The Gorilla Habitat
Equatorial Africa – home of the largest great ape
Gorillas, the largest of the great apes, live in the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. The habitat of the two species of gorilla, the eastern and western gorillas, is divided by almost 900km (560miles).
Eastern gorillas live in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda and Rwanda. Western gorillas, meanwhile, can be found in Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Angola and DRC.
However, the gorilla habitat is being lost at an alarming rate. Deforestation is being driven by farming and mining, among other threats, and humans continue to encroach, which is why the Gorilla Organization works to plant trees and build a natural buffer between people and gorillas. The remaining gorilla populations are now largely isolated and protected in National Parks. You can find out more about these parks below.
The Virunga National Park is Africa’s oldest National Park, established back in 1925. Situated in the Albertine Rift Valley in the eastern part of the DRC, it stretches around 300km (190miles) north to south and covers an area of over 8,000km2.
The Virunga National Pack borders Uganda and Rwanda. There are two active volcanoes located here, Mount Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira, both of which have played a significant role in the park’s habitat and wildlife. More than 3,000 flora and fauna species have been recorded here, of which over 300 are endemic to the Albertine Rift, including the eastern gorilla.
The Virunga National Park has been recognized as a World Heritage Site because of its rich diversity of habitats and its protection of the rare mountain gorilla habitat.
The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in southwestern Uganda. The park is part of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and is situated along the DRC border next to the Virunga National Park and on the edge of the Albertine Rift. The Bwindi Impenetrable National Pack, which consists of both mountainous and lowland forest, covers over 320 km2.
The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to more than 120 species of mammal and 300 species of bird. The park is also home to half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, with around 500 living here. The other half of the mountain gorilla population is spread across three National Packs in the DRC, Uganda, and Rwanda.
The Kahuzi-Biega National Park, named after two dormant volcanoes, Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biega, is a protected area in eastern DRC. It is situated near the western bank of Lake Kivu and the Rwandan border. The park covers an area of 6,000km2, making it one of the biggest in the country.
Kahuzi-Biega consists of both mountainous and lowland habitat, and is listed as a World Heritage Site for its biodiversity and for being one of the last homes for the Eastern lowland gorilla.
Kahuzi-Biege National Park is home a greater variety of mammals than any other National Park in the Albertine Rift, with over 130 species of mammals identified here so far.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, established in 1991 in an area once used as a game reserve, is situated in the Virunga Mountains and is home to three inactive volcanoes, Mount Muhabura, Mount Gahinga, and Mount Sabyinyo.
Maghinga Gorilla National Park in home to over 75 mammal species, including the mountain gorilla.
Volcanoes National Park is a located in northwestern Rwanda. The park, the original research site for Dian Fossey, covers 160km2 of rainforest and contains five of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains, including Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo.
Volcanoes National Park borders both the Virunga National Park and the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
It is best known for being home to a large population of mountain gorillas.
Find out more about the gorilla subspecies.
Western lowland gorilla
(Scientific name: Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
Cross river gorilla
(Scientific name: Gorilla gorilla diehli)
Mountain gorilla
(Scientific name: Gorilla beringei beringei)
Eastern lowland or Grauer’s gorilla
(Scientific name: Gorilla beringei graueri)