Besides humans, gorillas have few enemies. Due to their massive size and power of a Silverback gorilla, these apes also have no natural predator apart from leopards. The gorillas’ social structure also helps them to prevent themselves from being prey of other animals.

Mountain gorillas in Congo share their habitat with animals such as the African forest buffalo, African forest elephants, lions, and leopards. Leopards are big and smart felines that feed on meat from multiple animals and have the ability to kill an adult gorilla.

The main advantage of leopards is their ability to climb trees quickly and efficiently, which are the places where these primates build their nests.

Leopards rarely prey on adult male gorillas, but they do it specifically on western lowland gorillas. Usually, they avoid “silverback” leaders that are stronger and focus on young individuals.

Usually, humans do not hunt gorillas for bushmeat, but gorillas are also commonly killed by traps and snares set by humans to capture small animals. Poachers often kill them for their heads, hands, and feet which are sold to collectors.

The Virunga gorillas are especially vulnerable to animal trafficking for the illegal pet trade. With young gorillas on the black market worth between $1,000 and $5,000, poachers searching for infants and juveniles will kill and harm other members of the family in the process. The most recent case was the killing of a Silverback named Rafiki in June 2020 in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.

if you are to trek gorillas in Uganda in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park & Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Rwanda in Volcanoes National Park or the Democratic Republic of Congo in Virunga National Park and Kahuzi Biega National Park.