What is the Largest Species of Gorillas? Gorilla Trekking Safaris
What is the largest species of Gorillas? The largest species of gorillas is Eastern lowland gorilla which is among the four gorilla subspecies. This species is distinguished from other gorillas by its stocky body, short muzzle and large hands among the few. Despite its size, eastern lowland gorillas subsist rely their diet on fruits and other herbaceous materials just like other gorilla subspecies.
Eastern lowland gorillas live in tropical rainforests in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. And they have been decreased in number for the last 50 years but currently the report shows how it has occupied to only 13% of its historical range. In the Mid-1990 the scientists proved that their population declined by more than 50% since then, when their population numbered 17,000. Although an accurate accounting of the animals has been difficult in certain years because of violence in the region.
Due to unrest, the gorillas have been vulnerable to poaching like in Kahuzi Biega National Park in Congo, a popular home to the largest population of eastern lowland gorillas. Also rebels and poachers conquer the park and people as well who set up illegal mines. But all this incidents, have been solved by the WWF and other organizations, park staff who take the control over the land.
However, eastern lowland gorillas are under species of eastern gorillas which are critically endangered species of the genus Gorilla and are the largest living primates. They are subdivided into the Eastern lowland gorilla known as ‘’Grauer’s gorilla ‘’ and is the most populous with a total of about 3,800 individual and other species are mountain gorilla with total population of about 1,064 individuals.
In spite the fact that, the eastern lowland gorillas and mountain gorillas are thought to be two of the three subspecies of one single species of the gorilla. For this matter, the genetic research has shown up that the two eastern subspecies are far more closely related than the western subspecies. The two eastern subspecies are now classified as ‘’G. beringei’’.
Therefore, the eastern lowland gorilla can be found in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and mountain gorillas are found in the volcanic slopes of Uganda, Rwanda and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. In Uganda mountain gorillas can be viewed in two national parks of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park and Mgahinga Gorilla national park, Volcano national park in Rwanda and Virunga national park in Congo.
Facts about Eastern Gorillas
They have a large head, broad chest and long arms.
Eastern gorillas also have flat nose with large nostrils.
Their face, hands, feet and breast are bald.
Their fur is mainly black but adult male gorillas have a silvery on their back.
Adult male gorillas their hair on the saddle of the back becomes white much like the gray hair of elderly people. That’s why the older males are called silverbacks.
Eastern lowland gorillas are shorter, thicker, deep black fur.
Note; They are all herbivorous with a heavy foliage based diet due to lack of available fruit in their habitats.
They all tend to build nests by folding over vegetation, usually on the ground.
They also tend to have larger sizes than their western relatives, ranging up to 35 individuals
Mountain Gorillas –Facts
They are slightly smaller and lighter than Grauer’s gorilla but larger and heavier than the western lowland gorilla and the cross River.
Male gorillas are much larger than females
An adult ‘’grown male’’ eastern gorilla typically weighs in between 140 to 205 kilograms and stands 1.5meter tall.
Gorilla Trekking Price Safari
In Democratic Republic of Congo, gorilla trekking goes at fee of USD400 per person per trek and is the cheapest among the other, Uganda gorilla trekking cost USD700 per person for Foreign nonresident, USD600 for Foreign residents and in Uganda there’s special Gorilla habituation experience at USD1,500 per person per trek ‘’ full day’’ with four hours given to the trackers, unlike the Gorilla trekking an hour activity. Rwanda gorilla trekking costs USD1,500 imagine an hour with four-hour habituation experience. The choice is yours which destination is more favorable to you and Gorilla Habituation Experience can only be done in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. These memorable hours are given to visitors to observe the interesting lifestyle of Gorillas and how they spend their day in the jungle.
