GORILLAS
GORILLAS
The gorilla genus, Gorilla, includes two species and four subspecies.
EASTERN GORILLAS
Genus: Gorilla beringei
Gorilla beringei graueri
CONSERVATION STATUS: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
Our earth’s largest primate, the Grauer’s gorilla, is found in the lowland tropical rainforests of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in Central Africa. Its interrupted distribution extends from east of the Lualaba River, westerly through the Mitumba and Itombwe mountain chains, north to Mount Tshiaberimu in…
Gorilla beringei beringei
CONSERVATION STATUS: ENDANGERED
More than half the population of our world’s mountain gorillas (604 individuals) resides high in the lush, dense cloud forests of the Virunga Mountains, a dormant volcanic range in central Africa that spans the borders of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The remainder of this population (400…
WESTERN GORILLAS
Genus: Gorilla gorilla
Gorilla gorilla diehli
CONSERVATION STATUS: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
Cross River gorillas are the rarest of all great apes and were unknown to science until the early 20th century. They were forgotten, then “rediscovered” after scientists had believed the gorillas had become extinct. Classified as one of two subspecies of western gorilla (the western lowland gorilla being the other), Cross…
Gorilla gorilla gorilla
CONSERVATION STATUS: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
The western lowland gorilla is one of two subspecies of western gorilla (the rare Cross River gorilla being the other) and is the most widespread of all gorillas, inhabiting the dense and remote tropical rainforests of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon…