Cyber FlashCards

10 of the most well-known primate species

#10

what is thIS PRIMATE'S common name?
WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLA
What is the scientific name?
Gorilla gorilla gorilla
​WHAT KIND OF PRIMATE IS THIS?
GREAT APE
Where do they live?
Western lowland gorillas inhabit the dense and remote tropical rainforests of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Angola, and the isolated lowland swampy forests of the Republic of Congo on the African continent.
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Africa
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Where western lowland gorillas live (in red). Map: Fobos92/Creative Commons
New world or old world?
OLD WORLD
fascinating facts
  • Western lowland gorillas are gentle giants
  • Although they can weigh up to 440 pounds (200 kg), they are primarily vegetarian
  • They live in small, stable family groups
  • Western lowland gorillas share 98.3% of their DNA with us humans
  • They have experienced a 60% population decline over the past 25 years
What threatens their future?
Habitat loss through logging—clear-cutting the forests for agricultural use, mining (for coltan, a mineral used in cell phones), and for the development of human settlements—is the foremost threat against western lowland gorillas and other great apes. But logging leads to two other significant threats: poaching and disease.

Poaching and disease have led to a 60-percent decline in western lowland gorilla populations over the last 25 years.
​WHAT IS their CONSERVATION STATUS?
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
What Does this Conservation Status mean?
Critically Endangered (CR) = Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
Any species categorized as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable is considered by conservation scientists to be a threatened species
​HERE'S A SNAPSHOT AND THE SPECIES' PROFILE
Click or tap on the graphic to enlarge it
​LEARN MORE ABOUT wESTERN lOWLAND gORILLAS
Go to the western lowland gorilla Primate Species Profiles page
are western lowland gorillas good pets?
NO
  1. Gorillas are large! They can weigh up to 440 lbs (220 kgs). Their needs cannot possibly be met in human living conditions.
  2. To become pets, gorilla babies are stolen from their mothers. As a result, they do not develop normally emotionally.
  3. Primates are never domesticated. They always remain wild. 
  4. Caged primates are very unhappy and frustrated. They are likely to resist confinement. They are quick and cause damaging bites and scratches.
  5. In their natural habitat, western lowland gorillas live in stable family groups with a strict heirarchy. It is cruel to isolate them as pets.
  6. Many locations have strict regulations that prohibit trading in or keeping primates and endangered species are pets.
  7. Western lowland gorillas belong with other gorillas in Africa. They and their habitats must be protected, not exploited.
#PrimatesAreNotPets
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​Common names are not officially defined. They are based on everyday conversational language and may differ by country, region, profession, community, or other factors. As a result, it is not unusual for a species to have multiple common names.

Scientific names, on the other hand, are standardized and constant. They are Latinized and rule-bound by a formal naming system called binominal nomenclature. Scientific names prevent misidentification. They typically only change if a species is officially redesignated.
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The biological order of Primates is divided into these classifications:​
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​​New World monkeys are native to Central and South America.

Old World monkeys are native to Africa and Asia.
Learn about the differences between New World monkeys and Old World monkeys
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  • ​Extinct (EX) – No known individuals remaining.
  • Extinct in the Wild (EW) – Known only to survive in captivity.
  • Critically Endangered (CR) – Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
  • Endangered (EN) – High risk of extinction in the wild.
  • Vulnerable (VU) – High risk of endangerment in the wild.
  • Near Threatened (NT) – Likely to become endangered in the near future.
  • Least Concern (LC) – Widespread and abundant.
  • Data Deficient (DD) – Not enough data to assess the species' risk of extinction.
  • Not Evaluated (NE) – Has not yet been evaluated.
Learn more about ​Conservation Statuses
Copyright © New England Primate Conservancy 2019. You may freely use and share these learning activities for educational purposes. 
​For questions or comments, e-mail us at info@neprimateconservancy.org.
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