They are not often found near areas of human influence avoiding roads and. Western Lowland Gorillas are endangered due to.
Another major reason which has brought these animals on the verge of extinction is the numerous diseases and ailments gorillas suffer from.
Why are western lowland gorilla almost extinct. Understandably rangers struggle to carry out their important work under such circumstances leaving the eastern lowland gorillas at grave risk. Currently mountain gorilla habitats are restricted to protected national parks in two regions of Africa. There are only 200 to 300 species of Cross River Gorilla living in wild.
With male Western Lowland Gorillas they have a patch of whitish hair that extends to their thighs hence the name silverback. The gorillas are often poached for bushmeat. Disease is another huge factor in the decline of this species.
This means they are now classified as critically endangered by IUCN Appendix 1. Yet because of the harmful human activities such as poaching civil war and habitat destruction mountain gorillas the sub-species of eastern gorillas have become the most dangerous types of gorillas. Since they interact with humans they become more susceptible to such illnesses and diseases.
Five percent of the entire Western Lowland Gorilla population in Northeast Congo is killed each year leaving their numbers at an all-time low. The Cross River Gorilla is a sub specie of Western Lowland gorilla s. Red list of endangered species.
Gorillas are critically endangered. Why are western lowland gorillas endangered. The greatest threats to the western lowland gorilla are hunting and trade in gorilla meat habitat degradation and loss and the spread of disease Huijbregts says.
All gorilla species have been placed on the endangered list by. Pet trade is also a reason for its endangerment. Destruction of gorilla habitat may harm the overall forest ecosystem.
One of the main reasons gorillas are going extinct is habitat loss forests where gorillas have lived for many years are being destroyed for agricultural use commercial logging and many other activities this lives gorillas in hard conditions as they can hardly live else where except in their habitats. The conservation state of this subspecies is more critical than the Eastern lowland gorilla due to multiple factors that have contributed to shrinking their population to small numbers. Because of poaching and disease the gorillas numbers have declined by more than 60 over the last 20 to 25 years.
Western lowland gorillas serve an important reproductive function within the forest ecosystem allowing the dispersal and germination of seeds from the numerous fruit trees they consume. Also are gorillas extinct. As of 2015 there were only about 3800 left.
Western lowland gorillas are seed dispersers which is beneficial to many of the animals in the forest so their extinction could impact many other animals which could over time destroy their current ecosystem. Often the militia enter the gorilla habitat creating a warzone out of what should be a sanctuary. Around 680 individuals split into two communities.
In 1994 there were almost 17000 Eastern lowland gorillas in the wild but over the course of just 21 years they lost 77 of their population. Population decline and recovery. Why is the Western lowland gorilla important to the ecosystem.
These animals are prone to ailments like measles mange and intestinal parasites. Even if all of the threats to western lowland gorillas were removed scientists calculate that the population would require some 75 years to recover. Ebola and anthrax are deadly.
The drastic population decline is attributed to habitat loss poaching and illegal wildlife trade. The Grauers gorilla population has declined by more than 77 in just one generation approximately 13 years. There are four subspecies of gorillas around the world including Mountain gorillas eastern lowland type western lowland and the cross river type.
Because of poaching and disease the gorillas numbers have declined by more than 60 over the last 20 to 25 years. The Western Lowland Gorillas hair is a brown-gray color with a little bit of red or auburn on top of their head. It is also far easier to distinguish the females from males Western Lowland Gorillas as the females are almost half the size of silverbacks.
Western Lowland gorillas are seed dispersers which mean they carr y seeds from one place to another and this trait is beneficial to many of the animals in the forest. Large numbers have not protected the western lowland gorilla from decline. The forest will never be same if the gorillas are gone.
In just 15 years from 1995 to 2010 their population declined by 59. Western Lowland Gorillas are threatened by two primary reasons. Western Lowland Gorillas mostly live in rainforests swamp forest brush riverine forests and forest edges which range from sea level to 1300 metres.
Why are gorillas going extinct. They are captured and sold for high prices in black market to be.
