Poaching and the spread of the Ebola virus may cause a quick extinction of gorillas in central Africa, according to a new study by the United Nations. An increase in the human population, logging, and mining for minerals used in cell phones also contribute to the gorilla decline.

Gorilla populations are down from about 17,000 in the mid-1990s to 5,000 eastern lowland gorillas today.

Read the full story on National Geographic News.

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Photograph by Brent Stirton