Western lowland gorilla - Population & Distribution
Most widespread of all gorillas
Current Population and DistributionThe western lowland gorilla is the most widespread of all gorillas, ranging through southern Cameroon, the southwest corner of the Central African Republic (CAR), west Congo (Brazzaville), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and southwards to the Cabinda enclave of Angola (north of the Zaïre River). There is no reliable estimate of the total number of western lowland gorillas because they inhabit thick rainforest where it is difficult to count them.
The forests of Gabon are currently considered to harbour the major population, although it is possible that unsurveyed areas of Congo (Brazzaville) may contain equivalent numbers. Surveys in Cameroon have established that western lowland gorillas occur at higher densities throughout a wider range of forest habitats than was previously thought, e.g. almost three individuals per square kilometre in Lobeke National Park.
Total numbers of western lowland gorillas can only be guessed, but based on known densities and the extent of their habitat, the population may number 100,000 individuals, with a geographic range of 709,000 km². Nevertheless, the western lowland gorilla is categorized as Endangered (IUCN Red List) because of habitat loss and poaching pressure: the population in Equatorial Guinea is probably Critically Endangered.
