health and is mainly involved in emergency and humanitarian interventions including disease outbreak investigations. (https://gorillahealth.org/scientific-publications/)

He tells us more about his profession…

I was inspired to pursue a career in epidemiology and also learn more about the human public health as I was interested to improve the health and well-being of the community surrounding the gorilla habitat. My interested began by supporting the Employer Health Program and the Community Health program initiated in Rwanda around the Volcanoes National Park, trying to prevent any cross-contamination of diseases – from humans to mountain gorillas and vice versa.

You see, gorillas are primates like humans and we share 98 per cent DNA, meaning we can all be affected by the same diseases. One time. I led an investigation during a field intervention and took samples of dead and living mountain gorillas, we identified similar virus linked to the death of mountain gorilla means.  ( https://pure.johnshopkins.edu/en/publications/human-metapneumovirus-infection-in-wild-mountain-gorillas-rwanda-3 )

From 2005, there was an increase in respiratory diseases in mountain gorillas following an outbreak among communities living near the Volcanoes National Park. My passion for One Health approach led me to join the School of Public Health program 2010.I choose on to work on respiratory disease infections in mountain gorillas from 2005 to 2011.

In began researching mountain gorillas in 2004 and I’m still doing the same. Here are some of my most interesting research findings as a mountain gorilla veterinarian:

I found out that we can successfully use some medicine in mountain gorilla, including carrying out anesthesia procedures using the Ketamine and Medetomidine. These have facilitated successful mountain gorilla field interventions within gorilla habitats in Uganda, the DR Congo and Rwanda – as well as in sanctuaries and the Kinigi Health facility.

The utilization of Ketamine and Medetomidine in the existing protocol we implemented for mountain gorillas offers numerous benefits for field applications in this species. These include swift and secure induction, minimal observed adverse effects, and our capability to reverse the effects promptly – facilitating the animal’s swift and safe reintegration into its social group.

Field data collection through hundreds of interventions, necropsies and monitoring of mountain gorillas led to the discovery, for the first time, of human viruses in mountain gorillas, such as human metapneumovirus, human respiratory syncytial Virus, simian homologues of human herpesviruses, lymphocryptovirus, respiratory diseases and epstein-barr virus in infant mountain gorillas.  

I also discovered tool use by mountain gorillas for the first time. I was the first person to see mountain gorillas using implements to eat with and my report, Tool Use for Food Acquisition in Wild Mountain Gorilla, was published in the American Journal of Primatology (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268882199_Tool_Use_for_Food_Acquisition_in_a_Wild_Mountain_Gorilla_Gorilla_beringei_beringei ).

I also discovered and published the first report on the mountain gorillas drinking water from the back of their hands, and another one of a silverback mountain gorilla (Agashya group) sitting in front of a snare alongside other gorillas, which they eventually destroyed after contemplating change of direction.

My other interesting findings were published in a report that documented the dryness of the Volcanoes National Park and changes in mountain gorilla home range due to the increasing mountain gorillas group numbers, increasing of silverback’s interactions and food availably. I found that as their numbers of gorilla increased, they began to move longer distances and in higher altitudes where it’s colder due to the climate change pattern.

We came up with some rules and protocols that are supposed to be respected by both the tourists and researchers: keeping a distance of at least 10 meters from the gorillas, never leaving anything in the park, and never spitting, eating, or drinking in front of the gorillas and monkeys. Researchers are allowed to stay four hours with the gorillas while tourists or us as Gorilla Doctors involved in monitoring the health of the gorillas advised to not spend more than one hour.

Diseases are currently the biggest threat to mountain gorillas, especially respiratory diseases, which are on the rise. The threats of snares and other illegal activities in the DR Congo have decreased and in Rwanda, gorillas are more secure. We also have more respiratory disease outbreaks in the community but there is more medical support for people at local health centers. However, we need to double down on community sensitization and engagement as they play a vital role in the protection of gorillas against diseases. 

From a field sample collection, I and my colleagues discovered for the first time human’s viruses in mountain gorillas, such as human metapneumovirus, human respiratory syncytial virus, simian homologues of human herpesviruses and lymphocryptovirus.

We also discovered the epstein-barr virus in infant mountain gorillas and many other respiratory disease infections in mountain gorillas, which have been on the rise since 2005. Diligent monitoring of diseases, encompassing both human and non-human primate pathogens, is paramount for safeguarding the population’s health and effectively managing protected primate species.

