Between 1995 and 2010, the population of Cross River gorillas declined by 59% - more than any other subspecies of great ape. The decline of this species has continued at an alarming rate. Hunting pressure from bushmeat traders has contributed to displace this species into submontane areas.
The remaining population is small, fragmented and surrounded by some of the most densely populated human settlements in Africa. The small size of each subpopulation makes them highly vulnerable to poaching. Snares targeting other species may injure or kill gorillas. Legal prohibitions against the killing of Gorillas exist in both Cameroon and Nigeria, but enforcement of wildlife laws is inconsistent, and even legally protected areas suffer from high levels of poaching.

Conversion of forest for agriculture and grazing is occurring rapidly in many parts of the Gorillas’ range, and even the largest protected areas contain enclaves of human settlements whose farmlands have spread beyond their legal boundaries. Expansion of these settlements threaten to further fragment the Cross River Gorilla population. Increased habitat disturbance and extraction of forest resources will exacerbate poaching pressure. Commercial logging and industrial agriculture (e.g., for oil palm) are also impending threats.

The small size of the Cross River Gorilla population puts it at risk from inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity. The close proximity to dense human populations and livestockand makes it more vulnerable to diseases such as Ebola.