Mountain and eastern lowland gorillas face severe welfare threats from habitat loss, poaching, disease, and human conflict. Their complex social lives make welfare impacts from population disruption severe.
Gorilla welfare is inseparable from the stability and safety of their social groups. Gorillas form long-lasting family bonds with culturally transmitted behaviours passed between generations — disruption of these groups through poaching or habitat loss causes welfare harm that extends far beyond individual mortality. Orphaned gorillas experience profound trauma and require years of expert care at sanctuaries to develop social competence. Human disease transmission has caused documented gorilla deaths — groups near research and tourism sites are particularly vulnerable to respiratory viruses. Mountain gorilla conservation is a remarkable success story combining anti-poaching protection, community benefit-sharing, and careful tourism management. Extending these approaches to the less-studied eastern lowland gorilla population is urgent.