# Mountain Gorilla (*Gorilla beringei beringei*)

> The mountain gorilla is a subspecies of eastern gorilla living in the cloud forests of the Virunga volcanoes and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, with fewer than 1,100 individuals remaining. Adult silverback males weigh 140–220 kg (310–485 lb), live in stable family groups, and are listed Endangered despite decades of conservation success.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Endangered
- **Range:** Montane cloud forests of the Virunga volcanoes (Rwanda, Uganda, DRC) and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in southwestern Uganda — fewer than 1,100 individuals in two isolated populations.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/mountain-gorilla/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Primates
- **Family:** Hominidae
- **Genus:** Gorilla

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Gorilla beringei beringei |
| Diet | Herbivore — leaves, shoots, stems, fruit, and bark |
| Habitat | Montane and bamboo cloud forests at 2,200–4,300 m elevation |
| Lifespan | 35–40 years in the wild |
| Weight | Males 140–220 kg; females 70–100 kg |
| Top speed | Knuckle-walking; powerful but not built for sprinting |
| Conservation status | Endangered (IUCN) |

## Silverback society

Each group centres on a dominant silverback male who leads, protects, and mediates disputes among females and younger males. Groups typically contain 5–30 individuals with strong bonds — grooming, play, and vocalisations maintain cohesion in dense forest where visibility is limited.

## High-altitude foraging

Mountain gorillas spend much of the day eating bulky vegetation — wild celery, bamboo shoots, thistles, and nettles — requiring hours of continuous feeding to meet energy needs at cold elevations. They rarely drink standing water, obtaining moisture from plants.

## Conservation turnaround

Famously studied by Dian Fossey, mountain gorillas fell to roughly 250 individuals in the 1980s from poaching, habitat loss, and war. Intensive anti-poaching patrols, veterinary care, and ecotourism revenue helped numbers recover past 1,000 — one of conservation's rare success stories.

## Ongoing threats

Listed Endangered, mountain gorillas remain confined to two small forest blocks straddling Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Political instability, snares set for antelope, disease transmission from humans, and climate-driven habitat shifts still pose risks.

## Frequently asked questions

### How many mountain gorillas are left?

Roughly 1,000–1,100 individuals in two populations — the Virunga Massif and Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest — up from about 250 in the 1980s.

### Are mountain gorillas dangerous?

Wild gorillas are generally peaceful herbivores. Silverbacks charge to intimidate threats but rarely attack unless provoked or if a group feels cornered.

### Where can you see mountain gorillas?

Guided treks in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, Uganda's Bwindi and Mgahinga parks, and DRC's Virunga National Park — permits are limited and expensive to fund protection.

### Mountain gorilla vs lowland gorilla?

Mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) live at high elevation with longer fur and smaller range. Western and eastern lowland gorillas inhabit lowland rainforests and are separate subspecies.

### Why are mountain gorillas endangered?

Small range, habitat encroachment, snares, disease from human contact, and historical poaching — though numbers are slowly increasing thanks to sustained protection efforts.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Gorilla beringei beringei.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Gorilla%20beringei%20beringei&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Gorilla beringei beringei. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Gorilla_beringei/)
- [Wikipedia — Mountain Gorilla.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_gorilla)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/mountain-gorilla/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.