Scientific classification:
- Subspecies of the western gorilla.
- Scientific name: Gorilla gorilla diehli.
Conservation status:
- Critically endangered.
- Fewer than 300 individuals remain in the wild.
- Most endangered primate in Africa.
Habitat:
- Found in 11 scattered groups.
- Located in misty mountains along the Nigeria–Cameroon border.
- Region: Cross-Sanaga-Bioko Coast Forest ecoregion.
- Live in lowland, submontane, and montane forests near the upper drainage of the Cross River.
Physical features:
- Brownish-grey or black fur; face, hands, and feet have no fur.
- Cone-shaped heads with a reddish crest on top.
- Adult males have a silvery patch of hair down their backs → called “silverback”.
Behavior:
- Very social animals.
- Live in groups of 2 to 20 members.
- Group led by a dominant male.
- Groups typically include 6-7 females and their offspring.
Diet:
- Herbivorous.
- Eat branches, nuts, leaves, and berries gathered from various plants.