I have documented the increasing aridity within the Volcanoes National Park, noting shifts in the mountain gorillas’ home range and their adaptation to these changes by traversing longer distances and ascending to higher altitudes where temperatures are colder.

These alterations in behavior signify that gorillas are not solely impacted by human-induced climate change; rather, they face multiple challenges stemming from environmental shifts.

Fluctuations in temperatures and rainfall directly affect gorilla habitats and food sources, a trend expected to become more pronounced in the coming years. While gorillas possess dietary flexibility, they must acclimatize to these changing conditions.

The most evident consequence of climate change thus far is the escalating drought, leading to diminished access to clean water during prolonged dry periods. This scarcity prompts local communities to encroach upon gorilla habitats in search of this vital resource.

To mitigate the risk of disease transmission from humans to gorillas, park authorities must regulate daily excursions into gorilla habitats, particularly restricting access to vulnerable groups such as children under 15.

Often, women carrying infants and young children venture into these areas to collect water, posing a significant threat to gorilla health. In 2011, two gorilla deaths were attributed to human Metapneumovirus, underlining the dangers posed by human contact and underscoring the urgent need for proactive conservation measures.

Climate change significantly impacts the sustainability of mountain gorilla populations. Any alterations in food availability directly influence gorillas’ nutritional intake, rendering them more susceptible to diseases, particularly as they regularly consume medicinal plants.

The prolonged periods of heat and heavy rainfall exacerbate this vulnerability, as they create favorable conditions for the emergence of new pathogens and diseases, posing an imminent threat to gorilla health.

The ability of gorilla populations to respond effectively to diseases is challenged by their small population size and limited habitat. Rapid and substantial environmental changes further compound these challenges, raising concerns about the potential impact on the growth and development of young gorillas.

With predictions indicating warmer temperatures and increased rainfall over the coming decades, the stress on gorilla populations is likely to intensify, underscoring the urgency of proactive conservation efforts. Conservation efforts aimed at protecting mountain gorillas involve a multifaceted approach:

Habitat protection: Ensuring the preservation and restoration of mountain gorilla habitats is crucial. This includes implementing measures to mitigate habitat degradation from human activities such as deforestation, agriculture, and infrastructure development.

Community engagement: This involves providing alternative livelihood options, such as ecotourism ventures or sustainable agriculture practices aimed at reducing communities’ reliance on activities that harm gorilla habitats.

Additionally, promoting education and awareness about the importance of gorilla conservation fosters a sense of stewardship among local populations. Combating illegal hunting and trade of gorillas and their body parts is vital for their protection while continuing our research and monitoring of mountain gorilla is also paramount.

Conducting scientific research is necessary to better inform conservation decision-making while regular monitoring of gorilla populations helps assess population trends, health status and the effectiveness of conservation interventions and the disease management and disease risk assessment, especially in preventing emerging infectious diseases.  (https://gorillahealth.org/scientific-publications/ )

Finally, there is need for more funding from different partners to support conservation initiatives like the One Health Approach for Conservation – Gorilla Health programme.

We have trained many trackers and park staff how to easily find mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, but our countries need to offer more support to researchers because of the challenges mountain gorilla conservationists are currently facing, such as the increasing number of mountain gorillas and surging human populations around the Virunga Massif.

The other big challenge is the insecurity in the DR Congo with illegal activities in the gorilla natural habitat and more interaction with endangered species. This usually leads to outbreaks of diseases like cholera and Ebola. Illegal destruction of forests, cutting down of trees in protected areas, and decreased resources for people around national parks water, food and charcoal, among others. This calls for more initiative and research as well as alternative solutions.

Also, the lack of enough research equipment and technology in remote environments can be challenging due to limited access to power sources, internet connectivity, and harsh environmental conditions.

. There is a need to establish an Ethics Committee for research in the field of conservation in the national University or in the conservation/ Environment domain similar to what we have developed countries.

The future of mountain gorillas is very bright. This is the only Great Ape species whose populations are increasing, and we as veterinarians play a crucial role in their protection. Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) was classed as critically Endangered species y the IUCN but are now considered as Endangered species. Unfortunately, the lowland gorilla (Gorilla beringei grauri) is now classed as Critical Endangered species as their number decreased considerably with more threat in DRCongo. For instance, now we have developed the skills to have them surviving out of the park and can plan to reintroduce them or send them in sanctuaries after checking their health status. The OHAC – Gorilla Health have contributed a lot in the sensitization of local communities about gorilla protection and the fight against illegal activities impacting their lives.