Types of Gorillas in Africa & Where to See Them

Gorillas are among the most famous and largest apes in the world. In Africa, they can be found in Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, Nigeria, and a few other countries.

Gorillas live in mountains, near rivers, and in lowland areas. They share 98% of their DNA with humans, just like chimpanzees.

Gorillas mainly eat shoots, leaves, grass, and fruits. They live on the ground, unlike chimpanzees and baboons, which spend more time in trees.

Gorillas rarely drink water because their food contains enough water.

Gorillas live in groups called troops or families, each led by a silverback, the dominant male. The silverback protects the group, leads them to food, and mates with the females.

The name “silverback” comes from the greyish hair that appears on a male gorilla’s back as he matures.

Young male gorillas often leave their groups when they grow up to form their own families, attracting a few females and other young males to join them. A gorilla group usually has between 2 and 30 members.

Among eastern lowland gorillas, when the leader dies, the females and young gorillas leave to join other groups for protection.

For mountain gorillas, the eldest male usually takes over leadership when the silverback dies.

Gorillas are the largest living apes in the world, and there are two species: eastern gorillas and western gorillas. These species differ in body size, fur, and nostril shape.

Western gorillas are further divided into two subspecies: the cross river gorillas and the western lowland gorillas.

Eastern gorillas are divided into mountain gorillas and eastern lowland gorillas.

In total, there are four known subspecies of gorillas:

Mountain Gorilla

As the name suggests, mountain gorillas live in forested mountain areas. They are found in the Virunga Mountains, which stretch across Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

National parks where you can find mountain gorillas include Bwindi and Mgahinga in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Virunga National Park in Congo.

They live at altitudes of 1,000 to 4,000 meters above sea level and are able to withstand the cold due to their long, thick fur.

Mountain gorillas are endangered because their habitats are threatened by human activities such as encroachment and poaching.

Eastern Lowland Gorilla

Also called Grauer’s gorillas, these are found in Congo’s Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the South Kivu region. They are the largest subspecies and live in both lowland and mountain areas.

They have shorter, brown hair compared to mountain gorillas and are generally peaceful and calm.

Cross River Gorilla

Listed as endangered in 2006, cross river gorillas live in the forested mountains of Cameroon and Nigeria. They can weigh up to 200 kilograms and stand about 5 feet tall.

There are only about 350 cross river gorillas left in the world, making them highly vulnerable to poaching and habitat loss.

These gorillas are more aggressive and shy, making them difficult to study, and they are not available for tourism in Cameroon or Nigeria.

Western Lowland Gorilla

These gorillas live in Central and West Africa in countries like Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Cameroon, Congo, and the Central African Republic.

They are the most common gorilla subspecies and live in Africa’s large forests. Western lowland gorillas are smaller in size, with a population of over 350,000 in the wild, and some can also be found in zoos.

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