Schleich - Gorilla Adult Female with Baby

Did you know?

East vs west
There are two species of gorilla - eastern and western. Each of these is divided into two subspecies - eastern lowland and mountain (eastern) and western lowland and cross river (western).  The two species live in central Africa, separated by a vast swathe of rainforest.

Number crunching
The western lowland gorilla is the most numerous of the four subspecies, with population estimates often cited at 100,000-200,000. However, due to its dense, remote habitat, no one knows for sure how many exist. The least numerous is the cross river gorilla, which is confined to scattered areas of forest in Nigeria and Cameroon, and is thought to number no more than 300 individuals.

Size matters
Gorillas are the world’s largest primates. They are closely related to humans, with 98% of their DNA identical to that of Homo sapiens.

Seeds of survival
As roaming herbivores, gorillas play a vital role in seed dispersal. Many large fruit trees depend upon these animals to survive.