Gorilla Distribution

Gorilla Distribution

The distribution of gorillas is mainly in Africa but you will find that they have a very diverse area where they live. This is why they are classified as Eastern and Western species. While they are very similar there are some distinct differences that set them apart as separate species.

Many gorillas choose to reside in the lowlands where there are forests and swamps. In these locations they can find plenty of trees, leaves, and fruits to survive on. Others reside high up in the mountain regions. The food is more scarce there but the fact that the numbers are lower too means that there is generally enough for them to consume.

You won’t find gorillas in the same place for more than a day, so their distribution is spread out. This makes it harder to get an exact count as to the number of them remaining in the wild. However, they do have migrational patterns that will take them in a radius of many miles and then back to locations they have been at for sleeping and feeding in the past.

If you want to locate specific sub species of gorillas then you will be interested in their general distribution. The Western Lowland gorillas are found mainly in tropical forest areas. This includes Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Congo, Gabon, and the Western portion of Africa. The Eastern Lowland gorillas are only found in the tropical forest region of Eastern Zaire.

Mountain gorillas do live in tropical areas too but up in the higher elevations. They reside from 5,400 feet to 12,400 feet along the areas of Zaire, Rwanda, and Uganda. They are also known to reside around the Virunga Volcanoes. There are less than 300 of the Cross River gorillas and they are only found living in a location across Nigeria and Cameroon.

Since gorillas don’t swim well, the rivers and other bodies of water out there are what commonly draw divided lines from where one type of gorilla lives and the others. From time to time though their locations do overlap. For the most part these are friendly encounters with each party going their own direction without any conflicts arising.

The distribution area for gorillas though continues to get smaller and smaller. This is due to the growing population of Africa. More of the forests are removed to make room for new villages. As a result gorillas continue to have a smaller area in which they can survive.

Since gorillas can do very well in any climate, they are good animals for zoos all over the world. While many people don’t think they should be distributed to such locations it is a common practice. They seem to adjust very well as long as their new habitat is one that offers them many things of the wild. However, most of the time gorillas from the wild aren’t placed in captivity. Only those that are bred in captivity generally remain in that location.

It is believed that it could be possible to relocate gorillas to new distribution areas as long as their basic needs are met. Yet the impact that introduction would have on the animals already living on those other areas is hard to determine. With the number of gorillas drastically low, there are plenty of ideas circulating about how to keep them well distributed and able to survive in the wild.