Gorilla Viruses: A Key Interest for Human Scientists.
African mountain gorillas can provide scientists with information about diseases that may afflict humans as well as the interaction between the two. Gorillas are susceptible to diseases that tourists may carry, making it important for visitors to wear masks and keep a distance from the animals. Collecting food scraps soaked in saliva from an endangered species offers a noninvasive way of monitoring the gorillas for infectious diseases. Gorilla Doctors, a nonprofit group, helps care for the primates and works with other organizations to monitor their health and treat them if they become sick or injured.