What are the two primary drivers causing the decline of Western lowland gorillas?
Answer
Habitat destruction and poaching
The alarming status of the Western lowland gorilla as Critically Endangered is directly attributable to intensive, continuous pressures exerted by human activities rather than natural causes. The two most significant and primary factors driving the swift decline in their populations are habitat destruction, which involves the felling of forests through logging operations and the conversion of land for agriculture, and direct removal of individuals through poaching. The synergy of losing necessary foraging territory while simultaneously facing mortality from snares and hunting creates an immense and persistent conservation challenge for this species.
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