Mountain Gorilla

WWF WILDLIFE AND CLIMATE CHANGE SERIES

This assessment is one in a series
resulting from a WWF study that assesses
the vulnerability of numerous species
to the effects of climate change. For each
species, we also recommend climate-
adaptive management strategies.

MOUNTAIN GORILLAS (Gorilla beringei

beringei) possess a number of traits
that contribute to their resilience to
a changing climate: they are tolerant
of a wide range of temperatures, are
exposed to fairly high climate variability,
have low freshwater requirements, and
feed on a variety of abundant food.
However, a number of other traits make
them vulnerable to a changing climate.
Their population is very small and their
range highly restricted. A limited dispersal
ability (due to human settlements),
coupled with a long generation time, a low
reproductive rate, and low amounts of
genetic variation, will limit the ability of the
species to adapt to a changing climate.
Of high concern is the susceptibility
of gorillas to disease. Diseases can be
passed from humans to gorillas, and
pose a high threat due to the widening
distribution of disease under a changing
climate, the frequent interaction between
humans and gorillas, and the clustered DETERMINING SPECIES VULNERABILITY
distribution of the species. Other threats The study identified the key vulnerabilities of a species
like habitat destruction, poaching, socio- based on four factors:
political instability, commercial activities, SENSITIVITY: the inability of the species to persist,
and growing human population pressure, as is, under changing climatic conditions. To assess
remain high and have the potential to sensitivity, we looked at IUCN Red List status,
increase due to the effects of climate geographic range, population size, temperature
stressors on humans and resulting tolerance, reliance on environmental cues (for
reproduction, migration, hibernation), symbiotic
changes in livelihoods. Mountain gorilla range interactions, diet, abundance of food sources,
Priorities for climate-informed freshwater requirements, habitat specialization and susceptibility to disease.
conservation of mountain gorillas ADAPTIVE CAPACITY: the ability of the species to respond to changes in climate.
should include monitoring disease and To assess adaptive capacity, we looked at dispersal ability, generation time,
maintaining and possibly increasing reproductive rate and genetic variation.
suitable habitat. It is also essential to EXPOSURE: the extent of climatic change and variation that the species encounters
create improved conditions for people and is projected to encounter.
to adapt to current and future changes
OTHER THREATS: any other relevant threats, such as habitat destruction, poaching,
in climate, and to continue to reduce human-wildlife conflict and pollution, as well as the human responses to climate
threats such as instability in the east/ change that exacerbate these threats.
central African region.
CLIMATE VULNERABILITY OF THE MOUNTAIN GORILLA
Vulnerability Levels: H = High M = Medium L = Low U =Unknown

