Rare gorilla species spotted with offspring in Nigeria (Photos)

Photos showing some of the world’s rarest gorillas in the wild have been released.

Cross River gorillas are extremely endangered and only 300 are believed to still be alive on the planet. They are the rarest of all the great apes.

These new photos, captured remotely earlier this year, show the creatures in the mountainous region of southern Nigeria. And even better, the shots reveal a number of infant gorillas as well.

The pictures are fuelling hopes that the Cross River gorillas are surviving and reproducing.

The sub-species is known to inhabit some regions in Nigeria and Cameroon but are hardly ever seen.

‘Cross River gorillas were formerly more widespread and abundant than they are today, the result of hunting and habitat loss,’ explains the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Nigeria.

The WCS has a number of initiatives in place to try and protect the gorillas and is working with authorities in the area to raise awareness and stop hunters.