Countries where cross river gorillas live.
The flourishing rainforests collaborate with the lowland montane forest in Nigeria and Cameroon to provide shelter to these critically endangered gorilla species. The west of Africa is the pride of these rarest gems on the continent.
Interesting facts about this type of gorilla
- These are the rarest of the gorilla species. It is estimated that less than 300 cross-river gorillas still breathe in the world making them a critically endangered species.
- Unlike other gorillas that enjoy high-altitude areas, cross-river gorillas enjoy the views and spaces offered in lowland forests.
- Their habitats are close to human settlements but they are the shyest of all the gorilla species.
The difference of this type of gorilla from other gorilla species
- They have well-built shoulders and their hands and feet are more prehensile than mountain gorillas and western and eastern gorillas.
- Their feet and teeth are much shorter than what the western lowland gorillas and other mountain gorillas have.
- They are too shy and this affects studying them and reproduction among this gorilla type compared to other gorilla types.
- The skulls, vaults, ears, cranial and ears are much smaller than what other gorilla species have.
- Cross-river gorillas almost live close to humans and they inhabit lowland forests, unlike other gorillas that enjoy climbing mountains.
Trekking cross-river gorillas
The experience of trekking cross-river gorillas is definitely the same as that of the other mountain gorillas since they also stay in family groups like other gorillas. Tourists interested in spotting these uniquely traced gems have to first make preservation with the areas in which these gorillas are found.
On the trekking day, tourists are escorted by well-experienced guides through the rough terrain to spot the shy creatures in their hiding areas. Trekking these gems is not as hectic as going through the meanders and hills found in the forests.
When the tourists get to the gorillas, they spend a period of one hour watching the creatures since they are very shy creatures to get a better understanding of how they spend their days. Just like trekking mountain gorillas, tourists are supposed to follow all the rules and regulations that are communicated to them before the exercise like keeping a safe distance of 7m away from the primates, taking photos with camera lights off and other instructions as told to them by the guides of the exercise.
Cost of trekking these gorillas
The cost of trekking cross-river gorillas is not clearly defined since they are rarely seen creatures therefore it’s determined by the national park or sanctuary depending on the chances of seeing them. But tourists who wish to participate in searching for these creatures should arrange a sum in the range of trekking other gorillas in Africa or even more since these are the rarest of them all.
Best time to trek them
Cross river gorillas shift their homes from nesting on the ground to the top of trees during the wet season therefore it is vital for tourists to make their safaris during the dry season so that tourists spot them while they are on the ground.
