Mountain gorillas were almost extinct in the 19th century, with only about 300 left in the wild. Their population has increased in recent years because of conservation efforts started by the American primatologist Dian Fossey. These efforts later led to her death in 1985.
The mountain gorilla census of 2018 showed that there were 1,004 mountain gorillas living in the wild. This was a big increase compared to 604 gorillas in 2016 and 480 in 2010.
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. The funding came from Partners in Conservation at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, WWF, Fauna & Flora International, and Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe.
The census is always carried out by experts from Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The growth in mountain gorilla numbers is due to strong conservation work done by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, national park authorities in the three countries, and other organizations that support mountain gorilla protection.
Mountain gorillas are still under threat. Their main dangers include loss of habitat as people clear forests for farming and settlement, poaching, and disease. Even though poaching may not always target gorillas directly, traps set for small animals like antelopes can accidentally injure or kill gorillas. Diseases such as Ebola can also cause a sharp drop in their numbers.
Mountain gorilla trekking can be done in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in Congo, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. Gorilla trekking permits are expensive because the money collected helps fund conservation. It supports game wardens, rangers, and communities that live near the parks.
