Knowra Mountain gorilla Mountain gorilla The mountain gorilla is an endangered subspecies of eastern gorilla found in the Virunga volcanoes and Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Its dense fur helps it live in cold, high-altitude forests.
Eastern gorilla : The largest living primate species, native to forests of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. Mountain gorillas are one of the two subspecies of this species.
Herbivory : A form of feeding in which animals consume plants or plant parts. Mountain gorillas obtain most of their food from leaves, stems, shoots, and other vegetation.
Mountain gorilla conservation : Efforts to protect mountain gorillas and their habitats through monitoring, research, and community-centered measures. Coordinated conservation has helped the population recover despite severe historical decline.
Dian Fossey : An American primatologist who studied and advocated for mountain gorillas in Rwanda. Her long-term fieldwork and anti-poaching efforts brought sustained attention to Virunga gorillas.
Western gorilla : A gorilla species native to forests of Central Africa, comprising western lowland and Cross River gorillas. It is the other living gorilla species, distinct from the eastern gorilla lineage.
Gorilla silverback : A mature male gorilla with silver-gray hair across its back, often leading a social group. A silverback commonly leads the group and mediates its movements and social interactions.
International Gorilla Conservation Programme : A regional partnership supporting conservation of gorillas and their habitats across the Virunga landscape. It coordinates work across national borders where the Virunga gorilla population ranges.
Mountain gorilla census : A systematic survey estimating the number and distribution of mountain gorillas in their range. Repeated censuses provide the principal basis for tracking population change.
Virunga Mountains : A chain of volcanoes spanning Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Their high-altitude forests are one of the mountain gorilla’s two principal habitats.
Gorilla vocalization : The range of sounds gorillas use in social interactions, including calls, grunts, and hoots. Calls help mountain gorillas maintain contact and coordinate within dense forest.
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