Gorillas are magnificent primates, and a common question concerns whether they inhabit the forests of Asia. The definitive answer is no; their entire natural range is restricted to the tropical and subtropical forests of Central Africa. This geographic separation makes a clear distinction between gorillas and other great ape species.
Where Gorillas Truly Live
The natural habitat of all gorilla species is exclusively found within equatorial Africa, specifically the Congo Basin and surrounding regions. The genus is divided into two distinct species: the Western Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) and the Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei). The Congo River and its tributaries serve as a natural geographic barrier separating the two species, which live approximately 560 miles apart.
The Western Gorilla population is spread across west-central Africa, including countries such as Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of Congo, and Angola. This species includes two subspecies: the Western Lowland Gorilla, which is the most numerous, and the Cross River Gorilla. The Eastern Gorilla species lives in the eastern part of the continent, with its two subspecies located primarily in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, and Rwanda. This includes the Mountain Gorilla, which inhabits high-altitude montane cloud forests.
Distinguishing Gorillas from Asian Apes
The confusion regarding gorillas living in Asia likely stems from the fact that the great ape family is split between the two continents. While gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos are exclusive to Africa, other ape species inhabit Southeast Asia. These Asian apes include Orangutans, found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, and Gibbons, which are distributed across various parts of Southeast Asia.
Gorillas are the largest of all living primates, with adult males often weighing more than twice the size of the largest orangutan. Gorillas are predominantly terrestrial, walking primarily on all fours using a knuckle-walking gait. In contrast, Asian apes like orangutans are highly arboreal, spending most of their lives in the trees. Gorillas also live in structured social groups led by a dominant male, often referred to as a silverback, whereas male orangutans are largely solitary.
Conservation Status and Threats
All gorilla subspecies face threats and are classified at high risk of extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The majority of populations, including the Western Lowland Gorilla and the Eastern Lowland Gorilla, are listed as Critically Endangered. This classification reflects the population reduction observed in recent decades, driven by several interconnected factors.
The primary threats include illegal hunting for the bushmeat trade, habitat loss due to logging and agriculture, and the impact of infectious diseases. Outbreaks of the Ebola virus, for instance, have caused declines in some Western Gorilla populations. Dedicated conservation efforts have led to a positive shift for the Mountain Gorilla, whose status was recently moved from Critically Endangered to Endangered.