Mountain gorillas are considered severely endangered, with only 1063 individuals remaining in protected areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. They are susceptible to human diseases due to close proximity through tourism and research. While no cases of gorillas being infected with COVID-19 have been reported, their close genetic similarity to humans may allow other human respiratory viruses, such as metapneumovirus, to infect gorilla cells. A recent study hypothesized that gorillas receiving a vaccine would have a higher survival rate if exposed to human metapneumovirus than those not receiving the vaccine.

1. Although their populations have increased, mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) are
considered severely endangered with only 1063 individual living in two subpopulations in the
Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. Mountain Gorillas are often in proximity
with humans through tourism and research and are susceptible to human derived respiratory
diseases. As of 2021, there have been no recorded cases of human to gorilla transmission of
COVID-19 although close genetic structures may allow viruses such as the human
metapneumovirus, to infect cells (Gilardi, et al., 2021). It has been hypothesized that gorillas that
received a certain vaccine (treatment group) will survive a human metapneumovirus at a more
favourable rate that those that do not receive the drug (control group). The following results were
recorded from the test. Complete the hypothesis test by hand
Survived Did Not Survive
Treated 46 18
Control 38 35