Gorillas how many are there

Cross River Gorilla. Cross River gorillas are scattered across the forests and rain forests of Cameroon and Nigeria, an area about 3, square miles. The region that they live in is heavily populated by humans who clear these forests for timber and create fields for agriculture and livestock. Poaching also occurs in the forests, which contributes to their already small population of individuals.

They are currently critically endangered. However, WWF is working with others, as well as the governments of Cameroon and Nigeria, to create a protected area for the gorillas that stretch across the border of the two countries.

Mountain Gorilla. The Mountain gorilla lives in forests at elevations from 8, to 13, feet. There are far more gorillas left in the world than previously thought, according to a landmark new survey, with numbers as much as double earlier estimates.

The decade-long survey in western equatorial Africa involved almost 9,km of foot patrols and used the nests that gorillas make every night to assess the population. Gorillas are vital for the health of the entire forest, the scientists said, because they spread large seeds and their loss is disastrous in the long term.

The larger-than-expected population gives hope for gorilla survival, they said, if poaching and forest destruction for palm oil can be halted. Just because there are rather a lot of them does not mean they are not very, very vulnerable.

They then used the nest counts and data on important factors including the presence of people, roads and intact forest to produce a sophisticated statistical model. As a great ape, gorillas are a WWF priority species.

As such, we are working to ensure gorillas can live and thrive in their natural habitats. Get up and close to this highly threatened species with our special gorilla section. Download wallpaper PC iPhone. Our work is only possible with your support. Donate now. Archive Content Please note: This page has been archived and its content may no longer be up-to-date. Toggle navigation. Language English. Gorilla News. Key facts. Common name Common names.

Geographic place Location Tropical and subtropical forests in Central Africa. Latin name Species Western gorilla Gorilla gorilla spp , eastern gorilla Gorilla beringei spp. Endangered Status Endangered to Critically Endangered, depending on the subspecies. Gorilla news. Intelligent, charismatic, and endangered Gorillas are our closest living relatives after chimpanzees and bonobos.

Western gorilla: Western lowland gorilla G. More on threats to gorillas Physical description The largest living primates, gorillas are stocky animals with broad chests and shoulders, large hands, and forearms that are much shorter than the upper arm. The face is black and hairless, with small eyes that are close together and large, prominent nostrils. This could bring the total number count for the subspecies to 1, gorillas.

Katerina Guschanski explains that while this is great news, these figures may still not be accurate. Mountain gorillas are one of the two subspecies of eastern gorillas. The Bwindi population holds a bit less than half of all mountain gorillas in the world, thus its importance for the global survival of these great apes cannot be overstated. Their populations must keep growing because mountain gorillas have very low genetic diversity. This reduces their ability to adapt to future changes in the environment.

Low genetic diversity was implicated in the extinction of some mammals, such as the mammoth. Continued population growth is also needed to make them less vulnerable to random events, such as habitat destruction through extreme weather events, which could wipe out an entire population.