Since the discovery of the mountain gorilla subspecies in 1902, its population has endured years of war, hunting, habitat destruction and disease—threats so severe that it was once thought the species might be extinct by the end of the twentieth century.

Like humans, gorillas reproduce slowly, giving birth to only one baby at a time and then raising that infant for several years before giving birth again. This slow reproduction rate makes gorillas especially vulnerable to any population declines.

Habitat destruction is a problem across their central African range. Gorillas are also killed for the bushmeat trade, or accidently killed or maimed by iron snares that are set in the forests in search for other bushmeat species. That trade has helped spread the Ebola virus, which is deadly to both gorillas and humans. Efforts to protect gorillas are often hampered by weak law enforcement, lack of rule of law, and civil unrest in many places where gorillas live.

What WWF is Doing

Developing tourism: Ecotourism provides opportunities for protecting gorillas and their forest homes and for helping the local people. WWF has habituated gorilla groups to humans to develop opportunities for gorilla tourism.

Monitoring populations: WWF conducts research into the ecology, distribution, and population biology of gorillas. They also support research into the spread of diseases between humans and gorillas and the natural spread of diseases such as Ebola, as well as disease prevention. Park rangers are often the ones monitoring gorillas, so WWF and their partners have established a ranger-based monitoring program for mountain gorillas

Preserving habitat: WWF has worked to designate new protected areas for gorillas in many places. They also collaborate with local governments in the Congo Basin, logging companies, and international lending institutions to promote dialogue, encourage the best environmental practices and promote the adoption of forest certification standards such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.

Preventing poaching and illegal wildlife trade: Because poaching is a problem across central Africa, WWF works with TRAFFIC, the world's largest wildlife trade monitoring network, and the World Conservation Union to monitor the illegal trade of gorillas and other great apes. WWF also advocates for nations to more effectively enforce wildlife laws and raises awareness in local villages of the dangers of eating bushmeat. In addition, WWF has trained local wildlife authorities in modern methods of antipoaching and gorilla monitoring and provided equipment and provisions for antipoaching teams in several nations.