All subspecies of gorilla are classified as Endangered and are legally protected.

There are laws in eight African countries governing gorilla capture and hunting.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international treaty developed in 1973 to regulate trade in certain wildlife species, including gorillas. CITES categorizes various animals according to their current status. All subspecies of gorilla are classified as Appendix I.

IUCN/The World Conservation Union is a nongovernmental organization founded in 1948 that supports the conservation of wild living resources. The IUCN Red List has classified all subspecies of gorillas as endangered in all parts of their range.

Economic incentives involve the provision of financial benefits for the conservation of land and animals in essence making conservation profitable for local people.

Sustainable Forest Management is an economic incentive that involves using the forest and/or forest products in a responsible manner that avoids overexploitation or replants resources that were harvested.

Ecotourism is an economic incentive that combines conservation with tourism that benefits local people. For example the Rwanda-based Mountain Gorilla Project works to improve park protection, initiates a conservation education program, and develops gorilla-based ecotourism. A top priority of well-managed ecotourism programs is the protection of wild habitats, innate behaviors, and cultural patterns.

Educational programming has sparked local and international interest for conservation issues. These programs help prepare future conservation leaders for challenging environmental concerns as well as providing information regarding zoonoses (inter-species disease transmission) which may be acquired from bushmeat.

Nongovernmental organizations serve as intermediaries between international and national economic resources, policymakers, researchers and the animals themselves. These organizations provide opportunity for field researchers to interact with policymakers to share information regarding conservation management and field research.

The Great Ape Survival Project (GRASP) is a collaborative partnership between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) divisions. The project works to protect gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans by working with local communities to reduce poverty, increase conservation awareness programs and population monitoring.

In a cooperative effort with other AZA (American Zoo and Aquarium Association) institutions, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay closely manages gorilla populations through a program called the Species Survival Plan (SSP), which works to improve the genetic diversity of managed animal populations.

The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund's mission is to work with purpose and passion on behalf of wildlife and habitats worldwide, encouraging sustainable solutions through support of species research, animal rescue and rehabilitation and conservation education. In 2004-2005, the Conservation Fund supported the following gorilla preservation projects through conservation education programs and habitat protection.