Mountain and western gorillas face different conservation challenges, with both populations requiring welfare consideration alongside population-level protection.
Gorillas caught in snares suffer injuries including hand and arm loss from wire cutting off circulation. Orphaned gorillas separated from their families experience profound social deprivation. Ebola causes a hemorrhagic fever with extremely high mortality - gorillas dying from Ebola experience a severe, rapid decline. Tourist gorilla groups develop habituated behaviors but remain wild - the welfare compromise of habituation for tourism is accepting daily human contact in exchange for the protection funding provides. Gorilla sanctuaries providing lifetime care for orphaned individuals represent genuine welfare commitment recognizing the long-term nature of gorilla rehabilitation.