Meet The Cross River Gorilla
STATUS: Critically Endangered
POPULATION: ~300
Cross River gorillas are a very distinct subspecies of the western lowland gorilla, with only slight differences in their teeth and skull. Because of these striking similarities, Cross River Gorillas were only just discovered in 1903. They live in a relatively small area, in the Cross River region, a state in South Nigeria bordering Cameroon to the east.
These sociable beings live in groups, although the Cross River Gorillas’ groups tend to be smaller in size than their counterparts. And unlike other gorillas, Cross River gorillas seem to have a slightly more aggressive behavior when they encounter humans. While other gorillas usually flee, the Cross River Gorillas tend to be more territorial. On multiple occasions they’ve been reported to stand their ground and in some cases, throw sticks or clumps of grass.
Cross River Gorillas are largely herbivorous, eating mainly fruits and tree bark although their diet is seasonal and depends on the current vegetation in their environment. They are the rarest great apes in existence today and the most endangered of the gorilla subspecies. Cross River Gorillas are also one of the twenty-five most endangered primates worldwide.
Cross River gorillas are polygamous animals. The dominant males have the privilege of mating with all mature females in their groups.
What’s the danger?
Today, less than 300 Cross River gorillas live on this planet and their numbers are still decreasing putting their classification on the IUCN Red List as critically endangered. The species were thought to be extinct in the 1960s until their rediscovery in 1983. Because there are so few of them, they are the least studied gorillas on the planet and only just recently filmed in the wild for the first time in 2009.
As with most endangered animals, one of the primary dangers for Cross River gorillas is habitat loss. Forests are being cleared for timber and agricultural needs. And although hunting and killing of gorillas is illegal in Nigeria and Cameroon, it remains to be a problem. Because of the small population every gorilla killed has a significantly negative impact on their already vulnerable population. As a consequence, inbreeding is a rising problem. The lack of genetic diversity can result in serious consequences for the gorillas and can contribute to an even more rapid decline of their population.
ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONS
Gorillas play a crucial role in local biodiversity. They roam through large territories and help spread the seeds of the fruits they consume. Cross River gorillas are amongst the priority species that receive extra conservation attention from WWF. This list includes species who play an extremely crucial role in their environment and whose survival cannot be guaranteed only by focusing on habitat preservation.
The Cross River region, where these gorillas live is also declared to be a biodiversity hotspot, meaning it has high levels of species richness. There are currently only 34 of these hotspots on the planet, covering just 2.3% of the world’s land surface, but housing 50% of all terrestrial plant and animal biodiversity.
It’s hard to imagine just how few 300 is. There are more McDonalds in New York City than Cross River Gorillas left in the world today. (There are 14,000 McDonalds in the entire USA!)
Photo by Julie Langford via Wikimedia Commons
How can we help?
The World Wildlife Fund has worked with officials to establish protected areas for the Cross River gorillas in their native countries. WWF alongside other NGOs is also working with logging companies to help ensure sustainable forestry practices.
Being the least known about gorilla subspecies, WWF are also supporting additional scientific research, as the more we can learn about the ecology, distribution and population biology of the Cross River gorilla, the better chances we have for more accurate and targeted solutions to save this species.
Additionally, The Cross River Gorilla Conservation Programme is working to achieve long-term security for these animals through biomonitoring and creation of sustainable development initiatives about conservation.
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