As mentioned below, there are two species of gorillas in the world: the Western gorilla and the Eastern gorilla. Let me give you a quick overview of what a gorilla is before we go into the specifics of the different kinds.

A Gorilla: What Is It?

The equatorial regions of Africa are home to gorillas, which are often gentle giants. They share over 98% of their DNA with humans, making them comparable to chimpanzees, man’s close living relative, and they exhibit a number of human-like emotions, traits, and behaviors, including as joy and grief.

The traits of gorillas

The largest great apes are gorillas, who have muscular bodies with powerful shoulders and broad chests. They have tiny eyes and very hairy features, and their hands resemble those of humans in many ways. Some may have as many as 40 people in a single family, while others remain in groupings as families of between 5 to 15.

Every household is headed by a male adult “silverback,” who shapes the social life of the group based on his relationships with the women. The female gorilla reaches sexual maturity at the age of 7 or 8, although the male may take longer. Typically, these gorillas give birth to one offspring every 4–6 years, however twin births have been seen.

 

Gorila Types
There are six different kinds of gorillas, including

#1 The species of Eastern Gorilla
The greater Virunga trans-boundary collaboration, in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiques of Uganda, conducted a survey in 2018 that estimated the number of mountain gorillas to be just over 1063.

The eastern lowland gorillas, on the other hand, are thought to have decreased to nearly 50% of their previous population of 17,000 in the mid-1990s, according to estimates provided by scientists.

#2 The Gorilla of Cross River
These mostly inhabit Cameroon’s and Nigeria’s jungles. They may grow up to 450 pounds in weight and reach heights of 4 to 5.5 feet while standing on two legs. This subspecies of gorilla is thought to inhabit an area of roughly 3,000 square miles, and the entire area is currently inhabited by a large population of people who regrettably clear this natural habitat to make way for human agricultural activities, the rearing of livestock, and even the harvesting of forest timber.

Because of the serious poaching that occurs in this area, the Cross River gorilla population is currently rather tiny. Regretfully, one of the most endangered animal species in the world today is the Cross River Gorilla.

On the plus side, given that this gorilla habitant crosses borders into both Nigeria and Cameroon, the governments of both countries, along with WWF and other wildlife conservation groups, are making a concerted effort to implement policies that safeguard this natural habitat. In these two nations, continuing sensitization and awareness campaigns are being carried out, particularly to educate the local population residing near these sanctuaries about the benefits of preserving and safeguarding this subspecies.

#3 The Gorillas in the Mountains
This subspecies mostly inhabits heavily wooded areas and can withstand elevations of 8000–13000 feet. Only three countries in the world are home to these, and they are the Bwindi impenetrable forest in Uganda, the Virunga mountains that border Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, and Virunnga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These gorillas may reach heights of 4 to 5.5 feet while standing on two feet, and an adult gorilla can weigh up to 480 pounds.

In order to live in the colder regions of the wooded areas, mountain gorillas often have a thick coat and a great deal of distance. The mountain gorillas are pushed farther into the forest, where the climate is typically severe, as a result of humans encroaching on their natural habitat.

With little over 1,000 mountain gorillas worldwide—a population that has actually increased from 850 in the 1990s to what it is today—this subspecies is likewise regarded as severely endangered. A huge thank you to the governments of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo for their excellent conservation efforts, which have contributed to the recent rise in mountain gorilla populations.

#4 The species of Western gorilla
However, there are two subspecies of the Western gorilla species: the Cross River gorillas, which are thought to number between 200 and 300, and the Western lowland gorillas, which are thought to number over 100,000. Actually, this is the most common and well-liked gorilla subspecies worldwide.

#5 The Gorilla of the Eastern Lowlands
This subspecies is located in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it lives in the lower reaches of tropical rainforests. Human encroachment has caused their habitat to shrink from its original 8,000 square miles to about 5,500 square miles, which makes up around 13% of the original habitat.

The squat physique, short nose, and huge hands are characteristics of the eastern lowland gorilla. They have an average body weight of 450 pounds and may grow to a height of 4 to 5.5 feet when standing on two feet.

#6 The Gorilla of the Western Lowlands
This subspecies of gorilla is the most common and has the biggest individual population. They inhabit a variety of environments, such as marshes and rainforests, and are found in the Congo and Cameroon regions.

They are smaller than other gorilla subspecies in terms of size, having reddish brown chests, dark grey coats, smaller ears, and broader heads. Since many of them depart from the depths of the lush forest in which they live, the precise number of them is unknown. However, they are also regarded as an endangered species, and the biggest threat to them is poaching and habitat development.

The Eastern and Western Gorillas’ Similarities and Dissimilarities

Although both gorilla species inhabit tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, it is unclear what the main distinctions between them are. The primary distinction between these two is the size of their noses and the sounds they make when speaking. Furthermore, Eastern gorillas seem larger than their Western counterparts in general.

Problems facing the population of gorillas The biggest problem facing gorillas worldwide is the loss of their natural habitat as a result of human activities like agriculture, infrastructure development, and field clearance for livestock grazing, to name a few, all of which contribute to deforestation. Additionally, the forest giants are being poached for their flesh and illegally traded on the black market.