Mountain gorillas are a rare conservation success story, with populations recovering from the brink of extinction, while individual welfare continues to require active management.
Mountain gorilla welfare improvements have paralleled their population recovery. Habituation to human presence enables veterinary intervention for injured or sick individuals — a direct welfare benefit. Anti-poaching patrols reduce snare injuries that cause painful, disabling wounds. However, welfare challenges persist. Human respiratory illness can spread to gorillas with devastating effects — COVID-19 monitoring and protective protocols were essential. Snare removal programs and snare-wound treatment by Gorilla Doctors provide direct welfare intervention. Silverback competition and infanticide by invading males cause both deaths and social disruption. The integration of welfare monitoring into conservation programs makes mountain gorilla management a model for other great ape populations.