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Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla Beringei) : Hapter

1) Eastern gorillas occur in two subspecies - the eastern lowland gorilla and the mountain gorilla. They are found in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. 2) The mountain gorilla population is divided between two areas - one in the Virunga Massif national parks along the border of DRC, Rwanda, and Uganda, and the other in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. 3) While there are no major physical differences, the mountain gorilla tends to be larger with longer hair and a larger skull than the eastern lowland gorilla. The two subspecies are estimated to have diverged around 400,000 years ago.

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29 views1 page

Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla Beringei) : Hapter

1) Eastern gorillas occur in two subspecies - the eastern lowland gorilla and the mountain gorilla. They are found in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. 2) The mountain gorilla population is divided between two areas - one in the Virunga Massif national parks along the border of DRC, Rwanda, and Uganda, and the other in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. 3) While there are no major physical differences, the mountain gorilla tends to be larger with longer hair and a larger skull than the eastern lowland gorilla. The two subspecies are estimated to have diverged around 400,000 years ago.

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mamillapalli sri harsha
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EASTERN GORILLA (GORILLA BERINGEI )

CHAPTER 8

Eastern gorilla
(Gorilla beringei )
SARAH FERRISS, MARTHA M. ROBBINS, AND ELIZABETH A. WILLIAMSON

E
astern gorillas (Gorilla beringei Matschie, There are few if any absolute physical
1903), occur in the wild more than 1 000 km differences between these two subspecies, al-
from the nearest western gorillas (G. gorilla though the mountain gorilla tends to have a larger
Savage, 1847). They are larger than the western body and longer hair, and is distinguished by its
gorilla but otherwise similar, with a broad chest and larger cranium and wider facial skeleton, as well as
shoulders, a large head, and a hairless, shiny black less rounded and more angular nostrils.47 Genetic
face. A full-grown adult male can weigh up to about divergence of these subspecies was apparently
220 kg, and a full-grown adult female about half confirmed by comparison of their mitochondrial
this.46, 97, 99 Two subspecies of eastern gorilla are DNA (mtDNA);76 however, the high frequency of
currently recognized by the Primate Specialist incorporation of mitochondrial into nuclear DNA
Group of IUCN–The World Conservation Union:48 the recently reported in gorillas146, 166 makes interpreta-
eastern lowland or Grauer’s gorilla (G. b. graueri tion of the earlier results more difficult. The mtDNA
Matschie, 1914); and the mountain gorilla (G. b. of these two subspecies may turn out to be more
beringei Matschie, 1903). similar (or indeed more different) than had pre-
A very small population of unusually large viously been thought. It is estimated that the two
eastern lowland gorillas occurs on Mount subspecies diverged some 400 000 years ago.166
Tshiaberimu, in the Virunga National Park of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).82 One DISTRIBUTION
population of mountain gorillas, that found in the Mountain gorilla
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, The mountain gorilla occurs in two known popu-
has such distinctive morphology, ecology, and be- lations within three countries: DRC, Rwanda, and
havior that some have suggested that it should be Uganda (Map 8.1). These populations occur almost
considered a third subspecies.73, 123 This is a con- entirely within national parks. One is found among
tentious issue, as it is probable that the mountain the extinct volcanoes of the Virunga Massif. These
gorilla populations have been separated for only the gorillas are officially protected by the Virunga
relatively short period during which intensive National Park of DRC, the Volcanoes National Park
agriculture has occupied the area between them. in Rwanda (Parc National des Volcans), and the
The small size of the mountain gorilla populations Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda; all of
and the small number of samples available for these are contiguous and so protect a single area of
examination make it more difficult than usual to gorilla habitat (the Virungas). The other population
determine whether the variation between popu- is found mainly in Bwindi Impenetrable National
lations is greater than the variation within them. Park in southwest Uganda on the border with DRC.
Debate continues on this issue,14, 47, 48, 92, 135 but here Mountain gorillas occupy about 375 km2 in the
we recognize only two subspecies of the eastern Virungas and 215 km2 in Bwindi,14 these areas being
gorilla: the eastern lowland gorilla and the separated from each other by 25 km of settled
mountain gorilla. farmland.123

129

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