MOUNTAIN GORILLAS AT RISK

THE mountain gorilla, one of four gorilla subspecies, is now classified as endangered with about 1,000 left in the wild. These are some of the threats they face . . .

HABITAT LOSS: Mountain gorillas live in some of the most densely populated parts of rural Africa and much of their habitat has been lost to make more room for people. The animals are now confined to isolated high-altitude forests.

POACHING: Although poaching of mountain gorillas is now thankfully uncommon, they can still get caught in snares set for other wildlife, causing injury or death.

HUMAN ILLNESS: Because gorillas share much of our DNA they can contract diseases from humans — but don’t have the immune system to fight them. Even a common cold can have a devastating impact. HUMAN-GORILLA CONFLICT: Mountain gorillas sometimes leave the forest and raid crops near villages. This can lead to conflict with people trying to protect their livelihoods.