| Gorilla | |||
| Genus | Gorilla | ||
| Species | gorilla | ||
| Status | Endangered | ||
| Number Left | Fewer than 1,000 mountain gorillas in wild; a few thousand lowland gorillas in wild | ||
| Habitat | Forest; lowlands and mountains of Africa | ||
| Distribution | Central and Western Africa | ||
| Height |
Female: 4.5-5 feet (1.4-1.5 meters) Male: 5.5-6 feet (1.7-1.8 meters) | ||
| Weight |
Female: 200 pounds (90 kg) Male: 310-400 pounds (140-180 kg) | ||
| Behavior |
Gorillas live in small groups with one large male, several females, and their young. It is rare to see groups of more than ten gorillas. These "families" stay together for long periods of time and live in the same area. They move slowly through the forests so they are unable to travel very far, and instead spend much of their day eating and digesting their food.
Gorillas don't swing through the trees (as many Tarzan movies may suggest), but instead live most of their times on the ground. They climb trees only if they are threatened or if there is food at the top. Gorillas build nests by bending branches and grasses, and sleep in these cup-like beds at night. These beds can be on the ground or in trees. The bigger the gorilla, the more likely the nest will be on the ground. Lowland gorillas keep clean nests that are re-made every night. | ||
| Breeding | Gorilla babies are very similar to human babies. They enjoy playing and wrestling. The mother gorillas teach them how to find food, and the spend a large part of their day eating leaves, bark, and fruit. Young females will stay with their mother's group, but young males leave to join another group when they are a few years old. | ||
| Conservation |
Gorillas are hunted by poachers, who take their heads as trophies. They are also threatened by habitat loss.
Gorillas seen in zoos were often brought there as young animals, after their parents were killed during capture. It was thought that for every baby gorilla shipped to a zoo, at least two adults were killed. Today, no zoos buy gorilla babies taken in this way. Instead, they get new gorillas from those born in captivity. These animals know little about life in the wild. | ||
| Interesting Facts | The lowland gorilla is more common than the mountain gorilla, even though both are threatened by human activities. | ||
| Images and Video Clips | |||
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| Animal Communication Panel | |||
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