At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Needs review — not found in IUCN's published checklist under this name (it carries species-level assessments only)Checked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28
Conservation overview
The Cross River gorilla is the rarest gorilla, a subspecies of the western gorilla found only on the Nigeria-Cameroon border. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
Only a few hundred are thought to remain, in scattered groups.
Range & habitat
A small area of forested hills on the Nigeria-Cameroon border.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Poaching
- Habitat loss and fragmentation
- A very small population
Why it matters
The most threatened of all gorillas, the Cross River gorilla is a flagship for protecting and connecting the forests of the Nigeria-Cameroon highlands.
Sources
Sources for Cross River Gorilla
- IUCN Red List — look up Cross River Gorilla (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Cross River gorillas are left?
Only a few hundred are thought to survive, scattered across forested hills on the Nigeria-Cameroon border, making it the rarest of the gorilla subspecies.
Why is the Cross River gorilla Critically Endangered?
Published assessments cite poaching, habitat loss and fragmentation, and its very small population. See the IUCN Red List for the current assessment.