How many gorillas are there left in the world

Virunga massif is a chain of mountains that traverse the borders of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The mountains are inhabited by mountain gorillas but in three different parks each in one of the countries. The total number of mountain gorillas left in the wild in is mostly habituated and therefore accustomed to the presence of human beings therefore very safe to trek during any gorilla tracking safari.

With the increasing numbers of mountain gorillas, trekking is an activity you should prefer to have during Uganda safaris. Being that they live in their natural habitat, you have to plan a Uganda gorilla trekking safari , gorilla tour Rwanda , or Congo gorilla safari.

Travelers can book a gorilla tracking safari or combine it with other Uganda safaris , Rwanda tours including activities like wildlife viewing, bird watching, or any other adventure trips. Family of mountain gorillas with a baby gorilla and a silverback, Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. Home Blog gorilla safaris How many Mountain Gorillas are left in the wild ?

How many Mountain Gorillas are left in the wild ? They covered the entire region twice from east to west. The previous census , carried out in , also covered the area twice, but only one of these attempts was a full sweep — meaning it started at one end of the forest and systematically progressed towards the other end. The other sweep was disjointed, in terms of how it covered the area and the timing, allowing gorilla groups to easily move and avoid detection.

In Bwindi, from the estimated individuals, are in groups that are used to people and can easily be counted. Censuses of Virunga mountain gorillas are more accurate because more of their gorillas are used to human presence.

It shows an increase from individuals in to in Most of these gorillas — out of — belong to groups that are used to human presence, they can be followed daily and easily counted. The population increases in the Virunga gorillas is strongly attributed to active conservation. From experimentation to conservation: Fossey arrived with the intent to simply study gorilla behavior and their habitat, but she soon became a fierce advocate and protector of the animal as well.

Tipping point: Today, conservation efforts initiated by Fossey have doubled the mountain gorilla population at Volcanoes National Park, and the species is the only great ape experiencing a population growth.

Like rambunctious kids, young gorillas play tag and even do somersaults. And gorillas consider staring a sign of hostility. If a big area of forest is turned into an oil palm or rubber plantation, it is not habitat for anything anymore, except weeds. The situation varies widely by country, said Maisel, with Gabon having good national policies while the war-torn Central African Republic is struggling to govern at all.

Congo is a hotspot for gorillas, she said, and could play a vital role in conservation. The western lowland gorilla is by far the most populous subspecies.

This article is more than 3 years old. Researchers now estimate that there are more than , western lowland gorillas in the wild, approximately one third higher than earlier figures.