Page 66 - Present Day Wildlife_Float

Gorillas are large herbivorous primates belonging to the genus Gorilla. There are two recognised
species* containing four recognised subspecies and, to date, one unrecognised. Gorillas are found only
in the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa. The larger of the two species, is thought to be the East-
ern gorilla which stands around 1.25 to 1.8 metres tall and weighs about 100 to 270 kg. Outstretched, its
arm span measures, from tip to tip, around
2.6 metres. The Western gorilla, is often
recorded as slightly smaller, however, occa-
sionally it has been found to measure the
same if not larger than the Eastern.

*1.Eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei)
Eastern lowland gorillas Grauer's gorillas
(G. b. graueri)
Mountain gorillas (G. b. beringei)
Bwindi mountain gorilla
2.Western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla)
Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla
gorilla)
Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli)

Gorillas are extremely powerful ani-
mals. Their skin and hair are black, and ma-
Named Gorillas ture adults will often have grey or silver
hairs on the lower part of their backs: hence
Alfred the Gorilla
Babec (Gorilla) the term silverback. They lack hair on their face, hands, feet, and in older males the
Binti Jua (Gorilla) chest. They have short powerful legs and slightly longer, muscular arms. Their
Bobo (gorilla) head is large and it has small sunken eyes, with broad thick nostrils on top of a
Bokito (gorilla) slightly protruding upper jaw. They have small ears and prominent brow ridges
Charles the Gorilla with adult males having a pronounced crest on top of the skull. Gorillas usually
Colo (gorilla)
Fatou (gorilla) move about in a gait-like fashion on all fours, with hands slightly clenched as they
Gargantua (gorilla) walk on their knuckles. They stand on their legs to pick tasty vegetation from high
Guy the Gorilla up, but will also stand erect to display their power either to females or to intimi-
Harambe (Gorilla) date others.
Ivan (gorilla)
Jambo (Gorilla)
Jenny (gorilla) Gorillas are divided into two distinct forested areas in central Africa. The Western
John Daniel (gorilla) gorilla lives in bushland and forests in countries to the west of the Democratic Re-
John Daniel II (Gorilla) public of the Congo, (DRC), while the Eastern gorilla inhabits montane forests in
Jumoke (Gorilla) countries to the east, including forests in the eastern part, of the DRC. They live
Koko (gorilla) within these regions, in varying sized groups known as a troop. A troop will consist
Kokomo (gorilla)
Louis (gorilla) of several females and any juveniles, led by an adult male or silverback. Young
Massa (gorilla) males related to the lead male are often present. The troop spends much of its day
Max (gorilla) foraging for food, and taking quick rests between feeding sessions. They are not
Michael (gorilla) territorial and will usually share their feeding area, around 40 square km, with oth-
Ndakasi (Gorilla) er troops. At the end of each day a gorilla builds its own makeshift nest, of branch-
Ndume (Gorilla)
Nico (gorilla) es and foliage, either on the ground or in a tree. It uses this crude nest or bed as a
Ozzie (gorilla) place to sleep. Once used its abandoned. Females, however, with young will stay in
Pattycake (gorilla) the same nest while raising them.
Pogo (gorilla)
Samson (gorilla) Gorillas are primarily herbivores, but are known, to eat ants and termites.
Shabani (gorilla)
Snowflake (gorilla) Their diet of vegetation and fruit is dictated by the environment they reside, which
Timmy (gorilla) makes each species diet slightly varied. They can consume over 18 kg of vegetation
Titus (gorilla) daily. This large consumption supplies them with so much water they never have to
Toto (gorilla) actually drink water. Gorillas are also marked as intelligent due to their use of
Trudy (gorilla) tools, like constructing a ladder for the young to climb trees and sticks to winkle
Willie B.(Gorilla)
out ants and termites. Like the chimpanzee they are also responsive to being taught
in captivity. Gorillas are not known to be aggressive, though, when approached,
tend to take an upright and very intimidating stance. Rather than a prelude to an attack this intimidat-
ing posture is believed to be more of a warning to ‘stay back’. Adult’s gorillas have no natural predators.
However, young gorillas do have to be protected from some large predators such as, large hungry leop-
ards.