The number of eastern lowland gorillas in Congo has fallen by more than 70 percent in the past 10 years after armed groups, refugees, miners and villagers destroyed the apes' habitat during years of civil war and instability.
Estimates suggest there are now fewer than 5 000 eastern lowland gorillas left, down from about 17 000 in 1994, said Erica Archibald of the Atlanta-based Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International.
"We do feel that the rate of decline of this subspecies is unprecedented," said Clare Richardson, head of the organisation.
The number of gorillas decreased dramatically after people fled their homes during a series of civil wars in Congo and neighbouring Rwanda, taking refuge in the forests that are home to the apes known scientifically as Gorilla beringei graueri.
The crisis grew after armed groups began fighting in remote areas of Congo, setting up military camps and hunting for food in the forests.
The problem was made worse by widespread, small-scale mining for gold, precious stones and columbine tantalite - which is used in the manufacture of cellphones and other high-tech gadgets.
Expanding human population pressure as villagers clear land for agriculture and large commercial pasturage has also taken a toll, Richardson said.
The affected area - more than three million hectares - contains about 97 percent of the eastern lowland gorilla population in this vast central African nation.
A United States-funded programme seeks support initiatives for local tribal chiefs and villagers to slow down and even stop the loss of forests and wildlife in the region.
The $2,93-million (about R20-million) programme will create community nature reserves which can then work hand-in-hand with nearby national parks, forming a network of biological corridors, said Patrick Mehlman, head of Africa programmes for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International.
The funding will come from the Washington-based Conservation International and the US government's Central African Regional Programme for the Environment.
The flagship project, the Tayna Gorilla Reserve, is a 700 square kilometre nature reserve that was started by local tribal chiefs who donated some of their land to create the conservation area and manage it collectively, Archibald said.
Because of its success, seven other similar projects covering a region of more than 10 000 square kilometres are being developed.
The programme will protect a large portion of the range of eastern lowland gorillas and wildlife found in their habitat through the unique community-based preserves.
"This may be our last chance to reverse this crisis," Mehlman said. "The only viable solution to this crisis is the participation of local people in the stewardship of their biological heri-tage."
The stricken landscape supports an unusual combination of charismatic species, including chimpanzee, forest elephant, Nile crocodile, Congo peacock, Congo bay owl, okapi and leopard.
"This is a wonderful solution because it helps the people and the gorillas and other species as well," Archibald said.
"The one thing that will happen with the funding is that we will be able to pay local people who work in the reserve. They have been doing this for no money, no profit, no salary."
More information can be found on the internet at: gorillafund.org and at conservation.org- Sapa-AP