Western Lowland Gorillas

The western lowland gorilla lives in the forests of equatorial Africa.

On August 5, 2008, researchers announced that they had discovered 125,000 of the gorillas deep in swampland in the north of the Republic of Congo. The discovery doubles the known population of lowland gorillas thought to be alive.¹

Fast Facts:

1. Estimated population: 175,000 to 225,000¹
2. One of four gorilla subspecies¹
3. International Union for Conservation of Nature: All gorillas classified "endangered" or "critically endangered"
4. Western Lowland Gorilla: On critically endangered list²
5. Threats to population: bush meat, deforestation, ebola virus¹
6. Type: Mammal
7. Diet: Omnivore
8. Average lifespan in wild: 35 years
9. Height 4 to 6 ft
10. Weight: 150 to 400 pounds
11. Group name: Troop³

2008 Western Lowland Gorilla Census

1. Census taken by Wildlife Conservation Society
2. Numbers calculated by counting "sleeping nests"¹
3. Experts said the newly inflated numbers did not mean that the gorilla species was safe from risk of extinction¹
4. New estimated population: 175,000 to 225,000¹
5. Discovery described as "mother lode" and "spectacular"²
6. Further independent research needed to confirm the new numbers¹

Animal Discoveries

Scientists and researchers make new discoveries all the time. The International Institute for Species Exploration (IISE) publish a top ten list of newly discovered species each year. In 2008, for example, they introduced the world to the Electrolux Addisoni (AKA: Ornate sleeper ray),⁴ Desmoxytes purpurosea (AKA: Shocking pink dragon millipede)⁴ and the Styloctenium mindorensis (AKA: Mindoro stripe-faced fruit bat).⁴

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