According to the World Wildlife Foundation, the Western Lowland Gorilla is one of the Earth's most critically endangered species. The Western Lowland Gorillas inhabits many areas in Africa, from Cameroon to the Republic of Congo. Although an exact population number is not known due to the difficulty in accessing the dense and remote rainforests in which they inhabit, scientists do know that their numbers have declined by more than 60 percent in the past 20 years, putting them on the verge of extinction.

Western Lowland Gorillas are threatened by two primary reasons: poaching and disease. The gorillas are often poached for bushmeat. Five percent of the entire Western Lowland Gorilla population in Northeast Congo is killed each year, leaving their numbers at an all-time low. Disease is another huge factor in the decline of this species. Ebola has taken the lives of many Western Lowland Gorillas; some scientists even estimating that it has killed one-third of the gorilla population, the majority being Western Lowlands. With there population left on the brink of extinction, many people and groups are doing everything they can do help save this once thriving species.

The World Wildlife Foundation is leading the way in the conservation of this amazing species. Many programs have sought to increase awareness and decrease poaching. WFF has also shown its support by contributing to Ebola research to help create a vaccine for gorillas. The World Wildlife Foundation has also made efforts for increased tourism in protected areas, making it safe for the gorillas and people, while increasing education about these magnificent animals. WWF is also helping these gorillas by increasing the amount of protected land which they can live, creating a safer living environment for them to thrive in.

In the midst of a sixth mass extinction, we must do everything we can to save and protect every species on our planet. The key to this is education. With the help of people from all around the world, we can help critically endangered species like the Western Lowland Gorillas thrive again and stop other species from getting so far gone.

You can learn more about the threats the Western Lowland Gorilla faces by visiting worldwildlife.org/species/western-lowland-gorilla.

"What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make." - Jane Goodall