Gorilla gorilla Savage and Wyman 1847
DISTRIBUTION
The gorilla occurs in a range of tropical forest habitats and is currently present in two principal areas: equatorial West Africa and eastern Central Africa. The Western Lowland Gorilla occurs in the former region and is the most widespread subspecies. It ranges through south-eastern Nigeria, southern Cameroon, the south-west corner of the Central African Republic, west Congo (Brazzaville), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, southward to the Cabinda enclave of Angola (north of the Zaïre River).16,34,29 A gap of approximately 1,000 km exists between this subspecies and the Eastern Lowland Gorilla, present only in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC=ex Zaïre). There is no direct evidence, but gorillas may exist in northern DRC.2 The Mountain Gorilla occurs on the extinct volcanoes forming the Virunga Range along the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and DRC. Most of the Mountain Gorilla's range is within the Parc National des Virungas of DRC and the Parc National des Volcans of Rwanda, whilst the remaining north-eastern portion lies in the Mgahinga National Park, Uganda.17,34 A separate population of Mountain Gorillas is found in the Bwindi-Impenetrable National Park in south-west Uganda, on the border with the DRC. At the turn of the century, gorillas (subspecies uncertain) occurred in the northern Congo basin, north of the Uele River, however, they are now believed to be extinct there.20
Range States: Angola (Cabinda enclave); Cameroon; Central African Republic; Congo (Brazzaville); Democratic Republic of Congo; Equatorial Guinea; Gabon; Nigeria; Rwanda; Uganda;.
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