Gorilla Trekking Tips: There are two different species of gorilla – eastern and western – each with two sub-species. Mountain gorillas are an eastern gorilla sub-species. Though numbers are increasing, there are only about 1069 of them, they are listed as “Critically Endangered” Eastern lowland gorillas, of which there are around 5,000, are the largest sub-species of gorillas – adult males have been known to reach 250 kg, making them the world’s largest primate.
Less is known about the Eastern lowland gorillas. They’re known to be more numerous, but winning their trust has been much more difficult because they are terrified of humans. They live in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, DRC, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Mountain Gorillas
The Mountain gorillas sub-species are the most endangered sub-species and the hardest to see. The tiny population is divided into a dozen sub-populations in Uganda, Rwanda and in DR-Congo.
The mountain gorillas has become an icon of ecotourism and conservation. In the 30-old years since the BBC first broadcast Life on Earth, with David Attenborough being surrounded – and even sat upon – by our hairy cousins, many TV documentaries have charted their story.