Balkan Yam vs Westlicher Gorilla

Dioscorea balcanica compared with Gorilla gorilla

Key Differences

Balkan Yam is Near Threatened while Westlicher Gorilla is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Balkan Yam	Westlicher Gorilla
Kingdom	Plantae (Pflanzen)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Mammalia (Säugetiere)
Order	Dioscoreales (Yamswurzelartige)	Primates (Primaten)
Family	Dioscoreaceae	Hominidae (Great Apes)
Genus	Dioscorea	Gorilla (Gorillas)
Species	Dioscorea balcanica	Gorilla gorilla

Conservation Status

Balkan Yam

NT — Near Threatened

Westlicher Gorilla

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Balkan Yam	Westlicher Gorilla
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	40 years
Average Length	—	1.7 m
Average Weight	—	160.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Balkan Yam

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Westlicher Gorilla

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 4 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Cameroon, Congo (Republic), Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Balkan Yam

The Balkan Yam (Dioscorea balcanica) is a species in the genus Dioscorea. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Westlicher Gorilla

The world's largest primate, western gorillas weigh up to 180 kg and inhabit the tropical and subtropical forests of equatorial Africa. Primarily herbivorous, living in family groups led by a silverback male who protects the troop and mediates social conflicts. Critically Endangered, with populations threatened by deforestation, poaching for bushmeat, and outbreaks of Ebola virus disease.