Mountain gorillas face rising threats from climate change, with UNEP warning that decades of conservation gains could be undone without urgent climate-smart action.
Nairobi, Kenya – October 24, 2025 | The Interview Times — The mountain gorillas, one of the world’s rarest and most iconic species, are facing a new and fast-growing threat — climate change. A new report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) under the Vanishing Treasures initiative warns that shifting weather patterns could undermine decades of successful conservation that brought the gorillas back from the brink of extinction.
Once numbering only around 250 individuals in 1981, the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) population has rebounded to over 1,000 through strict protection in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). However, the UNEP report cautions that rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and changing ecosystems are intensifying existing threats like habitat loss, poaching, and disease — putting the species’ recovery in peril.
“Climate change is no longer a distant threat,” said Johannes Refisch, Coordinator of the Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP) at UNEP. “It’s already altering the forests, water sources, and human behaviors that mountain gorillas depend on.”
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Warming Faster Than the Lowlands
The Albertine Rift, which shelters the entire range of mountain gorillas, is now warming at an accelerated rate — around +0.3°C per decade, faster than the global average. Reduced cloud cover, prolonged dry seasons, and intense rainfall are becoming more frequent.
Climate models for 2020–2040 predict temperature increases of up to 1.7°C in the DRC and rainfall rises of over 28% in parts of the region. This shift could trigger vegetation changes, pushing alpine forests higher and squeezing the gorillas’ already limited habitat. Scientists describe this as a “tapering effect,” where mountain ecosystems shrink as they warm.
Mountain Gorillas Under Stress
Research from the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund shows that several gorilla groups are now climbing above 3,300 meters, possibly seeking cooler conditions or new feeding grounds. Higher temperatures and heavier rains have also been linked to increased stress hormones in the gorillas, suggesting they are under physiological strain.
“Mountain gorillas are adapted to cool, stable climates,” said Dr. Winnie Eckardt of the Fossey Fund. “Erratic weather patterns and heat could push them beyond their adaptive limits.”
Human Pressure and Disease Risks
The Greater Virunga Landscape is one of the most densely populated rural regions in Africa, with more than 600 people per square kilometer. Communities depend on small-scale farming and forest resources for survival. A UNEP-backed survey found that 95% of households noticed rainfall changes, 83% experienced drought, and 90% suffered crop losses.
As water becomes scarcer, residents—especially women and children—are venturing deeper into protected parks to collect water or firewood, increasing contact with wildlife. Because humans share 98% of DNA with mountain gorillas, this interaction heightens the risk of transmitting diseases such as respiratory infections, Ebola, and COVID-19.
“Water collection inside parks isn’t just about hydration,” the report warns. “It increases contact, disturbance, and the risk of deadly pathogen spillover.”
A Fragile Habitat at Its Limit
The habitat of the mountain gorillas, spanning just 635 square kilometers, is surrounded by farmland and villages. As the gorilla population grows but space remains fixed, competition for territory could rise. Studies predict that by 2080, climate change may reduce suitable habitats for endemic species in the Albertine Rift by up to 75%—and though 68% of future areas might lie in protected zones, they may not be accessible due to shifting vegetation patterns.
“The population is growing, but space is not,” said Andrew Segoya, Executive Secretary of the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration. “When carrying capacity is reached, climate-driven habitat shifts could reignite poaching and conflict.”
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Hope Through Climate-Smart Conservation
Despite the challenges, conservationists are pioneering climate-smart projects across the Virunga region. Under UNEP’s Vanishing Treasures Programme, new initiatives in Uganda’s Nkuringo buffer zone around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park aim to reduce community pressure on forests while improving livelihoods.
These include:
- Sustainable buffer crops that minimize crop raiding by gorillas
- Clean water systems to reduce park incursions
- Efficient energy alternatives to lower firewood use
- Women-led enterprises to build financial resilience
“Climate-smart conservation isn’t just about protecting mountain gorillas,” said Milena Beekmann, UNEP/GRASP officer and lead author of the report. “It’s about ensuring both people and wildlife can adapt and thrive together.”
A Global Call to Protect the “Gentle Giants”
Experts emphasize that the story of mountain gorillas symbolizes both hope and vulnerability in a warming world.
“We cannot allow climate change to undo 40 years of hard-won progress,” warned Dr. Martha Robbins from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. “Community collaboration, research, and adaptive management are our best defense.”
As the world battles climate disruption and biodiversity loss, the fate of mountain gorillas stands as a powerful reminder: protecting nature requires protecting the climate itself.