From 220 to a thriving rebound: the mountain gorilla's survival story

Nature · Published 26 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the early 1980s, it was feared that fewer than 400 mountain gorillas remained on Earth. Today, these primates are staging a surprising comeback in Central Africa, thanks to a high-stakes combination of intensive veterinary care, armed ranger patrols, and a global shift in conservation strategy.

The recovery of the mountain gorilla is a triumph over decades of poaching and habitat destruction. In the early 1980s, primatologist Dian Fossey warned that only about 220 individuals remained. By the early 80s, estimates suggested fewer than 400 survived in total. Today, these numbers are increasing significantly due to a coalition including the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP), WWF, and Conservation International.

Conservation is now an intensive, multi-year process involving 'habituation'—training gorillas to be accustomed to human presence from a safe distance. This allows for monitored tourism, which provides vital revenue, while also enabling rangers to monitor health and remove snares. In Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the Nkuringo group serves as a pioneering example; once home to six silverbacks, it now numbers fifteen individuals.

The danger remains extreme. To safeguard the species against charcoal production and illicit oil exploration, over 175 park rangers within Virunga National Park (Democratic Republic of Congo) have perished or suffered assassination attempts during a two-decade period. On the ground, veterinarians perform 'jungle surgeries' on 400-pound silverbacks and orphaned infants to treat diseases and injuries in the wild.

The social structure of these groups is central to their survival. When a dominant silverback dies, as happened to Rafiki in June 2020, the group may remain at the site for a week to mourn. Success depends on young males, like thirteen-year-old Mutu Regger, proving they have the strength to protect the troop from rivals and environmental threats.

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