The Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei) is the largest living primate species, confined to a geographically fragmented region of Central Africa. These great apes inhabit dense forest ecosystems, but their range is neither continuous nor widespread. Their populations are isolated in remaining patches of suitable habitat, which has led to the division of the species into two distinct subspecies.
General Geographic Distribution
The range of the Eastern Gorilla is limited to a small area bordering three countries: the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and Uganda. Historically, their distribution was more extensive, but it is now restricted to the eastern edge of the Albertine Rift Valley. This distribution is not a single, cohesive territory but a collection of isolated populations separated by significant distances and human settlements. The majority of remaining gorillas are found in the eastern DRC.
Specific Locations of the Two Subspecies
The two recognized subspecies of Eastern Gorilla occupy non-overlapping territories defined by specific political and ecological boundaries.
Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei)
The Mountain Gorilla is restricted to two separate, high-altitude forest blocks. One population lives within the Virunga Massif, a chain of volcanic mountains intersecting the Virunga National Park (DRC), Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda), and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (Uganda). The second population is found entirely within Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, with a small section extending into the Sarambwe Nature Reserve in the DRC.
Grauer’s Gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri)
The Grauer’s Gorilla, or Eastern Lowland Gorilla, is found almost exclusively within the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Their range stretches across a broader area of the Albertine Rift forests. Significant populations reside within the Kahuzi-Biega National Park and the Maiko National Park. Smaller groups are also scattered across the Itombwe Massif and the Tayna Gorilla Reserve.
Defining Environmental Characteristics
The Eastern Gorilla occupies dense forest habitats defined by altitude and specific vegetation types. Mountain Gorillas are restricted to higher elevations, living between 2,200 and 4,300 meters above sea level. Their preferred environment includes Afromontane cloud forests and thick bamboo forests, which provide shelter and a year-round food supply. Grauer’s Gorillas possess a wider altitudinal range, inhabiting areas from approximately 600 meters up to 2,900 meters. Their habitat includes dense mature and secondary lowland tropical rainforests, as well as transitional forests. Both subspecies thrive in rugged, mountainous terrain with thick undergrowth and cool, moist conditions.