L Abundance of Food Source EXPOSURE

High. Feeds on a variety of herbaceous
species which are widely available. L What degree of climate variability
is the species currently exposed to?
L Freshwater Requirements High. Travel patterns occur across a wide
Low. Does not typically drink from free- altitudinal range, where temperatures can
standing water sources, but rather obtains fluctuate significantly, from fairly intense heat
water from food sources. in the low altitude areas to severe cold at the
snow-capped volcanoes.
M Habitat Specialization
Specialist. The range of altitude for both M What level of change in
populations covers different habitat types, temperature and precipitation is
from mixed forest to subalpine zones.1 projected across the species’ range?
Virunga has a higher elevation, cooler Medium. Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to
SENSITIVITY temperatures and a lower diversity of tree get warmer, with summer warming evenly
species. Bwindi has a higher diversity of tree distributed throughout the region, and
H IUCN Red List Status species, and the gorillas there build tree nests unusual and unprecedented heat extremes
Critically endangered1 more often and eat more species of fruit.4 projected to occur with greater frequency
during summer months.12 Most projections
H Geographic Range H Susceptibility to Disease indicate an increase in rainfall for eastern
Small. found only in Uganda, Rwanda and the High. Pathogens can be transferred from Africa, though there is significant uncertainty.
Democratic Republic of the Congo, at 1,100- humans,1 particularly due to exposure to high If rainfall does increase, it is likely to be erratic,
4,500 m,2,3 occupying 260 km2 in Bwindi4 and numbers of tourists, researchers, trackers rather than evenly distributed over time.12
375 km2 in Virunga5 and rebels. Several human-induced outbreaks
have occurred over the years. Additionally,
H Population Size disease is easily communicated within the
OTHER THREATS
Small. 400 in Bwindi Impenetrable National species because of their clustered distribution, H Other Threats
Park and 480 in the Virunga Massif extremely limited range, and frequent transfer
High. Habitat destruction (illegal grazing,
of individuals between groups.4
L Temperature Tolerance fuelwood consumption, expansion of farming/
pastoralism), poaching (including snares for
High. tolerant of a wide range of
temperatures4 ADAPTIVE CAPACITY other species), socio-political instability (rebels
and military in the gorilla habitat), commercial
U Does the species rely on M Dispersal Ability activities (oil drilling, road construction, tourist
environmental cues for reproduction? Medium. An annual home range of 4-40 infrastructure, geothermal energy projects),
Don’t know. There is no statistical evidence km2, determined mostly by food and social and rapid human population growth in the
of birth seasonality.6 factors.2,3,4 Highly mobile and not tied to region.1,13
permanent nesting sites, with a mean daily
L Does the species rely on journey length of 500-1000 m.4 However, they
environmental cues for migration? are confined to small protected areas, and
No. Does not migrate. surrounded by a fairly high human population
density in the areas immediately outside
L Does the species rely on the parks.4
environmental cues for hibernation?
No. Does not hibernate. H Generation Time
Long. approximately 20 years1
L Does the species have any strong
or symbiotic relationships with other H Reproductive Rate
species? Low. Beginning after age 10, females give
No. birth to an average of one infant every four
years.4 Adult females produce an average of
L Diet 3-4 surviving offspring during their lifetime.9
Generalist. Herbivorous; feeds on up to
140 different species, including leaves, shoots H Genetic Variation
and stems, bark, roots, flowers, fruit (up to 36 Low. A very small population size is coupled
species) and occasionally ants.2,3,7,8 Not much with low levels of genetic variation within the
seasonality in food availability (except for species.10 However, there has been no recent
fruits and highly prized bamboo shoots). population bottleneck.11
RECOMMENDED CLIMATE-ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Based on the vulnerability assessment, we recommend these climate-adaptive management strategies for mountain gorillas:
1. Monitor disease, particularly pathogens to which mountain • Minimize habitat loss and fragmentation caused by poor land
gorillas may not have had previous exposure. use, development, etc., on unprotected land.
2. Increase monitoring of population range shifts, changes in • Monitor trends (such as gorilla habitat encroachment) that
phenology, changes in population abundance, changes in might indicate that communities facing increased hardships
behavior and the correlation of any of these with changes in are turning to methods of earning income that adversely
weather and climate. affect mountain gorillas and other wildlife.
• Help people adapt to the changing climate by promoting
3. Increase the extent of protected areas to include stepping
alternative livelihoods that conserve ecosystem services and
stones, movement corridors and climate refugia; improve man-
do not negatively impact mountain gorillas.
agement and restoration of existing protected areas to facilitate
resilience.14 Ensure appropriate policy/enforcement/collabora- • Facilitate cross-border dialogue and improved harmonization
tion for protected area management. of best practices for tourism.
• Increase monitoring by rangers.
4. Reduce pressures from other threats, many of which are likely
to be exacerbated by climate change, through increasing the 5. If mountain gorillas are faced with an increased risk of extinction,
capacity of humans to manage the effects of climate change. drastic measures such as translocation of subpopulations may
Examples include need to be considered.
• Mitigate increasing risks posed by infrastructure development
and exploitation of resources.

Support for this study was provided by a generous grant from the General Motors Foundation.
For more information, please contact Nikhil Advani at nikhil.advani@wwfus.org
For this and other species assessments, visit worldwildlife.org/wildlife-and-climate

Acknowledgments: Melissa de Kock, David Greer and Shaun Martin (all of WWF). Photos: Cover © naturepl.com/Andy Rouse/WWF-Canon. Page 2 © Martin Harvey/WWF-Canon. Page 3
left: © naturepl.com/Andy Rouse/WWF-Canon, right: © Timothy Geer/WWF-Canon. Back cover © Steve Morello/WWF-US. References: 1. Robbins M & Williamson L, 2008. Gorilla beringei.
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9. Robbins AM et al., 2011. Lifetime Reproductive Success of Female Mountain Gorillas. Am J Phys Anthropol 146(4): 582-593. 10. Garner KJ & Ryder OA, 1996. Mitochondrial DNA diversity
in gorillas. Mol Phylogenet Evol 6(1): 39-48. 11. Bergl et al., 2008. Effects of Habitat Fragmentation, Population Size and Demographic History on Genetic Diversity: The Cross River Gorilla
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https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ug.html 14. Mawdsley JR et al., 2009. A review of climate-change adaptation strategies for wildlife management and
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Citation: Advani, NK, 2014. WWF Wildlife and Climate Change Series: Mountain gorilla. World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC.