Gorillas, the world’s largest primates, inhabit the tropical and subtropical forests of Central Africa. Gorillas do live in environments commonly called “jungles,” which scientists define more precisely as tropical rainforests or forests. These ground-dwelling apes are found across a wide range of elevations, from sea-level swamps to high-altitude mountain slopes. Their distribution is split between two species and four distinct subspecies. Their survival is intimately tied to the health of their forest homes.
Defining the Gorilla’s Forest Home
The diverse forest types gorillas inhabit are categorized into Lowland and Montane environments. Lowland forests, including rainforests, swamps, and marshes, are found at lower elevations and have a warm, humid climate with little temperature variation. These environments support a high diversity of plant life, providing a rich source of fruits, leaves, and stems for the gorillas. Lowland regions are typically found in the Congo Basin, spanning several Central African countries.
Montane forests are found at much higher elevations, ranging from 1,500 to over 4,000 meters above sea level. These areas, often referred to as cloud forests, are cooler, cloudier, and wetter than the lowlands. The vegetation in these high-altitude habitats includes dense bamboo forests and various herbaceous plants. Gorillas in these colder, more rugged environments have evolved thicker, longer fur to help them survive the lower temperatures.
Geographical Distribution of Gorilla Subspecies
The four recognized gorilla subspecies are divided into two main species: the Western Gorilla and the Eastern Gorilla. The Western Gorilla species includes the Western Lowland Gorilla and the Cross River Gorilla. Western Lowland Gorillas are the most numerous and widespread, inhabiting the tropical forests of Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic.
The Cross River Gorilla is the world’s rarest great ape, with fewer than 300 individuals surviving in the wild. Their extremely restricted range is a small area of low-lying and submontane forests along the border region between Nigeria and Cameroon. The Eastern Gorilla species comprises the Eastern Lowland Gorilla and the Mountain Gorilla. Eastern Lowland Gorillas, also called Grauer’s gorillas, are the largest of all subspecies and are restricted to the dense lowland rainforests of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Mountain Gorillas inhabit the high-altitude montane forests of the Virunga Massif and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Their range is confined to a small region spanning three countries: Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Life Within the Dense Canopy
Gorillas are primarily herbivorous. Mountain gorillas largely consume leaves, stems, pith, and shoots, as their high-altitude habitat offers fewer fruits. Western Lowland Gorillas, living in fruit-rich environments, have a more varied diet that includes a significant amount of fruit, as well as occasional insects like termites and ants. An adult male can consume about 45 pounds of vegetation daily.
The gorilla’s day is spent foraging in the morning and afternoon, with a rest period typically taken around midday. Before dusk, each gorilla builds a new nest for the night, either on the ground or in the trees, using branches and leaves. They construct a fresh nest every evening, a behavior linked to their nomadic foraging strategy. Gorillas live in family groups called troops, which are usually led by a dominant male known as a silverback. The silverback is responsible for protecting the group and determining its movements throughout the forest.