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W A G A C: Orld Tlas of Reat Pes and Their Onservation

This document provides information on the habitats of different gorilla populations in Africa. It describes the habitat ranges of mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, including the vegetation zones and elevations. It also summarizes the habitat of eastern lowland gorillas, noting their wide altitudinal and geographic range across montane, transitional, and lowland forests.

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33 views1 page

W A G A C: Orld Tlas of Reat Pes and Their Onservation

This document provides information on the habitats of different gorilla populations in Africa. It describes the habitat ranges of mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, including the vegetation zones and elevations. It also summarizes the habitat of eastern lowland gorillas, noting their wide altitudinal and geographic range across montane, transitional, and lowland forests.

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mamillapalli sri harsha
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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WORLD ATLAS OF GREAT APES AND THEIR CONSERVATION

to as high as 4 100 m, while those at Bwindi


live between 1 160 m and 2 600 m. Eastern lowland
gorillas occur at altitudes between 600 m and
2 900 m.14, 90, 203, 208 Although the altitudinal ranges of
the eastern lowland and mountain gorillas overlap,
their populations are geographically separated.

The Virungas mountain gorilla habitat


The Virungas are a forested, mountainous volcanic
region that contains a number of vegetation zones.
The most widespread type is a Hagenia abyssinica
(Rosaceae) and Hypericum revolutum (Clusiaceae)
woodland, with a relatively open canopy and
extremely dense herbaceous or, less frequently,
grassy understory.90, 180, 181 Other areas frequented
by mountain gorillas in the Virungas include open
herbaceous areas, often dominated by Mimulopsis
excellens (Acanthaceae), in the flat saddle between
Mounts Visoke and Sabinyo; monospecific stands of
Gordon Miller/IRF
bamboo; dense ridge vegetation with abundant
Habitat of the mountain protected areas of several different designations. It Hypericum revolutum and shrubby growth of
gorilla, Bwindi covers an area of 11 000 km2, in which gorillas are Senecio mariettae (Asteraceae); and high-altitude
Impenetrable National found in four separate populations.49 A community vegetation with a stature of 4–5 m.90
Park. reserve is also being developed in the Masisi region
in the North Kivu area, to the southwest of the Bwindi mountain gorilla habitat
Virunga National Park. Bwindi gorillas live at lower elevations, and are more
arboreal than gorillas of the Virungas.123 They occur
BEHAVIOR AND ECOLOGY in a range of vegetation types which include open
Much of the information on the ecology of the forest with a discontinuous canopy, sometimes dom-
eastern gorilla comes from studies on mountain inated by Mimulopsis arborescens (Acanthaceae);
gorillas in the Virunga Massif.35, 122, 124 Research in mixed forest dominated by understory and canopy
the Virungas was initiated by George Schaller trees and shrubs, usually interspersed with lianas
in the late 1950s; since 1967, three to four habit- and woody vines, especially Mimulopsis spp.; riverine
uated groups have been followed regularly by forest, along permanent or temporary rivers or
researchers from the Karisoke Research Center in streams, with an open or continuous canopy; and re-
Rwanda. Less is known about the ecology or demo- generating forest that has been disturbed previously,
graphy of mountain gorillas in Bwindi,92 or of the for example by logging.98 There is a greater density of
eastern lowland gorilla, but research is ongoing. fruit-bearing trees in the gorilla habitats of Bwindi
Most studies of the eastern lowland gorilla have National Park than in the Virungas.38, 98
been carried out in Kahuzi-Biega, under the aus-
pices of bodies such as the Congolese Institute Eastern gorilla habitat
for Nature Conservation (ICCN, Kinshasa), the The eastern lowland gorilla has the widest altitu-
Center of Natural Science Research (CRSN, Lwiro), dinal and geographical range of any of the eastern
and Kyoto University.21, 69, 197, 207 Research findings gorillas, living in montane, transitional, and lowland
on the ecological and behavioral differences be- tropical forests. They have been reported at a range
tween and within the eastern gorilla subspecies, of densities: 0.25/km2 in Maiko National Park,
and between western and eastern gorillas, are 0.55/km2 at Mount Tshiaberimu, and 1.03–1.26/km2
accumulating.26, 38, 90, 120, 121, 201, 203 in Kahuzi-Biega.50, 53, 111, 207 One of the best-studied
populations of eastern lowland gorilla occupies the
Habitat mountain region of Kahuzi-Biega. Here habitats
Mountain gorillas in the Virungas occur at altitudes vary from dense primary forest intermixed with
from 2 000 m to 3 600 m, with occasional excursions bamboo, to mesophytic (moderately moist) wood-

132

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