Mountain gorilla facts
mountain gorilla facts : Mountain gorilla are very interesting animals and staying in their company is a golden chance that is why before you embark on a gorilla trekking safari you have to know the following amazing facts about them
They are social beings
Mountain gorillas are social animals who live in groups, a mountain gorilla group usually consists of 6 to 30 individuals. Mountain gorillas make it a habit to bond with each other in group through playing, small fights and chasing after each other.
They have no permanent home
Mountain gorillas are nomads, they have no permanent home. Mountain gorillas are not territorial and not the type to stay tied up in one location like the low land gorillas which can be found in zoos, mountain gorillas are always on a move which majorly depends on the availability of food in the location. Since the silver back is the leader of the group he decides when and where to relocate to.
Live in groups
Mountain gorillas are not the kind of animals to live alone, they always live in groups. Each mountain gorilla groups always consists of 6-30 individuals which include silverbacks, infants, black backs, adult and young females.
Have emotions
Like human beings mountain gorillas also have emotions, they laugh, smile and cry when they are sad this makes them fascinating creatures.
Very defensive and dangerous
Though they are very calm creatures, mountain gorillas are very defensive and can become dangerous when threatened, mountain gorillas are very protective of their members from any enemy attack and when they sense any attack they attack with no second thought. This explains why as a tourist you are given rules and guidelines you keenly follow which in the presence of mountain gorillas.
Silverback is the leader of the group
Mountain gorilla groups are always led by a silver back as their alpha, these groups at times contain more than one silverback which very rare. It is hard for a group to have more than one silverback and live peacefully with no power struggles, the alpha silver back is the head of the group and responsible for protecting the group from any attack, deciding when and where to move to and many more responsibilities.
They are life span is 52
Mountain gorillas are forest animals who live up to the age of 52 years if they are not attacked by human beings or any chronical disease.
Eat a lot
Mountain gorillas spend most of the daily time feeding on leaves, roots, stems and fruits most especially the males who eat about 50 pounds daily.
Largest primates on earth
Live in higher forested altitudes
Mountain gorillas live on the higher forested areas, in Africa the only place where you can find them, mountain gorillas are found on the high altitude of Virunga volcanoes between the ranges of 2,200–4,300 metres.
Build sleeping nests very day
Mountain gorillas build new sleeping nests on a daily basis, since mountain gorillas are always on a move they tend to build new nests to sleep in each location
Extremely intelligent
Mountain gorillas are very intelligent animals, they sense danger and can know when they are under attack.
Are endangered species
Mountain gorillas are critically endangered animals, they are very much threatened mostly by human beings who hunt them for meat and also kidnap them (the young ones) only to sell them at the black market. Mountain gorillas have also been greatly affected by unending wars in democratic republic of Congo, encroachment on their homes as people cut down trees for charcoal burning and getting land for agriculture. This explain why the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified mountain gorillas as endangered species.
Have descriptive name
Mountain gorillas have descriptive names which identify them from other animal species, scientifically mountain gorillas are called Beringei Beringei and the name mountain gorillas is descriptive name for their habitant as they live on higher altitudes of the mountains. When you the four national parks in Africa where mountain gorillas reside you will realise you have to climb the mountains to see them. Silverbacks are called so as it describes the sliver stripe that a male mountain gorilla develop as they mature.
Are vegan
Mountain gorillas are vegan species, mountain gorillas’ diet is strictly vegetables. They only feed on leaves, grass, roots, stems, fruits and a few insects like termites. Mountain gorillas do not feed on flesh. However young mountain gorillas feed on breast milk until the age of 3 when they start feeding on vegetables.
Closest relatives to human beings
Among animals on planet Earth Mountain gorillas are the most closets relatives to human beings, mountain gorillas’ DNA is 98.5% similar with that of human beings. Mountain gorillas can contract similar human diseases like cholera, Ebola, diarrhea, flue and many more, that is why when you are visiting the mountain gorillas on a mountain gorilla trekking expedition ill individuals are not allowed to participate in the experience.
Mountain gorilla are not fat though they are huge
Mountain gorillas are huge animals though they are not fat, mountain gorillas are vegans and their diet is totally composed of vegetables. Mountain gorillas spend their day feeding on leaves, roots, stems and a few insects which contain no fatty components.
Baby mountain gorillas are smaller than human babies
Though matured mountain gorillas are very huge, when it come to the baby mountain gorillas it is a different story. Mountain gorilla babies are always smaller than the average human baby as they 3 to four pounds at their time of birth.
Like a Lion’s Mane a silver coat on a Silverback Mountain Gorilla is a sign of Maturity
Male mountain gorillas are black-backed especially the young males but as they grow the tone of their fur changes which is a sign for maturity, when black backed young male mountain gorillas reach maturity the tone of their backs changes from black to a saddle-shaded silver. Saddle-shaded silver haired back is not only assign of maturity but also for responsibility, matured makes take up a role of a a father in the group which is to protect the young gorillas in the family.
Gorillas are the largest primates on earth
Mountain gorillas a huge animals at an average weight of 195 kg and standing height of 168 cm for males, females are at an average weight of 100 kg and at height of 140 cm thus mountain gorilla facts.
Approximately 900 mountain gorilla individuals are left in the world
In recent years mountain gorillas have reduced in number due wars and human invasion, this has left approximately 900 individuals in existence which are sheltered in Virunga national park of democratic republic of Congo, volcano national park of Rwanda, mgahinga gorilla forest national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park of Uganda.
Female gorillas reach a breeding stage after 10 years.
Females normally give birth every after 4-5 years with a gestation period of 8-9 months
