Why Are Eastern Lowland Gorillas?

There are several reasons the Eastern lowland gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri) is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. One is that their habitat has been cleared for farms and ranches, and the mines in the area which has caused severe degradation.

Why are eastern lowland gorillas becoming extinct?

Over only 20 years – between 1995 and 2015 – the eastern lowland gorilla population has dropped by 77 per cent, decreasing from 17,000 individuals to only 3,800. The main causes of this dramatic decline are poaching, land clearing, and the ongoing bloody civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

What is happening to eastern lowland gorillas?

Scientists estimate that the population of eastern lowland gorillas has declined by more than 50% since the 1990s when their population numbered 17,000. The eastern lowland gorilla—also known as Grauer's gorilla—is the largest of the four gorilla subspecies.