Mountain gorilla - Population & Distribution
Populations vulnerable to regional instability
Current Population and Distribution
Thanks to conservation efforts, the population of mountain gorillas has increased from 620 individuals in 1989 to around 700 individuals today. This number is likely to be accurate, as these animals have been intensely monitored since the 1950s.
The population is split almost evenly into two separate groups: one in the Virunga range of extinct volcanoes on the Uganda-Rwanda-Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border, and the other in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda.
The Virunga population numbers 380, and lives at altitudes ranging from 2,300 and 4,500 m. Most of these gorillas range within the southern part of Virunga National Park, DRC, and the Volcanoes National Park (Parc National des Volcans), northern Rwanda, while a few use the Mgahinga National Park, southwestern Uganda. The Virunga population has increased by 14% in the last 12 years, thanks largely to a collaborative effort between WWF and other conservation agencies to support the three range states in protecting these apes.
The Bwindi population lives at elevations of 1,500 to 2,300 m, and has increased by 12% over the past decade. A 2002 census recorded 320 individuals, and a 2007 census recorded 340 individuals.