Recent divergences and size decreases of eastern gorilla populations

Eastern gorillas, particularly mountain gorillas within Virunga National Park, have experienced significant population declines, with some populations decreasing by up to 10-fold. Genetic analysis of non-invasively collected faecal samples revealed that eastern lowland gorillas and mountain gorillas diverged around 10,000 years ago, followed by the split of the two mountain gorilla populations—Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the Virungas Massif—approximately 5,000 years later. These population dynamics are likely linked to historical climate fluctuations and recent human influence in this densely populated region. The study sheds light on the evolutionary history and conservation challenges faced by eastern gorillas.

Roy, J., Arandjelovic, M., Bradley, B. J., Guschanski, K., Stephens, C. R., Bucknell, D., Cirhuza, H., Kusamba, C., Kyungu, J. C., Smith, V., Robbins, M. M., & Vigilant, L. (2014). Recent divergences and size decreases of eastern gorilla populations. Biology Letters, 10(11), 20140811. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2014.0811