Gorillas are the largest primates on Earth. Adult female gorillas tip the scales at 70-90 kg, whereas their male counterparts, standing tall at a whopping six feet, can weigh anywhere from 300 to 450 pounds. That's roughly equivalent to 135 to 200 kilograms!
The largest being the eastern gorillas, specifically the silverback males from the eastern lowland gorillas. These creatures can clock in at 400 pounds, equivalent to 180 kilograms, and stand tall at approximately 5.6 feet or 1.7 meters. These impressive creatures live in the forests of Central Africa.
Another interesting fact about gorillas is that they have opposable thumbs, just like humans do! Gorillas can touch their thumbs to the tips of their fingers.
Interestingly, few mammals have thumbs that can move and oppose their other fingers. Some examples are opossums, koalas, and panda bears. Only marmosets and tarsiers among primates have thumbs that can't oppose their fingers.
Gorillas can grip and manipulate objects with dexterity. Like us, they utilize their opposable thumbs efficiently, adeptly grasping food, picking items, and cleverly using tools. This ability is crucial in their daily activities and helps them navigate their environment effectively.
Another interesting gorilla fact is that they construct nests on the ground or in trees to sleep at night. Each gorilla builds a nest using leaves and branches before sleeping3.
Most gorillas spend their nights in the ground like adult mountain gorillas, rarely sleeping on trees. Meanwhile, adult western lowland gorillas prefer not to reuse their sleeping spot. Gorillas search for food where it is abundant; they frequently change locations and leave their nests behind.
Gorilla nests help experts count gorilla populations because they are easier to see. These abandoned nests provide valuable information to researchers studying ape groups.
Nest counts can help experts estimate population size. Adult apes have individual nests, while baby gorillas sleep with their mothers until age 3. Outside the nest, a young gorilla also learns important skills and behaviors necessary for survival during this time. Hair samples from nests assess personal health. Nest feces indicate food availability and identify ape species based on smell.
Gorillas are in grave danger. The Western gorillas, which include the Western lowland gorilla and Western cross river gorillas, are critically endangered. The Eastern Gorilla, with two subspecies, the Mountain and Eastern Lowland gorilla, recently went from Endangered to Critically Endangered because its population has declined by over 70% in just 20 years.
These gentle giants are battling significant threats. They're victims of widespread poaching and losing their homes due to chopping down forests for farming, mining, building development, and more. Meanwhile, poachers continue to hunt gorillas, while unstructured gorilla tourism can also affect mountain gorillas' behavior and health.
Moreover, these great apes are at risk of diseases due to their genetic similarity to humans2. Human diseases like Ebola can be transmitted to gorillas from humans or other animals, posing a significant threat and further endangering their populations.
Conservation organizations, park rangers, and committed local communities work tirelessly to conserve Mountain Gorillas and their habitats. Their work includes initiatives focusing on anti-poaching efforts, habitat preservation, educating local communities, and regulating ecotourism.
Several organizations, such as the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), actively work towards conservation through research, education, and gorilla habitat protection.
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