Amazing Species: Mountain Gorilla
© Maryke Gray / International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP)
Amazing Species: Mountain Gorilla The Mountain Gorilla, Gorilla beringei beringei, is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. A subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei), it is distributed in two subpopulations: one in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, the other in the Virunga Volcanoes range located on the border between Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Geographical range
Knowledge Experts Action Get Involved
The number of Mountain Gorillas remaining is estimated at less than 800 individuals having suffered numerous impacts from more than a decade of war and instability. Other main threats to their survival are disease (transmission of infectious agents between wild gorillas, people, domestic and other wild animals), the killing of individuals for live capture of infants for the illegal pet trade, poaching for bushmeat, and human encroachment and habitat loss or modification (e.g., charcoal production, artisanal timber extraction). Mountain Gorillas are protected by national and international legislation in the three range countries and all live within national parks. The protected areas where these gorillas are found have active conservation management programmes, and are assisted by a large number of international, national and local non-governmental organisations. The production of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is made possible through the IUCN Red List Partnership.
Amazing Species: Mountain Gorilla The Mountain Gorilla, Gorilla beringei beringei, is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. A subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei), it is distributed in two subpopulations: one in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, the other in the Virunga Volcanoes range located on the border between Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Geographical range
Knowledge Experts Action Get Involved
The number of Mountain Gorillas remaining is estimated at less than 800 individuals having suffered numerous impacts from more than a decade of war and instability. Other main threats to their survival are disease (transmission of infectious agents between wild gorillas, people, domestic and other wild animals), the killing of individuals for live capture of infants for the illegal pet trade, poaching for bushmeat, and human encroachment and habitat loss or modification (e.g., charcoal production, artisanal timber extraction). Mountain Gorillas are protected by national and international legislation in the three range countries and all live within national parks. The protected areas where these gorillas are found have active conservation management programmes, and are assisted by a large number of international, national and local non-governmental organisations. The production of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is made possible through the IUCN Red List Partnership.
