Cross River gorilla
Gorilla gorilla diehli · Nigeria–Cameroon border
estimated
Africa's most threatened ape. Around 100 of them live across three protected areas in Cross River State, Nigeria.
Source: IUCN Regional Action Plan for the Cross River gorilla
Illustrative depictionOverview
The ape that came back from the dead
The Cross River gorilla is the most northern and western of all gorillas, and Africa's most threatened ape. It lives in rugged, forested hills along the border between Nigeria and Cameroon.
After decades without records, it was feared extinct following the Nigerian civil war of the 1960s. Surveys later found small groups surviving in the mountains, and in 2000 it was confirmed as a distinct subspecies.
An estimated 200–300 remain, split into fragmented groups. Around 100 live across three protected areas in Cross River State, Nigeria. Habitat loss, bushmeat hunting, fragmentation and disease are the main threats.
Why it is nearly gone
Small groups, shrinking forest
Every Cross River gorilla lives in a few scattered hills along one border.
Habitat loss
Farming, logging and roads are clearing the lowland forest between the mountain ranges where the gorillas live.
Bushmeat hunting
Even a few gorillas killed each year is enough to push such a small population towards extinction.
Fragmentation
The gorillas are split into small groups across rugged hills, cutting them off from each other and reducing genetic diversity.
Disease
Gorillas can catch human illnesses, and an outbreak such as Ebola could wipe out a group.
Conservation history
From feared extinct to fragile recovery
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1904 | Described by Paul Matschie as a distinct gorilla from the Cross River region. |
| 1960s | Feared extinct after decades without records, during and after the Nigerian civil war. |
| 1980s | Rediscovered by field surveys in the Nigeria–Cameroon borderlands. |
| 2000 | Confirmed as a distinct subspecies, Gorilla gorilla diehli (Sarmiento & Oates). |
| 2007 | First IUCN regional action plan agreed by Nigeria and Cameroon. |
| 2012 | Remote-sensing study shows more habitat and dispersal corridors than expected. |
| Today | Estimated 200–300 left; about 100 live across three protected areas in Cross River State, Nigeria. |
Take action
Who's fighting for the Cross River gorilla
Nigerian, Cameroonian and international groups run ranger patrols, monitoring and community programmes.
Cross River Gorilla Alliance
Coalition coordinating protection of the gorilla across Nigeria and Cameroon.
African Conservation Foundation
Runs a project to save Cross River gorillas from extinction through community protection.
Wildlife Conservation Society Nigeria
Ranger patrols, monitoring and park support in Cross River State.
IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group
Global experts setting conservation priorities for primates.
Everyday actions
What you can do from home
- 01
Never buy bushmeat or ape products
Refusing and reporting wildlife trade removes the demand that drives hunting.
- 02
Choose certified timber and palm oil
FSC and responsibly sourced products help keep West African forests standing.
- 03
Recycle old phones
Mining for metals used in electronics drives forest loss across gorilla range countries.
- 04
Support community rangers
Donations fund local patrols, education and livelihoods that protect the gorillas.
Selected references
- IUCN Red List — Gorilla gorilla diehli (last assessed January 2016)
- IUCN — Regional Action Plan for the Conservation of the Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli).
- Sarmiento, E.E. and Oates, J.F., 2000. The Cross River gorillas: a distinct subspecies, Gorilla gorilla diehli Matschie 1904. American Museum Novitates, 2000(3304), pp.1–55.
- Bergl, R.A., Warren, Y., Nicholas, A., Dunn, A., Imong, I., Sunderland-Groves, J.L. and Oates, J.F., 2012. Remote sensing analysis reveals habitat, dispersal corridors and expanded distribution for the Critically Endangered Cross River gorilla Gorilla gorilla diehli. Oryx, 46(2), pp.278–289.
- Cross River Gorilla Alliance
- Wildlife Conservation Society Nigeria — Cross River gorilla