Mountain Gorilla Population – There are two main populations of mountain gorillas. One population lives in Virunga National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and Volcanoes National Park. The other population lives in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Some scientists suggest that the Bwindi gorillas may even be a separate subspecies.
Conservation efforts, started by famous American primatist Dian Fossey, have helped increase gorilla numbers over the years. Population counts are usually done using dung samples collected from night nests. Research shows that groups habituated for tourism and study grow faster than unhabituated ones because they are closely monitored and often receive veterinary care when needed.
The lowest recorded population was in 1981, with only 254 gorillas in the wild. By 1997, the Virunga region had about 320 individuals. In 2006, a census in Bwindi counted about 340 gorillas. In 2010, Virunga National Park reported a 26.3 percent increase in numbers over seven years, with an average growth of 3.7 percent per year. That census estimated 480 gorillas in Virunga, compared to 380 counted in 2003.
Despite this growth, mountain gorillas remain on the IUCN Red List as an endangered species. The biggest threats to their survival are poaching, habitat loss, diseases, and human conflicts such as war and unrest.
Mountain gorilla is a subspecies of Eastern gorilla. They live in the Virunga Mountains and in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda. Mountain gorillas have a very low reproduction rate. Females give birth about once every four years, and males start breeding between 12 and 15 years of age. Females have only 1–3 fertile days in a month, and the gestation period is eight and a half months.
Baby gorillas are very vulnerable at birth, just like human babies. They weigh about 4 pounds but grow nearly twice as fast as human infants. They survive on breast milk and stay close to their mothers until about 4 years old, when they become independent.
Gorillas are usually shy and gentle unless threatened. When disturbed, a gorilla often gives warnings by thumping the ground, throwing vegetation, or screaming. If the threat does not stop, the gorilla may attack.
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