Gorillas are endangered because hunting and capture, shrinking and fragmented forest habitat, infectious disease, and political insecurity compound one another. The threats and population trends differ among gorilla groups, so no single cause or trend describes all gorillas. Conservation has helped mountain gorillas increase in number, but that dated gain does not mean their threats—or those facing other gorillas—are gone.
Which gorillas are endangered?
Gorillas comprise two species, eastern (Gorilla beringei) and western (Gorilla gorilla), each with two commonly recognized subspecies: mountain and Grauer’s gorillas are eastern gorillas; western lowland and Cross River gorillas are western gorillas.
Status labels depend on the assessment and date. In its 2018 announcement, IUCN reported that mountain gorillas had improved from Critically Endangered to Endangered, while the eastern gorilla species remained Critically Endangered. A 2025 Associated Press report summarized both gorilla species as Critically Endangered and said three of four subspecies were Critically Endangered. These statements come from different sources and dates; check the current IUCN assessments before relying on a present-day status label for a particular taxon.
Population figures also need dates and geographic scope. IUCN reported around 680 mountain gorillas in 2008 and more than 1,000 in 2018. Its 2019 assessment publication estimated 3,800 Grauer’s gorillas, using survey data collected from 2010 to 2015, and reported a 77% decline since 1994–95. Neither figure is a current count, and they should not be combined into a total for all gorillas.
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1. Forest habitat is being cleared and degraded
Gorillas depend on forest habitat. Agricultural expansion, charcoal production, timber extraction, and mining can remove or degrade forest and break up connected habitat. Roads and other access into remote areas can also make forests more accessible to hunters. These pressures can overlap, but their effects vary by location.
IUCN identifies agricultural expansion, charcoal production, artisanal timber extraction, and artisanal mining among the pressures affecting gorillas. Habitat loss and degradation can reduce the forest available to gorillas, while new access may facilitate hunting and other activity. The relative importance and severity of each threat should be considered for the population and area in question.
2. Hunting, snares, and illegal capture kill gorillas
Bushmeat hunting and poaching directly remove gorillas from wild populations. IUCN describes intensive bushmeat hunting as a major threat to Grauer’s gorillas. Sources also identify the capture of infant gorillas for illegal trade as a threat.
Gorillas can also be injured or killed in snares set for other animals. IUCN credits veterinary interventions, including snare removal, among the actions supporting mountain gorilla conservation. The extent of these threats varies across gorilla populations and locations.
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Because gorillas reproduce slowly, losses can be difficult to replace quickly. The death or capture of an individual therefore adds to pressures that may already include habitat change, disease, and insecurity.
3. Infectious disease can affect gorilla populations
Disease can spread among wild gorillas, people, domestic animals, and other wildlife. IUCN’s mountain gorilla profile describes infectious agents passing across this human–animal interface. Its 2018 announcement also named respiratory infections and Ebola among disease threats.
Do not assume every outbreak has the same source or impact. Disease risks differ by population and setting, and the available research does not establish one current, comparable disease impact for every gorilla group.
For mountain gorillas, IUCN describes disease-prevention practices for tourism that include limiting visitor numbers and avoiding close human contact. Veterinary monitoring and interventions are also part of conservation work.
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Political insecurity and armed conflict can undermine protection, monitoring, and research. IUCN identifies recurring civil unrest among threats to mountain gorillas and persistent insecurity linked to armed groups in Grauer’s gorilla range. Insecurity there also hinders conservation and monitoring.
Conflict compounds other pressures: it can make it harder to patrol protected areas, assess population trends, or respond to threats such as poaching and mining. Its effects are location-specific and should not be treated as identical across all gorilla habitat.
Mountain gorillas show that conservation can help
IUCN reported that the mountain gorilla estimate rose from around 680 in 2008 to more than 1,000 in 2018, based on coordinated surveys and improved survey methods. In 2018, IUCN announced that the subspecies had moved from Critically Endangered to Endangered. These are dated findings, not an undated current census or a description of every gorilla population.
IUCN credits collaborative conservation, positive community engagement, anti-poaching patrols, and veterinary interventions such as snare removal in the mountain gorilla recovery. It also stresses that threats including poaching, unrest, and disease remain, so conservation work must continue.
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The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s 2025–2030 plan describes continuing anti-poaching work in Volcanoes National Park and efforts addressing threats including poaching and mining in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The organization’s 2022 press kit describes community initiatives involving food and water security, education, and livelihoods near gorilla habitat. These are examples of ongoing work, not evidence that any one program has resolved the wider drivers of decline.
What can protect gorillas?
Conservation responses need to address the threats affecting each population and involve people who live near gorilla habitat.
| Pressure | Documented response or focus |
|---|---|
| Hunting and snares | Anti-poaching patrols and veterinary interventions, including snare removal, are among the measures IUCN credits in mountain gorilla conservation. |
| Habitat degradation and mining | Address land-use and extraction pressures in the locations where they affect gorilla habitat; the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s 2025–2030 plan describes work addressing mining in eastern DRC. |
| Disease exposure | Use disease-prevention practices, including limits on tourist numbers and avoiding close human contact, as described by IUCN for mountain gorillas. |
| Conflict and insecurity | Account for access and safety constraints when planning protection and monitoring; insecurity can hinder conservation and research. |
| Community needs | Support locally relevant engagement and initiatives. The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s 2022 press kit describes work involving food and water security, education, and livelihoods. |
Can tourism help gorillas?
Tourism can be part of conservation, but it must be managed to reduce risks to gorillas. IUCN describes disease-prevention practices that include limits on visitor numbers and avoiding close human contact. Follow the current rules set by the relevant park authority; visitor requirements and conditions may vary.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Why are gorillas endangered?
Hunting and capture, forest loss and degradation, infectious disease, and political insecurity all contribute. Their relative importance differs among populations and locations.
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Are all gorillas critically endangered?
Status labels depend on the taxon, source, and assessment date. IUCN’s 2018 announcement reported mountain gorillas as Endangered and the eastern gorilla species as Critically Endangered. A 2025 Associated Press report summarized both species as Critically Endangered. Check current IUCN assessments for a present-day status.
Are mountain gorillas still threatened after their population increased?
Yes. IUCN reported an increase from around 680 in 2008 to more than 1,000 in 2018 and announced a change in status to Endangered that year. The gain was specific to mountain gorillas and did not mean threats had ended or that other gorilla populations shared the same trend.
How many Grauer’s gorillas are there?
IUCN’s 2019 assessment publication estimated 3,800, based on survey data collected between 2010 and 2015. The assessment also reported a 77% decline since 1994–95. This is a dated estimate, not a current count.
How can people help protect gorillas?
Support credible, locally relevant conservation efforts, and follow current park rules when visiting gorilla habitat. Conservation work described by IUCN includes anti-poaching patrols, veterinary interventions, community engagement, and disease-prevention practices.
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The Bottom Line
Gorillas face overlapping pressures from hunting and capture, forest loss and degradation, infectious disease, and insecurity. Their risks and trends are not uniform: IUCN documented a mountain gorilla increase through 2018, while its 2019 assessment publication reported a severe earlier decline for Grauer’s gorillas. Dated assessments and continued, locally relevant conservation action are essential to understanding and addressing those threats.
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