Western lowland gorillas are smaller than their eastern cousins – although adult males can still weigh up to 180kg (28st 4lb). They are currently officially classified as Gorilla beringei graueri.ĭemocratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic The Mt Tshiaberimu gorillas are morphologically different to the Eastern Lowland gorillas found elsewhere and may yet be reclassified as a distinct subspecies, Gorilla beringei rex-pygmaeorum. In rapid decline and ignored by many, The Gorilla Organization pledged to protect this tiny group of gorillas and their habitat. The population was facing imminent extinction, threatened by activities such as mining, hunting and the collection of firewood. In 1996 a small population of gorillas was found living at Mount Tshiaberimu, a small isolated annex in the northern region of the Virunga National Park. Like mountain gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas are threatened by habitat loss, but the illegal trade in charcoal and mining in DRC, combined with a lack of legal protection for their habitat are putting even greater pressure on the gorillas. Poaching, civil unrest, extractive industries (mining, logging, illegal charcoal trade), lack of legal habitat protection.Įastern lowland gorillas are only found in DR Congo, a country plagued by continued conflict. Kahuzi-Biega National Park and neighbouring Kasese region, Maiko National Park, Itombwe forest and North Kivu, all in eastern DR Congo Gorillas build new nests to sleep in every night.

They live in family groups led by the dominant male silverback, and during the day spend their time feeding and resting. Grauer’s gorillas, in common with other subspecies of gorilla, are largely herbivorous but have been observed eating ants and other insects. They are similar to mountain gorillas but can be distinguished by their shorter fur, narrower faces and rounder nostrils. While they do not deliberately hunt gorillas, they set traps on the forest floor where the gorillas can get caught and die if they are not rescued in time.įormerly known as eastern lowland gorillas, Grauer’s gorillas are the largest subspecies of gorilla, and adult males can reach up to 250kg (39st, 5lb), making them the world’s largest primate. Mountain gorillas are also at risk from poachers.

Habitat loss takes away the gorillas’ source of food and shelter, and diminished territory to roam in can affect their breeding patterns. For the poverty-stricken communities living around the gorilla habitat it is the forest that provides them with many of their basic human needs, and in the war torn areas of DR Congo these needs are exaggerated. Today, mountain gorillas are threatened not due to a demand for their meat or their infants, but due to a demand for the lush forest in which they live. Habitat loss, poaching, civil unrest and disease They are largely herbivorous and eat a variety of shoots, fruit and leaves – wild celery is a big favourite.īwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga National Park, Uganda Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda Virunga National Park, DRC Like all gorillas, mountain gorillas are highly sociable and live in family groups led by the dominant silverback.

When they reach maturity (at around 12 or 13 years old), males develop the characteristic silver fur on their back that gives them the name ‘silverback’. Adult males can weigh up to 200kg (31st 9lb), and are roughly twice the size of adult females. They have longer, thicker fur than other gorilla subspecies, allowing them to live in colder temperatures. Mountain gorillas live in the misty mountain forests of the Virunga Massif and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in central Africa. Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo

West lowland gorilla