Amazing Facts About Gorillas (Must Read)

Gorilla

Next to chimpanzees and bonobos, gorillas are the closest living relatives to humans. They share at least 95% of their DNA with us, and our two species derive from the same common ancestor. Despite this, gorilla populations have been sadly neglected by humans. Habitat loss due to increasing human populations and poaching for the bushmeat trade are two of the most dangerous threats to the survival of these great apes: the eastern lowland gorilla is endangered with less than 5000 members left in the wild, while mountain gorilla numbers are down to around 700 and cross river gorillas number at approximately 300. It’s a tremendous shame, as these mighty apes are some of the most fascinating and complex creatures on our planet. To demonstrate that, here are some intriguing and unusual facts about our chest-beating cousins.

1. You wouldn’t challenge them to an arm wrestle – a mature male gorilla can have the strength of up to eight men, not to mention an arm span of up to eight feet across. It’s no wonder they’re the largest living primates.
2. The name ‘gorilla’ comes from a Greek word meaning ‘tribe of hairy women’.
3. Gorillas’ pot bellies aren’t a side effect of too many pies like ours are! The herbivores have enlarged intestines, allowing them to digest the bulky vegetation on which they like to feast – up to 18kg a day of it.
4. Gorilla DNA is 98% similar to ours, they’re some of our nearest natural relatives. They see in colour, as we do, although they suffer from colour blindness. They also have the same gestation period of nine months, and human contraceptive pills have been shown to work on gorillas in captivity. It also makes them susceptible to human diseases.
5. Just like us, each gorilla has a unique noseprint and fingerprint (a useful tool for gorilla detectives, one assumes).
6. A family of gorillas is called a ‘troop’ and consists of a silverback male leader, an immature male, three or four females and several youngsters. The silverback will risk his own life to protect the troop if necessary. If he dies naturally, the group disperses but if he is challenged and defeated by a younger male, they take his place in the troop.
7. Gorillas sleep in nests of leaves and branches, building a new one each night. Although these are rustic, their building is an important example of tool use, demonstrating the animals’ vast intellectual superiority to most other mammals.
8. Gorillas communicate with grunts and barks – twenty five distinct sounds have been identified by scientists. Some gorillas in captivity have even been taught sign language.
9. Researchers believe that gorillas have rich emotional lives, demonstrating humour, grief and planning behaviours, for example. Some scientists believe that the animals exhibit spiritual feelings.
10. Although leopards and crocodiles can eat gorillas, their primary natural enemy is man. Mountain gorillas, such as the ones you’ll find in the Bwindi Forest, are the most critically endangered. Staying at our luxury eco lodge in Uganda allows you to be part of the special partnership between the African Wildlife Foundation and the local community, which is working hard to ensure a safe future for the animals.

Gorilla

Their silver backs are equivalent to human beards They’re incredibly shy They have an impressive lifespan Their sex is remarkably human-like… and they swing both ways They can learn sign language They might be religious