May 3, 2015

1377, 1563 RWANDA - Mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park

1377 - A mountain gorilla in Volcanoes National Park

Posted on 26.12.2014, and 03.05.2015
Volcanoes National Park lies in northwestern Rwanda and borders  Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. It is home to five of the eight volcanoes of the Virunga Mountains (Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo), which are covered in rainforest and bamboo, and a haven for the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei), one of the two subspecies of the eastern gorilla, the largest living primate. The vegetation is very dense at the bottom of the mountains, becoming more sparse at higher elevations, and the forests where the mountain gorilla lives are often cloudy, misty and cold. Despite their recent population growth (the overall population is now believed to be at least 880 individuals), the mountain gorilla remains threatened. As of 2008, they were listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and are dependent on conservation efforts to survive.

1563 - A cub of mountain gorilla

The mountain gorilla is primarily terrestrial, quadrupedal, and herbivore, but it will climb into fruiting trees if the branches can carry its weight, and it is capable of running bipedally up to 6m. Like all great apes other than humans, its arms are longer than its legs. Males, at a mean weight of 195kg and upright standing height of 150cm usually weigh twice as much as the females. Gorillas can be identified by nose prints unique to each individual. Adult males are called silverbacks because a saddle of gray or silver-colored hair develops on their backs with age. It is highly social, and lives in relatively stable, cohesive groups held together by long-term bonds between adult males and females. Relationships among females are relatively weak. These groups are nonterritorial; the silverback generally defends his group rather than his territory.

About the stamp
On the postcard 1377 


The stamp is part of a series of five, depicting folkloric activities, issued in 2010:
• (300 RWF) - It's on the postcard 1377
• (500 RWF) - It's on the postcard 1563

On the postcard 1563


The first two stamps are part of a series depicting Mountain gorillas, issued on November 15, 2010:
• Mountain gorillas (30 RWF) - It's on the postcard 1563
• Mountain gorillas (40 RWF) - It's on the postcard 1563
• Mountain gorillas (2000 RWF)
• Mountain gorillas (5000 RWF)

The second stamp is part of a series about which I wrote above.

References
Volcanoes National Park - Wikipedia
Mountain gorilla - Wikipedia

Sender 1377: Deo Niyongeso
Sent from Kigali (Rwanda), on 15.12.2014
Sender 1563: Nicole
Sent from Kigali (Rwanda), on 12.12.2014

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