Conservation

Mountain Gorillas Are The Only Great Ape Whose Numbers Are Going Up

1,063 and climbing — every other great ape on earth is declining. These aren't.

By the NoBadNews desk · Published 2026-07-08 · Updated 2026-07-08

Are mountain gorillas recovering?

Yes — mountain gorillas have climbed to 1,063 individuals (604 in the Virunga volcanoes, 459 in Bwindi), making them the only great ape on earth whose population is growing, per the IUCN Red List.

They recovered well enough that the IUCN moved them off the Critically Endangered list in 2018 — down to Endangered. The comeback spans Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo, protected by ranger teams who know many gorillas individually. Every other great ape — chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, the other gorillas — is still declining.

Source: IUCN Red List / GVTC · Image: AI illustration of real verified news (our method).

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