Africa is a continent renowned for its remarkable biodiversity, home to an extensive array of wildlife. Its diverse ecosystems support a wide variety of species. Large primates frequently draw significant human interest.
Gorillas and South Africa: The Geographical Truth
Gorillas are not native to South Africa; their natural historical range does not extend to the southern tip of the African continent. While South Africa has diverse wildlife, including baboons and vervet monkeys, gorillas are not part of its indigenous fauna. The country’s biomes do not align with the specific forest environments gorillas require for survival.
Gorillas primarily inhabit tropical or subtropical forests in Sub-Saharan Africa. Their distribution is patchy, separated by geographical features like the Congo River. South Africa’s climate and vegetation differ significantly from the equatorial forests where gorilla populations thrive. Historical and current ecological conditions in South Africa have not supported wild gorilla populations, so they do not occur there naturally.
Where Gorillas Truly Roam
Gorillas are found exclusively in the tropical and subtropical forests of Central and East Africa. There are two main species: the Western Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) and the Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei), each with distinct subspecies. These species are separated by a significant distance due to differing habitats and historical climatic changes.
Western Gorillas, including the Western Lowland Gorilla and the critically endangered Cross River Gorilla, primarily inhabit west-central African countries. Their range spans Gabon, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo. These gorillas prefer dense tropical and subtropical rainforests, including lowland swamp and river forests. The Cross River Gorilla has a much more limited distribution, found only along the Nigeria-Cameroon border.
Eastern Gorillas, comprising the Mountain Gorilla and the Eastern Lowland Gorilla (also known as Grauer’s Gorilla), are found in Central Africa. Mountain Gorillas live in the high-altitude montane cloud forests of the Virunga Mountains, spanning parts of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Eastern Lowland Gorillas are restricted to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, preferring lowland and Albertine Rift montane forests. These forest ecosystems provide the necessary food sources and shelter, allowing gorilla populations to thrive.