Grauer Gorilla's of Virunga National Park
The critically endangered eastern lowland gorilla, or Grauer’s gorilla, is a subspecies of the eastern gorilla (the other being its cousin the mountain gorilla), which resides exclusively in eastern Congo’s tropical rainforests. Its habitat is continually threatened, meaning the world’s largest primate is being pushed into an ever shrinking range.
It now occupies just 13% of its historical range, and it’s estimated that the population has decreased by more than 50% since the mid-90s.
The lowland gorillas of Virunga live in a small, isolated forest on Mount Tshiaberimu, just 77 square km in size, situated northwest of Lake Edward.
Eastern lowland gorillas typically reside in lowland rainforests, but can also live in dense montane forests as long as the climate is still tropical. It is also possible for them to inhabit swampland if the right vegetation grows there. As a consequence of armed conflict and illegal resource exploitation, the subspecies’ range is rapidly decreasing.
Eastern lowland gorillas, like other subspecies of gorilla, eat up to 18 kg of vegetation a day. Since their diet is rich in moisture, they rarely need to drink any water.
They supplement their diets with very small servings of insects, such as ants and termites.
While mothers care directly for infants, who take 8.5 months to develop in the womb, the powerful silverback, the group’s dominant male, offers protection from external threats. He also takes time to play with his offspring, aside from leading the group of up to 30 individuals to nesting and feeding sites.
The dominant male within a troop is known as silverback, because of the swathe of silver hair which blankets its rear when he reaches sexual maturity at around twelve years of age. The fur of females and non-mature males is dark and shorter than that of mountain gorillas.
They have long arms and their thumbs extend further than their fingers.
Of the four subspecies of gorilla, the eastern lowland is physically the largest. They have stocky bodies, large hands and bulky skulls compared to the rest of the body. On average, males grow to be 359 pounds (163 kg) and 5.5 feet tall (1.69 m), with females weighing in at 178 pounds (81 kg) and reaching 5.2 feet (1.6 m).
The eastern lowland gorillas near Mount Tshiaberimu remain in an extremely perilous state and are on the verge of extinction. Only seven individuals remain in the Park and the total population is estimated to be 6,800 individuals.
Their historical range has decreased by 87% due to civil unrest and resource exploitation, putting at risk the subspecies’ potential for population revival. Without Rangers safeguarding Virunga’s gorillas and policing transportation routes for illegally procured materials, the gorillas’ precarious situation would be even more uncertain.
Q. Do eastern lowland gorillas live in groups?
A. Eastern lowland gorillas normally live in family groups, also known as troops, led by a dominant silverback.
Q. Where do they live?
A. The eastern lowland gorilla prefers low-lying rainforest habitats. It is found only in eastern DRC, where in the last 50 years human activity has reduced its range from roughly 8,100 square miles (13,000 km2) to around 4,600 square miles (7,400 km2).
Q. What do eastern lowland gorillas eat?
A. The diet of the eastern lowland gorilla is mostly herbivorous, comprising leaves, shoots, stems, roots, fruit and bark, with an added smattering of invertebrates to provide additional protein.
Q. When did they become endangered?
A. Since 1995, numbers of eastern lowland gorilla have been in rapid decline. With a 77% decrease in population, the IUCN listed the subspecies as critically endangered in 2016 when there were less than 6,800 individuals remaining in the wild.
Q. How tall are they?
A. The height of eastern lowland gorillas varies depending on factors such as age, sex and diet, but generally they grow to be 4–6 ft (1.3–1.8 m) tall.
Q. How do eastern lowland gorillas behave?
A. Eastern lowland gorilla families are highly sociable and generally peaceful, even in large groups with up to 30 individuals. A troop generally comprises several females, their offspring and a dominant silverback, who leads the troop in its feeding and daily activities. Silverbacks also protect their troops against rival silverbacks and predators.
For most runners, crossing the finish line of the Paris Marathon is a moment of triumph—a celebration of endurance, perseverance, and the completion of a gruelling journey. But for the 750 Rangers of Virunga National Park, there is no finish line - each day brings a new challenge.
Every day, they fight—not for medals, but for survival. They stand on the frontlines, protecting endangered wildlife and safeguarding communities in one of the world’s most volatile regions, where almost three decades of conflict have left instability in its wake.
This year, as Virunga marks its 100th anniversary, the reality is stark. Conflict in Eastern Congo has intensified, with major cities such as Goma and Bukavu under rebel control. Despite decades of conservation efforts and our mission to foster regional stability, we find ourselves fighting for survival once again.
Angele’s run is a symbol of our fight.
But she can’t do it alone. Neither can we.
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