What is the IUCN conservation status of the mountain gorilla?

The IUCN conservation status of the mountain gorilla is Endangered.

The mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) is one of two subspecies of eastern gorilla. It lives in two separated populations: one in the Virunga Mountains across Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and another in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Dense mountain forests and high elevations define its habitat.

Mountain gorillas were once considered at extreme risk because of poaching, habitat pressure, disease, and political instability around their range. Intensive conservation—including protected-area management, veterinary care, tourism controls, and close monitoring—helped the population increase. Even so, the subspecies remains vulnerable because its total range is small and nearly all animals live in a handful of protected forests.

A common mistake is choosing Critically Endangered because mountain gorillas are exceptionally rare. IUCN categories are based on formal criteria such as population trends, range, and threats. The mountain gorilla is classified as Endangered, while the broader eastern gorilla species is also under severe conservation pressure.