Wildlife
Gorillas are the world's largest primate and for years they've been portrayed as fearsome and aggressive beasts. But gorillas are actually gentle giants that have strong family ties and live on a vegetarian diet. The eastern gorilla has three subspecies: the mountain gorilla, the Bwindi gorilla and the eastern lowland gorilla.
Scientific name: Gorilla beringei
Rank: Species
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Back from the brink
Intensively managing mountain gorillas have saved them from extinction.
Intensively managing mountain gorillas have saved them from extinction.
Mighty giants
Ancestors of the largest living primates have lived in African for millions of years.
Ancestors of the largest living primates on Earth have lived in African forests for millions of years.
A rare sight
Presenter Steve Backshall is on the search for one of our closest relatives, the mountain gorilla.
Presenter Steve Backshall is on the search for one of our closest relatives, the mountain gorilla.
Tough start
An old silverback is left to care for his young daughter when her mother deserts the group.
An old silverback is left to care for his young daughter when her mother deserts the group.
Something to prove
Steve Backshall finds that gorillas can have quite a left hook.
Steve Backshall finds that gorillas can have quite a left hook.
Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.
The Eastern Gorilla can be found in a number of locations including: Africa. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Eastern Gorilla distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
RainforestDiscover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Endangered
Population trend: Decreasing
Year assessed: 2008
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) is a species of the genus Gorilla and the largest living primate. At present, the species is subdivided into two subspecies. The eastern lowland gorilla (G. b. graueri) is the most populous, at about 5,000 individuals. The mountain gorilla (G. b. beringei) has only about 700 individuals. In addition, scientists are considering elevating the Bwindi gorilla population (which numbers about half of the mountain gorilla population) to the rank of subspecies.
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Titus 1974-2009 By the time of his death at age 35, Titus was the oldest known silverback in the world and had been the undoubted king of the 65 silverbacks in his mountain home for many years.
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Learning
Hierarchical
Tactile sense
Herbivorous
Polygynous
Social
Sexual dimorphism
Visual communication
Viviparous