Cross River Gorilla
Encyclopedia
The Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) is a subspecies of the western gorilla
(Gorilla gorilla) that can be found on the border between Nigeria
and Cameroon
, in both tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
which are also home to the Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee
, another subspecies of great ape. While all Western Gorilla
s are Critically Endangered
(in the case of the western lowland gorilla
due in part to Ebola virus
), the Cross River gorilla is the most endangered of the African apes, and is one of the world's 25 most endangered primates
according to the IUCN Primate Specialist Group.
The Cross River gorilla differs from the Western Lowland Gorilla in both skull
and tooth
dimensions. Based on these differences, the Cross River gorilla was described as a distinct subspecies in 2000, though previous analyses had also recognized the distinctiveness of these gorillas.
Estimates on the number of Cross River gorillas remaining is about 280 in the wild, concentrated in approximately 11 locations. Recent genetic research and field surveys suggest that these locations are linked by the occasional migration of individual gorillas. The nearest population of western lowland gorilla is some 250 km away. Both loss of habitat and intense hunting for bushmeat
have contributed to the decline of this subspecies. A conservation plan for the Cross River gorilla was published in 2007 and outlines the most important actions necessary to preserve this subspecies. Richard Black of the BBC has reported that the government of Cameroon has created the Takamanda National Park
on the border with Nigeria, as an attempt to protect these gorillas. The park now forms part of an important trans-boundary protected area with Nigeria’s Cross River National Park, safeguarding an estimated 115 gorillas—a third of the Cross River gorilla population—along with other rare species. The hope is that the gorillas should be able to move between the Takamanda reserve in Cameroon over the border to Nigeria's Cross River National Park.
In 2009, the camera-shy Cross River gorilla was finally captured on professional video on a forested mountain in Cameroon.
announced the discovery of the fighting back against possible threats from humans. They "found several instances of gorillas throwing sticks and clumps of grass". This is unusual, because gorillas usually flee and rarely charge when encountered by humans.
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Western Gorilla
The western gorilla is a great ape and the most populous species of the genus Gorilla.-Taxonomy:Nearly all of the individuals of this taxon belong to the western lowland gorilla subspecies whose population is approximately 95,000 individuals...
(Gorilla gorilla) that can be found on the border between Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, in both tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests , also known as tropical moist forests, are a tropical and subtropical forest biome....
which are also home to the Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee
Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee
The Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee is a subspecies of the common chimpanzee which inhabits the rainforests along the border of Nigeria and Cameroon. Male Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees can weigh as much as 70 kilos with a body length of up to 1.2 metres...
, another subspecies of great ape. While all Western Gorilla
Western Gorilla
The western gorilla is a great ape and the most populous species of the genus Gorilla.-Taxonomy:Nearly all of the individuals of this taxon belong to the western lowland gorilla subspecies whose population is approximately 95,000 individuals...
s are Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List for wild species. Critically Endangered means that a species' numbers have decreased, or will decrease, by 80% within three generations....
(in the case of the western lowland gorilla
Western Lowland Gorilla
The western lowland gorilla is a subspecies of the western gorilla that lives in montane, primary, and secondary forests and lowland swamps in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It is the gorilla usually found in zoos...
due in part to Ebola virus
Ebola virus
Ebola virus causes severe disease in humans and in nonhuman primates in the form of viral hemorrhagic fever. EBOV is a Select Agent, World Health Organization Risk Group 4 Pathogen , National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Category A Priority Pathogen,...
), the Cross River gorilla is the most endangered of the African apes, and is one of the world's 25 most endangered primates
The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates
The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates is a list of highly endangered primate species selected and published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group , the International Primatological Society , and Conservation International...
according to the IUCN Primate Specialist Group.
The Cross River gorilla differs from the Western Lowland Gorilla in both skull
Skull
The skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates...
and tooth
Tooth
Teeth are small, calcified, whitish structures found in the jaws of many vertebrates that are used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores, also use teeth for hunting or for defensive purposes. The roots of teeth are embedded in the Mandible bone or the Maxillary bone and are...
dimensions. Based on these differences, the Cross River gorilla was described as a distinct subspecies in 2000, though previous analyses had also recognized the distinctiveness of these gorillas.
Estimates on the number of Cross River gorillas remaining is about 280 in the wild, concentrated in approximately 11 locations. Recent genetic research and field surveys suggest that these locations are linked by the occasional migration of individual gorillas. The nearest population of western lowland gorilla is some 250 km away. Both loss of habitat and intense hunting for bushmeat
Bushmeat
Bushmeat initially referred to the hunting of wild animals in West and Central Africa and is a calque from the French viande de brousse. Today the term is commonly used for meat of terrestrial wild animals, killed for subsistence or commercial purposes throughout the humid tropics of the Americas,...
have contributed to the decline of this subspecies. A conservation plan for the Cross River gorilla was published in 2007 and outlines the most important actions necessary to preserve this subspecies. Richard Black of the BBC has reported that the government of Cameroon has created the Takamanda National Park
Takamanda National Park
The Takamanda National Park is a protected area in Cameroon, set up in 2008 to help protect the endangered Cross River gorilla.An older protected area, the Takamanda Forest Reserve, was established in 1934 and covered an area of 675.99 km².-References:...
on the border with Nigeria, as an attempt to protect these gorillas. The park now forms part of an important trans-boundary protected area with Nigeria’s Cross River National Park, safeguarding an estimated 115 gorillas—a third of the Cross River gorilla population—along with other rare species. The hope is that the gorillas should be able to move between the Takamanda reserve in Cameroon over the border to Nigeria's Cross River National Park.
In 2009, the camera-shy Cross River gorilla was finally captured on professional video on a forested mountain in Cameroon.
Intelligent behaviour
A study published in 2007 in the American Journal of PrimatologyAmerican Journal of Primatology
The American Journal of Primatology is a peer-reviewed scientific journal and the official journal of the American Society of Primatologists. It was established in 1981. The journal currently publishes 12 issues per year plus a supplementary issue detailing the program of the society's annual...
announced the discovery of the fighting back against possible threats from humans. They "found several instances of gorillas throwing sticks and clumps of grass". This is unusual, because gorillas usually flee and rarely charge when encountered by humans.