Learn about the endangered gorillas, conservation and tourism in Africa.
Did you know that all gorilla species are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)? Welcome to EndangeredGorillas.com, a website dedicated to offering all the information you need to know about gorillas. Looking for general information about gorillas? Here you can find all the information that you need to know about the gorillas, gorilla types, places where gorillas are found, characteristics and behavior, gorilla tourism and conservation etc.
About Gorillas
Gorillas are the largest members of the primate family. Classified as apes, gorillas are closely related to humans, sharing 98% of their DNA. That is why they are always referred to as “our distant cousins”. Indeed gorillas are identical to humans and can be infested with some human diseases. Gorillas inhabit the tropical rainforests of central Africa and they are found in only 10 countries in the world; Rwanda, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Angola, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria and Cameroon. Historically the gorilla has been portrayed as a vicious killer; however they are shy gentle creatures that would not attack humans unless provoked.
Gorillas are classified as mammals and are warm blooded. Upon their discovery, gorillas were classified as one species, however they are now classified into two species; Western Gorillas and Eastern Gorilla. There are four sub species and these species are found in different geographical locations and have different physical characteristics.
Are Gorillas Endangered?
All the four sub species of gorillas are listed as endangered by the IUCN and a lot of measures have been put in place to protect the them from extinction. Gorilla populations have been affected by habitat loss, disease and poaching. Conservation efforts persist and several governmental and non governmental organizations named 2009 the ‘Year of the Gorilla’ with the aim of working together to further improve gorilla conservation.
What You Can Do to Help
To help conserve the gorilas, you can make donations to the International Gorilla Conservation Program, the Gorilla Fund International, set up by conservationist Dian Fossey or take a gorilla trek with one of the local tour operators in Africa. Proceeds from gorilla tourism are used in protecting the gorillas, and support the local communities that live near the parks.
