Approximately when did gene flow finally cease between the Western Lowland and Cross River subspecies?
Answer
About 420 years ago
The relationship between the Western Lowland Gorilla and the Cross River Gorilla populations involved a long history of intermittent separation followed by periods of interbreeding, driven by fluctuating Pleistocene climates that expanded and contracted their forest habitats. While the initial split happened about 17,800 years ago, genetic mixing continued when ecological corridors occasionally opened. However, the complex back-and-forth of this gene flow is estimated to have completely stopped and finalized its cessation only relatively recently in evolutionary terms, specifically around 420 years ago. This final separation likely coincided with intensifying human impact and habitat fragmentation.
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