Facts About Mountain Gorillas
Mountain gorillas are fascinating animal species that live an elusive life. Not many people get to observe them in their natural habitat, and this means very little is publicly known about them. It’s only those who manage to pursue them to their mountainous abodes that get to experience the rare joy of watching a mountain gorilla family live together, providing an inside look into what transpires in this kind of family setup. Nevertheless, the following are interesting facts about mountain gorillas that you’d be pleased to know.
Mountain Gorilla Facts
COMMON NAME: Mountain Gorilla
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Gorilla beringei beringei
TYPE: Mammals
DIET: Omnivores
GROUP NAME: Troop, band
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 35 years
SIZE: Standing height, 4 to 6 ft
WEIGHT: 300 to 485 lbs (136 to 220 Kgs)
SIZE: 4 to 5 ½ feet when standing on two feet
Facts About Mountain Gorillas
1. They are human’s close relatives
You’ll be surprised to know just how close the genetic makeup of humans is to that of gorillas. Research has shown that we share over 98% of our DNA with them. And just like humans, this species of animals also have a unique identifier. While humans have fingerprints, gorillas have a distinct nose pattern that differentiates one from the other. The similarities are not only biological but also extend to geography. The landscapes where you’ll typically find mountain gorillas are known to house the highest densities of rural human demographics in the entire world. The unfortunate thing is that this proximity to humans comes with exposure to threats such as the spread of ailments and human-wildlife conflict.
2. They are only found in Africa
Africa is the only place in the world where you’ll find a mountain gorilla in its natural habitat, and they live in just two populations. One of the habitats is in the Virunga volcanic mountains, East Africa, within a trio of national parks: Volcanoes in Northwest Rwanda, Virunga in Eastern DRC, and Mgahinga Southwest Uganda. The other population is in Bwindi National Park, in Uganda.
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3. They are shy but very strong
Don’t be misled by what you saw on “King Kong”; mountain gorillas aren’t always the aggressive beast depicted on the big screen. On the contrary, they are pretty shy. According to locals who live near their habitat, a gorilla will never come after you if you look it straight into the eye and maintain eye contact. However, they can be extremely intimidating when their habitat or family is under threat. They thump their chests and let out roars and grunts in anger. In extreme situations, an alpha male or a mother will charge at the danger and fight to the death to protect their offspring.
4. They live in units of up to 30
The largest family of mountain gorillas ever known and studied was Rwanda and led by an alpha male called Cantsbee. The silverback is the oldest known of its kind in the world and leads a troop that comprises several young males, juvenile and adult females, and infants.
5. Male gorillas are called silverbacks
Most people assume that the word “silverback” refers to a species of mountain gorillas. However, this is the name given to a mature male gorilla, and it originates from the coat of silver hair that emerges on their backside. The same way human hair turns grey when they age.
6. Silverbacks lead and protect the group
Aside from leading and protecting the family, silverbacks play the role of maintaining order and deciding the activities a mountain gorillas group will partake includes what route to take when moving, feeding trips, and resting time. They are also almost solely responsible for mating with adult females and bringing infants into the family.
7. Females start reproducing as early as the age of 10
Female mountain gorillas will typically carry one or a pair of infants at any one time, given birth to after a gestation period of eight and a half months. Generally, the female will bear two to six offspring during her lifetime.
8. Fussy Eaters
Given the size of a full-grown silverback, which can weigh between 140 and 180kg, you’ll be surprised to know that mountain gorillas only feed on leaves, stems, and shoots. Nevertheless, what lacks in variety is undoubtedly made up for in quantity. A gorilla will spend almost half of its time foraging. Their habitat in the mountain provides ample diet in lush green forests that are perfect for keeping the eating going. However, there has been continued degradation of their habitat, thanks to human activities like deforestation and charcoal burning.
9. They are money makers
On average, a habituated gorilla can indirectly attract up to 2.5m Euros in revenue from tourist income during its lifetime. Numerous people visit parks and sanctuaries to see this unique species, and the numbers have only increased over the years.
10. They love a comfortable sleep
Mountain gorillas are known to construct nests to sleep every other evening. And once in a while, they may build one for their afternoon siesta.
Would you love to see gorillas in the wild? Contact us, to find out more or email info@nkuringosafaris.com.
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