Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei) lives in forest across Central Africa Mountains. It feeds on leaves and shoots. Its conservation status is Critically Endangered.
Fascinating facts about the Mountain Gorilla
- Recent surveys estimate roughly 1,004 mountain gorillas remaining, and unlike most of their eastern relatives their numbers are actually increasing. This rise stands out against the broader eastern gorilla trend, which lost more than 70 percent of its population between 1996 and 2016. By 2016 the total eastern gorilla count was estimated at fewer than 6,000 individuals, highlighting the mountain subspecies as a rare bright spot.
- The tallest silverback ever recorded measured 1.95 metres and was shot in Alimbongo, northern Kivu, in May 1938. By contrast, the heaviest gorilla measured 1.83 metres and weighed 267 kilograms, a specimen taken in Ambam, Cameroon, an area outside the eastern gorilla's range. These exceptional measurements illustrate the extreme size variation possible within the genus, though most individuals are considerably smaller.
- Mountain gorillas are confined to the high-altitude rainforests and sub-alpine woodlands of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, southwestern Uganda and Rwanda, inhabiting steep, mist-shrouded slopes. This restricted distribution contrasts with the eastern lowland (Grauer's) gorilla, which occupies forests across the Albertine Rift in eastern DRC.
- Eastern gorillas live in stable, cohesive family groups that can contain as many as thirty-five individuals. Each group is headed by a dominant silverback male who leads movements and makes decisions. The silverback protects his females and offspring, often using his size in charging displays and chest-beating to deter threats.
- No mountain gorilla has ever been kept in a zoo outside its native mountains, and the species is absent from all captive collections beyond its range. The only zoo beyond the gorilla's natural habitat that houses any eastern gorilla is Antwerp Zoo, which holds Grauer's gorillas but not mountain gorillas.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeCentral Africa Mountains
HabitatForest
DietLeaves and shoots
About the Mountain Gorilla
In the mist-shrouded mountains, the majestic mountain gorilla roams, its deliberate footsteps a testament to a gentle giant's quiet confidence, as it navigates the dense forest with a thoughtful, almost human-like introspection. With each measured stride, the gorilla's broad chest and powerful arms seem to embody the very essence of the rugged landscape, its thick fur a shield against the biting winds and icy rains that sweep through the highlands. As it moves, the gorilla's piercing gaze appears to hold a deep wisdom, a sense of ancient knowledge gleaned from generations of living in harmony with the unforgiving yet beautiful mountain realm.
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Mountain Gorilla photographed on Feravox
