The gorilla is the largest of the great apes family which also includes chimpanzees and can be divided in three subspecies;
Eastern lowland {gorilla gorilla graueri}, about 25000 live in the wild of eastern Congolese forest.
Western lowland gorilla {gorilla gorilla gorilla}. About 50000 are found in west central Africa
Mountain gorillas {gorilla gorilla beringei}, about 720 remaining live in the afro montane forests of North West Rwanda, south west Uganda and eastern DRC
MOUNTAIN GORILLAS
Mountain gorillas{ gorilla beringei beringei their scientific name} live in families of about 6-30 members and each family is headed by a male silver back, at 13 years a male silver back starts growing its silver tint which marks its adulthood
Mountain gorillas were declared critically endangered species by ICUN in 1996.mountain gorilla {gorilla beringei beringei} is one of the two subspecies of the eastern gorilla beringei and it is estimated to comprise of 1004 individuals in two populations of Virunga mountains and Bwindi as of 2018.
Mountain gorillas are critically endangered due to human encroachment, forest degradation and regional political instability.
In both Bwindi and Virunga groups of gorillas that were habituated for research and eco-tourism have higher growth rates than unhabituated gorillas.
