Mountain gorilla population figures show that mountain gorillas were almost extinct in the 19th century, with only a few hundred left in the wild. Their population has increased significantly since then, thanks to conservation efforts started by American primatologist Dian Fossey. These efforts later contributed to her death in 1985. The most recent census, conducted from 2018 to 2019, put the global mountain gorilla population at 1,063 individuals, the highest number ever recorded.
Census History
Mountain gorilla populations are tracked through periodic censuses carried out by experts from Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These counts combine two separate gorilla populations: one in the Virunga Massif, spanning all three countries, and one in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.
In 2010, a census of the Virunga Massif recorded 480 individuals, and combined with Bwindi’s population at the time, the total worldwide count stood at around 786 gorillas. By 2016, the Virunga population had grown to 604. The 2018 census then confirmed a combined worldwide total of around 1,004 mountain gorillas, and the most recent count puts the global population at 1,063 individuals.
The 2018 census was supported by the International Gorilla Conservation Program, the Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, the North Carolina Zoo, and Gorilla Doctors. Funding came from Partners in Conservation at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, WWF, Fauna & Flora International, and Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe.
Why the Population Is Growing
The steady growth in mountain gorilla numbers is credited to strong conservation work carried out by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, national park authorities in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other supporting organizations. Studies also show that gorilla families used for research and tourism tend to grow faster than wild, unhabituated families, thanks to the daily monitoring and protection they receive.
As a result of this sustained growth, mountain gorillas are no longer listed as critically endangered, though they remain highly dependent on continued conservation to survive.
Ongoing Threats
Despite this progress, mountain gorillas are still under threat. Their main dangers include habitat loss as people clear forests for farming and settlement, poaching, disease, and regional conflict or civil unrest. Poaching does not always target gorillas directly; traps set for smaller animals, such as antelopes, can still injure or kill gorillas accidentally. Diseases such as Ebola can also cause sharp, sudden drops in their numbers.
How Trekking Supports the Population
You can help support continued population growth by taking part in gorilla trekking safaris. Most of the money collected from gorilla permits goes directly toward conservation, funding game wardens, rangers, and the communities living near the parks that protect these gorillas every day.
