At the mountain gorilla veterinary project, we’ve been working out ways to collect and store saliva from gorillas.  In the future, we plan to test these samples for diseases, especially the viruses that cause respiratory illness. 

Grauer's gorilla eating wild celery, a favorite food.

This study has been a good idea in our heads for some time.  Thanks to veterinary student Tierra Wilson, it’s finally underway.  Tierra not only designed the research project, she found her own funding to go to Rwanda and run it! 

Tierra harvested saliva samples by swabbing the bite marks made by the gorillas as they chewed on the celery.

Before she left, I asked Tierra what she’d remember most about us/MGVP.  Her answer: Celery… and the gorillas, of course!

Read more about the gorilla saliva study on the Gorilla Doctors blog.