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Gorillas

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION: Gorillas belong to the family Pongidae. They are classified as Gorilla gorilla. The western lowland subspecies is classified as Gorilla gorilla gorilla, the eastern lowland subspecies as Gorilla gorilla grauere, and the mountain subspecies as Gorilla gorilla beringei.

HABITAT:Gorillas are found in Africa in three distinct zones with each zone having a certain species:

1) The West lowland gorilla inhabits the forests of equatorial Africa near the Cameroon coast.

2) The eastern lowland gorilla is present in the eastern part of the region.

3) The mountain gorilla, lives at elevations of 6,000-13,500 feet (1,800-4,000 meters) in western Congo.DESCRIPTION: They are the largest and most docile of all apes.They can attain a height of 51/2 feet (1.7 meters), a weight of 600 pounds (270 kilograms), and an arm span of 9 feet (2.7 meters. The female is shorter and half the weight of the male.

The skin of the gorilla is black, and the hair is coarse. The hair on the backs of old males turn gray and thus they are known as silverbacks. The muzzle is short and hairless, with a flat nose, flaring nostrils, and strong jaws. The eyes and ears are small, and the brow ridge is prominent. It has a lesser brain size. The skeletal structure of the gorilla is similar to that of humans, but the bones are thicker, the arms much longer, and the legs shorter. The spine of the gorilla does not have the necessary curvature for it to be able to walk erect. Hence it walks with a stoop and rests its body weight on its large knuckles.

Despite their usually inoffensive behavior, both in the wild and in captivity, gorillas have been portrayed as vicious and aggressive villains in innumerable fictional tales like Michael Crichton's Congo, a completely unrealistic representation of their character.

They live in groups of 5 to 15. Family groups consist of a dominant male, two or more females, and various juveniles. Juveniles leave the family group as they near maturity. Gorillas are strict herbivores (plant-eating animals) and their diet is constituted by succulent plants, berries, and leaves. They lead a predominantly terrestrial life, except that smaller individuals often spend the night in temporary treenests similar to those constructed by orangutans.

All gorillas beat their chests; in the male this behavior may serve as a display of power or intimidation. The males chase away the intruders. Intruders who run away may be chased and killed but those who stand their ground are not harmed. The sexual cycle in the gorilla is the same as in the humans. The gorilla is fairly intelligent but not as clever as compared to the chimpanzees.