Amazing Species: Cross River Gorilla
© Nicky Lankester, Limbe Wildlife Centre
Amazing Species: Cross River Gorilla The Cross River Gorilla, Gorilla gorilla spp. diehli, is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. Once thought to be extinct, this subspecies of the Western Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) “resurfaced” in the 1980s. Found only in the highland border area between Nigeria and Cameroon, it is the most endangered of the African apes. Geographical range
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Fewer than 300 individual Cross River Gorillas remain in an increasingly fragmented habitat, little of which is formally protected. Corridors that allowed gene flow are now threatened by agriculture, pastoralism, road development and logging. Threats to their survival include hunting for bushmeat and traditional medicine and, in the longer term, habitat loss and fragmentation. Human expansion is bringing gorillas closer to humans and livestock, with associated disease risks. Concerted efforts to improve the Cross River Gorilla’s survival prospects are underway through creation and improved management of protected areas and community-managed forests. Improved survey techniques are enhancing understanding of factors influencing gorilla distribution and connectivity between sites, and communities are increasingly engaged in conservation efforts. The production of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is made possible through the IUCN Red List Partnership.
Amazing Species: Cross River Gorilla The Cross River Gorilla, Gorilla gorilla spp. diehli, is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. Once thought to be extinct, this subspecies of the Western Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) “resurfaced” in the 1980s. Found only in the highland border area between Nigeria and Cameroon, it is the most endangered of the African apes. Geographical range
www.iucnredlist.org www.primate-sg.org Help Save Species apesportal.eva.mpg.de
Fewer than 300 individual Cross River Gorillas remain in an increasingly fragmented habitat, little of which is formally protected. Corridors that allowed gene flow are now threatened by agriculture, pastoralism, road development and logging. Threats to their survival include hunting for bushmeat and traditional medicine and, in the longer term, habitat loss and fragmentation. Human expansion is bringing gorillas closer to humans and livestock, with associated disease risks. Concerted efforts to improve the Cross River Gorilla’s survival prospects are underway through creation and improved management of protected areas and community-managed forests. Improved survey techniques are enhancing understanding of factors influencing gorilla distribution and connectivity between sites, and communities are increasingly engaged in conservation efforts. The production of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is made possible through the IUCN Red List Partnership.
