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Gorilla Factsheet
Conservation Status
IUCN Red Data List
Mountain gorilla (G. beringei beringei)
Where found
The
mountain gorillas occur in two known populations within three
countries, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda and
Uganda. One is found among the extinct volcanoes of the Virunga Massif.
The other population is found mainly in the Bwindi Impenetrable NP, in
south-west Uganda on the border with DRC. Mountain gorillas occupy
about 375 km2 in the Virungas and 215 km2 in Bwindi, these areas being
separated from each other by 25 km of settled farmland.
Habitat
Forested, mountainous volcanic region called the Virungas and lower, more open forest in Bwindi National Park in Uganda
Diet
Mountain gorillas feed almost exclusively on leaves and stems of herbs, vines and shrubs, and occasionally bark and roots.
Numbers surviving
The Virunga population is now estimated to be 380. The Bwindi population is estimated to be 320.
Threats
Gorillas
are hunted for their meat, adults are killed to capture infants for
collections, and killed for trophies (their skin, heads, skulls, feet
and hands). Since the 1990s, the war in this area, and huge number of
refugees has killed a large number of gorillas, and caused significant
disturbance to these populations.
Eastern lowland gorilla (G.beringei graueri)
Where found
The
eastern lowland gorillas occur only in eastern DRC, between the Lualaba
River and the Burundi-Rwanda-Uganda border. Its distribution
encompasses an area of about 90,000 km2, within which it is thought to
occupy an estimated 15,000 km2 in four broad regions: (a) the
Kahuzi-Biega National Park (NP) and the adjacent Kasese region; (b) the
Maiko NP and adjacent forest; (c) the Itombwe Forest; and (d) North
Kivu.
Habitat
Eastern lowland gorillas have a wider altitudinal and geographic range
to the mountain gorillas, from montane to lowland tropical
forests.
Diet
A wide range of plants, their fruit, seeds,
leaves, stems and bark, plus ants, termites and other insects.
Numbers surviving
Their population is estimated to be 3,000- 5,000.
Threats
Gorillas
are hunted for their meat, adults are killed to capture infants for
collections, and killed for trophies (their skin, heads, skulls, feet
and hands). Since the 1990s, the war in this area, and huge number of
refugees has killed a large number of gorillas, and caused significant
disturbance to these populations.
Western Gorilla (G.gorilla)
Where found
Western Cross River gorilla (G. gorilla diehli)
The
Cross River gorillas are the most northern and western of all gorilla
populations. They occur in Nigeria and in Cameroon. In Nigeria they are
found in the Mbe Mountains, the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary and the
Okwangwo Division of Cross River National Park, and in the Takamanda
Forest Reserve (contiguous with Okwangwo), Mone Forest Reserve. In
Cameroon, they are found in the Mbulu forest in the southwest.
Western lowland gorilla (G. gorilla gorilla)
The
western lowland gorillas are found in Gabon, the Cabinda Enclave of
Angola, the western part of the Republic of the Congo, the extreme
southwestern part of the Central African Republic (CAR), south-central
and southern Cameroon, and mainland Equatorial Guinea.
Habitat
Primarily old growth and regenerating forests, including forest swamps.
Diet
Primarily fruit, but also leaves, stems, bark invertebrates and soil outside of the
fruiting seasons.
Numbers surviving
The Western Cross River gorilla is estimated to be
200-250. The Western lowloand gorilla is estimated to be 82,000
and declining.
Forest clearance for farming, forest fragmentation by clearance and construction of roads, forest degradation by logging, hunting for the bush meat trade, and diseases such as the Ebola virus.
Organisations involved in their conservation
African Wildlife Foundation
International Gorilla Conservation Program
Photos on this website courtesy of William Calvin, Jeff Canin, Aleisha Caruso, Debby Cox, Furuichi c/o JGI Uganda, Kris Descovich, Lola Ya Bonobo sanctuary, Tony Gilding, Selby King, Carlos Schuler, Jodie Sheridan
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