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Ebola could have a devastating effect on Africa's gorilla population, researchers have warned.

They say the virus has already affected primates - and caused major changes in the way they reproduce.

It has even broken up groups and forced infected animals out of their families.

The disease can influence reproductive potential, immigration and social dynamics, researchers say

Researcher studied animals affected by a previous outbreak in the Republic of Congo.

The gorillas that were affected by an Ebola virus outbreak shows that disease can influence reproductive potential, immigration and social dynamics.

Researchers say it highlights the need to develop complex models that integrate all the different impacts of a disease.

This approach requires long-term monitoring of wildlife populations to understand the responses of populations to emerging changes in the environment, according to the Journal of Animal Ecology study.

'Along with the decrease in survival and in reproduction, Ebola outbreak perturbed social dynamics in gorilla populations,' said Dr. Pascaline Le Gouar of the University of Rennes, the senior author of the study.

Scientists estimate that in a worst-case scenario, Ebola would wipe out 45 percent of the entire population in just one generation

'During outbreak, transfers of both males and females between social units increased. 

'Some adult females have been observed transferring to non-breeding groups, which is unusual in non-affected population. 

'Although, six year after outbreak, most of vital rates returned to pre epidemic rate, recovery of the population is slow, especially because no compensatory immigration occurred after outbreak indicating that the neighboring populations might have been also affected,'