The Great Apes

[Astroboy]

Gorillas are the largest of the primates and are close genetic relatives of chimpanzees and humans.

Gorillas are ground dwellers that are found mostly in the tropical forests of Africa. There are two gorilla species (Gorilla gorilla and Gorilla beringei) and four-five subspecies of gorillas, all of which endangered in the wild.

Mountain Gorilla
   
The mountain gorilla can be found around the Virunga volcanoes in high-altitude tropical forests in Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

They have longer, thicker fur than the other subspecies, which helps them live in colder temperatures.

Western Lowland Gorillas
   
The western lowland gorilla can be found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Congo and Equatorial Guinea.

They often have redder and greyer fur than their eastern relatives.

Eastern Lowland Gorillas
   
The eastern lowland gorilla can be found in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

They are the largest of the gorillas subspecies. They are similar to mountain gorillas, but have shorter fur, narrower faces and rounder nostrils.

Cross River Gorillas
   
The Cross River gorilla is the world's rarest great ape, with fewer than 300 individuals surviving in the wild. They are found in a small area between Nigeria and Cameroon.

They have differently shaped skull from western lowland gorillas, but are also redder and greyer and than the eastern subspecies

   
Gorillas are divided into 2 recognised species and 4 sub species. The Western Gorilla comprises of the Western Lowland Gorilla and the Cross River Gorilla. The Eastern Gorilla comprises of the Mountain Gorilla and the Eastern Lowland Gorilla. It is being debated that the Bwindi Gorilla is a proposed third separate species of Gorilla. So apparently it has been said that their might be a totally new sub species of gorillas categorised as the bwindi gorilla. Reply