Conservation · Why species are endangered
Why are gorillas endangered?
All gorilla subspecies are Endangered or Critically Endangered — bushmeat, habitat loss, Ebola and the pet trade drive declines.
In brief
All gorilla subspecies are Endangered or Critically Endangered. Habitat loss, poaching for bushmeat, disease (especially Ebola), and the illegal pet trade — which kills mothers to capture infants — have cut populations sharply in Central and West Africa.
By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated
Gorillas are our closest relatives after chimpanzees — sharing over 98% DNA with humans. All subspecies are Endangered or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda and DRC number just over 1,000 after decades of ranger investment — a rare recovery, but still Critically Endangered. Lowland gorillas face logging, mining, armed conflict and bushmeat hunting across the Congo Basin. Ebola kills apes at catastrophic rates; the pet trade kills mothers to capture infants. Ecotourism revenue demonstrates gorillas can be worth more alive where governance holds.
1,000+
Mountain gorillas after decades of protection
98%
DNA shared with humans
CR/EN
All subspecies Critically Endangered or Endangered
90%+
Ebola mortality in affected ape populations
Quick facts
| Subspecies | Mountain, eastern lowland, western lowland, Cross River — all threatened |
|---|---|
| Main threats | Bushmeat, habitat loss, Ebola, pet trade, mining, conflict |
| Mountain gorilla | Critically Endangered — recovered to 1,000+ with ranger funding |
| Pet trade | Mothers killed defending infants — orphans rarely survive transport |
| Ecotourism | Rwanda and Uganda revenue funds rangers and community benefits |
| CITES | Appendix I — commercial international trade prohibited |
Key takeaways
- All gorilla subspecies Endangered or Critically Endangered.
- Bushmeat hunting and pet trade kill mothers to capture infants.
- Ebola kills apes at catastrophic rates in outbreak zones.
- Mountain gorillas recovered to 1,000+ through sustained ranger investment.
- Lowland gorillas face conflict, mining and logging across the Congo Basin.
- Ecotourism revenue works where governance and health protocols hold.
Bushmeat and the pet trade
Gorillas are legally protected across range countries, yet bushmeat hunting supplies urban markets and mining camps in the Congo Basin. Snares set for antelope kill gorillas indiscriminately. The pet trade targets infants — poachers kill entire family groups to capture one baby. Infants rarely survive transport without specialist sanctuary care; even successful rescues cannot replace wild populations. CITES Appendix I prohibits commercial international trade, but domestic enforcement varies. Confiscated gorillas need lifetime sanctuary when rewilding is impossible — expensive, decades-long commitments donors must understand before funding rescue.
Ebola and disease
Ebola virus disease kills gorillas and chimpanzees at mortality rates exceeding 90% in affected populations. Outbreaks in Gabon and DRC decimated ape communities in the 1990s and 2000s. Gorillas can also contract respiratory diseases from unregulated human contact on ecotourism trails — mandatory distance rules and health screening for visitors reduce transmission risk. Disease is an under-discussed extinction driver alongside habitat loss — ape populations with low genetic diversity face higher vulnerability. Vaccination research continues but field deployment remains limited.
Habitat loss and conflict
Lowland gorilla forest habitat overlaps with timber concessions, artisanal mining and agricultural expansion. Armed conflict in eastern DRC displaces communities and collapses park protection — gorillas killed for meat when law enforcement fails. Cross River gorillas in Nigeria and Cameroon number fewer than 300 — fragmented by roads and farms. Protected-area designations on paper mean little without ranger salaries paid on time. Corridor protection linking subpopulations maintains genetic health — isolated groups face inbreeding and local extinction.
Mountain gorilla recovery lessons
Mountain gorilla numbers rose from roughly 250 in the 1980s to over 1,000 today — driven by daily ranger patrols, habituation for regulated ecotourism and community revenue-sharing in Rwanda and Uganda. The model proves intensive protection works when funding is sustained and local communities benefit. It is not easily replicated in active conflict zones where lowland gorillas live. Donors funding gorilla work should prioritise ranger salaries, health protocols and community engagement over one-off equipment purchases. WARN gorilla appeals link to partner programmes with transparent patrol budgets.
What WARN does
WARN gorilla appeals fund ranger patrol support and sanctuary care for confiscated individuals through partners in Rwanda and DRC — transparent budgets for salaries, veterinary kits and community benefit-sharing.