Mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest face welfare challenges from ecotourism pressure, with visitor proximity and habituation processes carrying significant stress costs.
Habituated gorilla groups experience daily visitor contact limited to one hour per group, but stress behaviours including displacement, vigilance, and avoidance are documented. Respiratory infections transmitted from humans have caused deaths. Infant gorillas and silverbacks show the highest stress responses during tourist visits, with chronic low-level stress affecting immune function and reproductive success.