35 Amazing Facts About Gorilla | Amazing Facts 4U
- Gorillas are the largest living primates, a family of animals that includes monkeys, apes, and humans.
- Gorillas are the world’s largest primates. The DNA of gorillas is very similar to humans – about 98-99% the same. This is more than any other animal in the world except the chimpanzees.
- There are two different gorilla species. The Western Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) has the sub-species: Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli); while the Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei) has the sub-species: Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) and Eastern Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri). All species are endangered due to habitat loss and hunting.
- Eastern Gorillas live in the tropical forests of Democratic Republic of the Congo and along the borders of Uganda and Rwanda.
- Western Gorillas live in the forests of Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Angola and Nigeria. Western lowland gorillas are the largest group of gorillas living.
- Gorillas are endangered animals. Eastern lowland gorilla numbers have rapidly declined to below 5,000 today. Critically endangered, there are fewer than 300 Cross River gorillas. Mountain gorillas, another endangered subspecies, number at around 700. There are around 100,000 western lowland gorillas.
- A mature male gorilla can be over 6 feet tall and weigh 135 to 225 Kg. He can spread his arms 8 feet across and is as strong as 4 to 8 strong men. Adult female gorillas are about half the size of the males.
- Gorillas are considered apes, not monkeys. Apes unlike monkeys don’t have tails.
- Gorillas can live 35 years in the wild and over 50 years in captivity.
- Gorillas are shy animals .They are not aggressive.
- Gorillas have a gestation period of nine months like humans, but babies usually weigh less than humans at approximately 1.8 Kg, their development is however roughly twice as fast.
- Females will start giving birth at about 10 years old and will have just one offspring every 3-4 years.
- Gorillas are helpless at birth and baby gorillas are nursed and carried by mothers up to at least three years even though they are able to walk when they are 8 months old . The mortality rate for gorillas is about 40% during the first two years of life.
- Young male gorillas usually leave their family group when they are about 11 years old and have their own family group by the age of 15 years old. Young female gorillas join a new group at about 8 years old.
- A group of gorillas that live together are called a troop in groups of 6 to 12. When the dominant male in a troop dies or is killed, then the troop will go their separate ways and find new groups to be a part of. However, if a younger male challenges the leader and wins then he becomes the new leader and the troop stays intact.
- A troop can have a territory of up to 16 square miles (41 square kilometers).
- Gorillas are herbivores spending most of their day foraging for food and eating fruits, bamboo, leafy plants and sometimes small insects. Adult gorillas can eat up to 30 kilograms of food each day.
- Gorillas aren’t meat eaters, that is a common myth.
- Gorillas usually don’t need to drink water from lakes or streams as they get all of the moisture they need from their food and morning dew.
- Although gorillas are generally quiet, they have a range of complex vocalizations including 25 different sounds which are used to communicate information in numerous contexts including teaching survival skills to young, searching for food, and in courtship.
- Gorillas are considered to be one of the most intelligent animals in the world. They are able to process information and to think independently.
- Gorillas are capable of understanding spoken languages and they can be made to learn to communicate in sign language.
- Amazing fact is one famous captive-born individual, Koko, has been taught sign language since she was a year old. By the age of 40, she had a library of about 1,000 signs and could understand some 2,000 words of English.
- Gorillas have been observed displaying emotions such as grief.
- Similar to a fingerprint, gorillas have a unique nose print used by researchers to distinguish them in the field.
- Every gorilla has a unique fingerprint just like humans.
- They have a large bulging forehead mainly to protect their eyes.
- Like all great apes, gorillas have arms that are longer than their legs allowing them to walk on all four limbs while still remaining somewhat upright. They tend to walk on all four limbs at by knuckle walking.
- Gorilla beds are called nests. They will never sleep in the same nest twice on the ground. They make a new one when they nap in the afternoon and before they sleep for the night . Nest is made out of fresh leaves and twigs.
- An adult fully grown male gorilla is called a silverback because of the distinctive silvery fur growing on their back and hips which happens around 15th year. Each gorilla family has a silverback as leader who scares away other animals by standing on it’s back legs and beating it’s chest! The silverback has the exclusive rights to mate with the females in his group.
- Gorillas are shy and peaceful. The only natural enemy of gorillas has always been human beings. They are also preyed upon by leopards and crocodiles.
- They use a variety of gestures body postures, vocalizations, chest slaps and facial expressions to communicate to their family and other gorillas. Male gorillas are well known for standing on their legs and roaring to intimidate would-be attackers.
- The Mountain gorilla is especially susceptible to human diseases.
- Amazingly gorillas can’t swim.
- Human birth control pills also work on gorillas.
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