Gorillas are the largest apes on earth. Their black skin is covered with a rough black or brown fur. Gorillas are probably one of the animals that touch human’s heart and imagination the most. The strong and massive body shape and human like face is a fascinating mix. Gorillas can climb trees despite their large size, but their enormous muscular figure limits their moves in trees. The size varies between 1.4 and 1.8 metre (4.5 to 6 feet) in an upright position. The male’s weight can vary between 140 and 275 kg (300 to 600 lbs) and that of a female can vary between 60 and 140 kg (130 to 300 lbs). On the ground, gorillas walk on all four, leaning on their knuckles and standing on the ball of their feet. Their senses are similar to those of humans; they have an excellent eyesight and colour vision. The Western Lowland Gorilla is diurnal and is found in the tropical forests of Western Africa as well as Central and Eastern Africa. Gorillas are strict herbivores feeding mostly on fruit and leaves. They live in small groups lead by a dominant adult male called “silverback”. One of the male’s roles is to protect its group from predators. A female will give birth to only one young at a time every four years. This mammal can live up to 35 years in nature. An adult has no predators, only a leopard could attempt to attack this animal. The most important threat comes from human creating a loss of habitat and who also hunts entire populations for the meat. The Western Lowland Gorilla is an endangered species.
Western Lowland Gorilla Gorilla gorilla gorilla
