Quck answer
Gorillas are the largest primates in the world, with males weighing up to 400 pounds. They are primarily herbivores, but also eat insects and small animals. Gorillas are highly intelligent and have been observed using tools in the wild. They live in groups led by a dominant male called a silverback. Gorillas are endangered due to habitat loss, poaching, and disease. They are also vulnerable to human conflict and climate change. Conservation efforts are underway to protect gorillas and their habitats. There are two species of gorillas: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla. Both are found in central Africa.
Wild Animals
The eastern lowland gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri) is a subspecies of eastern gorilla found in the mountains and forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. guenterguni/Getty Images
Although we often think of ourselves as distinct from the animal kingdom, we share a remarkable 98.3 percent of our DNA with gorillas. They are our closest animal relatives, after chimpanzees and bonobos. Here are some interesting facts about these majestic creatures, the world’s largest primates:
1. Gorillas Are Indigenous to Africa
Both Eastern (Gorilla beringei) and Western (Gorilla gorilla) gorillas can be found in equatorial Africa. While there are only two gorilla species, there are several subspecies: mountain gorillas, Cross River gorillas, western lowland gorillas and Grauer’s gorillas. The Eastern species lives at higher elevations on the green slopes of volcanic mountains, and the Western species lives at lower elevations in tropical jungles.
“Each subspecies plays an essential role within their ecosystem, dispersing seeds and helping to maintain a balance in the food chain by consuming large quantities of plant matter,” says Josh Meyerchick, Lead Keeper in Primates at Zoo Atlanta.
2. Gorillas Consume a Similar Diet to Hedgehogs
Despite the fact that adult male gorillas can weigh up to 430 pounds (195 kilograms), they don’t achieve this by consuming protein. Surprisingly, gorillas mostly eat the same diet as much smaller hedgehogs. Gorillas are primarily herbivorous, consuming around 140 different plant species and requiring approximately 60 pounds (27 kilograms) of food daily. Although they obtain most of their calories from fruit and bamboo shoots, they also eat caterpillars, termite mounds, and occasionally small animals.
3. Gorillas Are Incredibly Strong
“It’s hard to conceive of just how powerful these animals are until you’re up close to them and witness a display behavior,” says Meyerchick. “Hearing a fully grown adult thump their open palm against a reverberating object is an experience that would make many people jump.”
Gorillas are generally gentle with each other and rarely use their full strength. However, adult gorillas are incredibly strong, possibly up to ten times stronger than a human adult. Gorillas have been known to bend metal bars to escape a cage, tear down banana trees with ease, and their bite has twice the force of a lion’s.
4. Gorillas Build a Fresh Nest Every Night
Gorillas sleep for at least twelve hours each night and take their bedding seriously. Almost every night, they construct a new bed, reusing a previous night’s nest only about 4% of the time. It takes around five minutes to build a new nest, which is usually on the ground but occasionally in a tree. Baby gorillas share their mother’s nest until they’re about three years old or until she has another baby. The nest is where they sleep, play, snuggle, and are groomed by their mothers.
5. Gorillas Have Strong Social Bonds
Gorillas form social groups called “troops,” consisting of a silverback male and several females. The silverback mates with all the females, and younger males may be allowed to stay in the group. A troop’s territory can be as large as 16 square miles, and they spend their time wandering, eating, grooming each other, and playing. The silverback is the leader and takes charge of finding food, resolving conflicts, and deciding where the troop goes. When a silverback dies, the troop may disperse or a new silverback may take his place.
6. Gorillas in Captivity Benefit from Human Medical Care
Gorillas in zoos exhibit the same behaviors as their wild counterparts, including nest-building, social interactions, and foraging. They also participate in voluntary enrichment training programs, allowing them to receive medical care such as physical checkups, vaccinations, and echocardiograms for heart health. These programs improve the gorillas’ overall well-being.
7. Gorillas Can Control Their Scent
Each silverback gorilla has a distinctive scent, which he uses to communicate his position in the group. However, he can also turn off his scent when he wants to hide or doesn’t need to assert his authority.
8. There Were Once Larger Primates than Gorillas
The Gigantopithecus was a prehistoric primate that lived in southern China and was larger than the gorilla, standing at 10 feet tall and weighing 1,100 pounds. It went extinct about 100,000 years ago, likely due to a shift in climate that led to a lack of food.
9. Gorillas Are Endangered but Making a Comeback
Gorillas face threats such as disease and habitat loss due to agriculture, forestry, and mining. The mountain gorilla population has doubled in the last 30 years, with around 1,000 individuals remaining in the wild. Western lowland gorillas are considered critically endangered, with fewer than 100,000 individuals remaining in central Africa’s tropical forests.
Meyerchick emphasizes that the survival of a species does not solely depend on its population size, but also on the availability of enough space to live. In good news, the mountain gorilla’s recovery has demonstrated that conservation efforts can successfully bring a species back from the brink of extinction. Zoo Atlanta partners with Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, an organization committed to saving wild mountain gorilla populations. The efforts of these organizations have led to measurable success, as mountain gorillas have been reclassified from critically endangered to endangered. Gorillas have unique fingerprints, and their noseprint patterns can also help to identify individual gorillas in the wild.
FAQ
1. What are gorillas?
Gorillas are the largest primates in the world, and are closely related to humans. They are herbivores and mainly eat leaves, stems, fruits, and flowers.
2. How many species of gorillas are there?
There are four known species of gorillas: the western lowland gorilla, eastern lowland gorilla, mountain gorilla, and Cross River gorilla.
3. Where do gorillas live?
Gorillas are native to central and eastern Africa, and can be found in the forests of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, and Uganda.
4. How big can gorillas get?
Gorillas can grow up to six feet tall and weigh up to 400 pounds. Male gorillas are typically larger than females.
5. How do gorillas communicate?
Gorillas communicate through a variety of sounds, including grunts, screams, and barks. They also use body language, such as chest-beating and other displays, to communicate with each other.
6. Are gorillas endangered?
Yes, all four species of gorillas are considered endangered or critically endangered due to habitat loss, poaching, and disease.
7. How long do gorillas live?
Gorillas can live up to 35 years in the wild, and up to 50 years in captivity.
8. Do gorillas have any natural predators?
No, gorillas have no natural predators. However, humans pose a significant threat to their survival through hunting and habitat destruction.
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