western gorilla

[ wes-tern guh-ril-uh ]

noun

1. a blackish or dark gray gorilla ( Gorilla gorilla ), often with a distinctive reddish brown forehead: its two subspecies, the western lowland gorilla and the rare Cross River gorilla, are both critically endangered.

Word History and Origins

Origin of western gorilla¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

In this article, we will explore the tales of the Eastern Gorilla and the Western Gorilla, forging connections that transcend the ordinary and learning about the extraordinary efforts being made to ensure their continued existence.

From Salon

We'll explore the tales of the Eastern Gorilla and the Western Gorilla, forging connections that transcend the ordinary and learning about the extraordinary efforts being made to ensure their continued existence.

From Salon

Meanwhile, on the other side of the continent, the Western Gorilla reigns supreme, with the Western Lowland Gorilla reigning in the vast lowland forests and the Cross River Gorilla fighting for survival on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon.

From Salon

Four of the six great ape species — the Eastern gorilla, Western gorilla, Bornean orangutan and  Sumatran orangutan — are now listed as “critically endangered,” while the chimpanzee and bonobo are listed as “endangered.”

From Washington Post

Four out of six of the Earth's great apes are now critically endangered - the eastern gorilla, western gorilla, Bornean orangutan and Sumatran orangutan.

From BBC