Species of Gorillas

Species of Gorillas: Gorillas are one of the biggest of the great apes and one of the most closely related relatives of man after Baboons and chimpanzees. They exhibit human-like behaviours and emotions, like sadness and laughter, because they have nearly 98% of the same genes as humans. Only a few of Africa’s tropical forests, wetlands, marshes, highlands, and mountains are home to wild gorillas. These include Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Rwanda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and numerous other national parks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They are strong primates with broad nostrils, thick chests, muscular arms, and black or brownish hair. All body except face, hands, feet, and chest (old silverbacks) is covered in hair.

Gorillas can stand straight when they are showing dominance or when they are feeding on the bark of trees, but they walk on all fours most of the time. Adult male gorillas are called silverbacks because of the silver/gray hair on their back. Silverbacks are larger than the females and can weigh between 135 to 220 kilograms in the wild. Those in imprisonment may grow fatter and heavier because of less exercise or space in which to exercise. Because of their weight, adult gorillas avoid climbing trees as much as they can. It is the young that climb and sleep on short tree branches most of the time.

They stay in groups led by a dominant silverback though there are cases where a group may be led by two related silverbacks but this is not common in some gorilla subspecies. Between four and thirty gorillas, who can live up to 35 years in the wild and 45 years in captivity, can make up a gorilla group or family. Younger men, juveniles, women, and their infants may be in the group. A gorilla group’s ability to remain stable is solely dependent on the relationship between the females and the dominant silverback. Gorillas are wiser, more persistent, calmer, and peaceful.

Types of Gorillas.
There are two species of gorillas: the Eastern and Western gorillas. The most common species of gorillas is the Western gorilla. Compared to Eastern gorillas, they have a lighter skin tone and a different nose structure. The Cross River and Western Lowland gorillas are the two subspecies of Western gorillas that are further separated.

There are two subspecies of Eastern gorillas: the mountain gorilla and the eastern lowland gorilla. The Grauer’s gorilla is the modern name for the Eastern lowland gorilla. These are the largest subspecies and are restricted to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. They have a thick build, big hands, and a short muzzle.

Western Lowland Gorillas.

They are found in central and western Africa’s lowland forests. Out of the four gorilla sub-species, they are the smallest in size but have the highest population. More than 350,000 are thought to still be in the wild. These are the ones that are typically found in zoos. Their fur is greyish, which sets them apart from the other species.

Despite being the most numerous, their population is thought to have decreased by 60% over the previous 25 years. This is because people bring diseases like the Ebola virus, which killed nearly 30% of the world’s population, to them. You can see them in zoos worldwide or in one of the national parks in west/Central Africa.

Cross River Gorillas.

Cross River gorillas are found in the forested mountains and highlands of Cameroon and Nigeria. They reside in the western/northernmost region of Africa. They are roughly five feet long and weigh 440 pounds. There are fewer than 350 of them left in the wild, making them a tiny population. Because they live in a small area and interact with people more frequently than other gorilla species, Cross River gorillas are especially vulnerable to extinction. Because of their frequent contacts with humans, they are more aggressive and harder to study and therefore habituate.

Governments of Cameroon and Nigeria have set up measures to prevent their extinction. Local communities close to gorilla habitats have also been sensitized about the importance of the primates to the ecosystem. Gorilla trekking is not possible with Cross River gorillas and you cannot see then in zoos.

Eastern Lowland Gorillas (Grauer’s).

Eastern lowland gorillas are found in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are found in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Maiko National Park and areas around the Itombwe Massif.

They are the largest of all the gorilla subspecies. It has a thick body, a short muzzle and larger hands. They have black coats similar to those of mountain gorillas, but their head and body hair are shorter. You are likely to come across habituated families because they are the third most critically endangered species out of the three gorilla subspecies. Poaching and habitat destruction pose a threat to them. In the last 20 years, their habitats have shrunk from 81,000 square miles to just 5,600 square miles. There are currently 7,500 Eastern lowland gorillas in the wild.

Mountain Gorillas.

Mountain gorillas are only found in the Virunga Mountain regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. They typically reside in forests at higher altitudes (8,000 to 12,000 feet) and on mountain slopes, and they weigh less than Eastern lowland gorillas. The fur of mountain gorillas is long and thick. Their heavy fur shields them from the chilly weather. Only in the Congo’s Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage or in the wild can one see them.

The 2018 census results show that there are still roughly 1,000 in the wild. Mountain Gorillas are additionally endangered by habitat loss as a result of continues human encroachment on forests and mountain slopes. Some are forced to migrate higher up the cold mountain slopes which could threaten their health. They are the second endangered gorilla species.

Mountain gorillas can be trekked during dry seasons since they stay in mountains and these get slippery during wet seasons, the other species can be trekked during any time of the year because they live on gentle slopes.