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Gorillas are among humans\u2019 closest relatives, with a common ancestor dating back around 8 to 10 million years<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n Both species of gorilla alive today are on the edge of extinction: The eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei<\/em>) is listed as endangered<\/a> on the IUCN Red List, while the western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla<\/em>) is critically endangered<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n In its latest assessment<\/a> of the eastern gorilla, the IUCN found a mixed picture of gorilla conservation. Some of the gorilla populations remained stable, while others faced declines <\/span>\u2014 of roughly 60% for the subspecies Grauer\u2019s gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri<\/em>) <\/span>\u2014 in the last 20 years.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cConservation has made the difference between survival and extinction in some regions,\u201d Jessi Junker, a researcher at Germany\u2019s Senckenberg Museum of Natural History G\u00f6rlitz, said in a press release<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n World Gorilla Day has been celebrated every Sept. 24 since 2017. For 2026, we bring you the highs and lows of gorilla conservation as published in Mongabay this year.<\/span><\/p>\n The Democratic Republic of Congo declared a new Ebola outbreak in May 2026. As of Sept. 22, 7,773 confirmed human cases<\/a> had been registered and 3,759 deaths<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n While there haven\u2019t been any suspected or confirmed cases of Ebola in eastern gorillas, which are mostly endemic to the DRC, conservationists are on high alert, Mongabay\u2019s Kayleigh Long reported<\/a> in June. <\/span><\/p>\n A previous Ebola outbreak from 2002-2003, caused widespread infection among western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla<\/em>) in the Republic of Congo, killing around 5,000 of the animals.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n \u201c[W]e observed that Ebola spreads rapidly within gorilla groups, likely due to the physical contacts gorillas have during nap time, play or grooming sessions.\u201d Damien Caillaud, a behavioral ecologist who witnessed the 2000s outbreak, told Long. <\/span><\/p>\n When one animal is affected, he said, \u201cAlmost all the gorillas from the group disappear within a few weeks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Twins are rare among mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei<\/em>), occurring in less than 1% of births. However, park authorities of DRC\u2019s Virunga National Park recorded births of two sets of gorilla twins in 2026, David Akana, Mongabay\u2019s program manager for the Africa bureau, reported<\/a> in March. <\/span><\/p>\n Jacques Katutu, the park\u2019s head of gorilla monitoring, called the two twin births within three months \u201can extraordinary event\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Women\u2019s collectives in southeastern Nigeria are carrying out patrols and investigating environmental crimes plaguing communities around the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, <\/span>\u2014 home to critically endangered<\/a> Cross River gorillas (Gorilla gorilla diehli<\/em>) and endangered<\/a> Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes ellioti<\/em>).<\/span><\/p>\n Women from two villages have even halted illegal timber deals, according to Francis Akie, head of the Traditional Rulers Council of Ulom, reported contributor Orji Sunday in July<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOur men have failed to stop the threats,\u201d Ofre Mary, founder of the Ulom Women\u2019s Conservation Collective, told Sunday<\/a>. \u201cThat\u2019s why women decided to take a stand.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Banner image:<\/span><\/em><\/strong> A western lowland gorilla (<\/span><\/em>gorilla gorilla gorilla) in Gabon. Image by Rhett A. Butler\/Mongabay.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\nEbola outbreak puts gorilla conservationists on high alert<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n
Two sets of mountain gorilla twins born in the same year<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n
Women patrol the outskirts of key Cross River gorilla sanctuary<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n
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