Planning a gorilla trekking trip to Africa? Then you must learn these interesting facts about gorillas! These tremendously bulky animals share a distant ancestor with humans and have been known to cohabitate in social groups of up to 50 individuals! On average, these tanks-on-legs live between 35 and 40 years in the wild, though, perhaps most interestingly, gorillas exhibit a propensity for using tools to assist themselves in performing various tasks. Want to know more about these fascinating creatures? Read the rest of our article below!
Interesting Facts About Gorillas: More Like Us Than You Think
Over the years of our conservation efforts, scientists and wildlife biologists have uncovered a wealth of knowledge about the gorilla species. As our knowledge of these magnificent creatures grew, we became intimately familiar with their way of life, and it became a little more clear that they hide a bit more than meets the eye.
That’s plenty of reason to love and respect the noble gorilla, even if it isn’t a member of the famous African Big Five. Sadly, while hunting lions in Africa contributes to the continued shrinking of the big cats’ populations, gorillas likewise aren’t immune to human threats, including poaching and habitat loss, leading to their classification as critically endangered.
These are the most fun and interesting facts about gorillas:
Gorillas Form Complex Social Structures
Gorillas can live in packs of up to 50 individuals, though most of the time, they limit themselves to no more than 10. Each pack consists of a dominant male – the silverback gorilla – along with a few females and their offspring.
They Live Up to 40 Years in the Wild…
Most gorillas reach an age of anywhere between 35 and 40 years on average in the wild, where they are exposed to a number of threats, including diseases and poaching.
…And Even Over 50 in Captivity
When placed in captive conditions, however, many gorillas have been known to surpass 50 years of age in safer, captive conditions.
They Are the Largest Primate on Earth
Gorillas can weigh up to 200 kilograms, and though they prefer knuckle-walking when standing upright, they can grow as tall as 1.7 metres, making them unequivocally the largest and most formidable of Earth’s primates.
Despite Its Size, the Gorilla Is a Shy Creature
We’ve all seen images and videos of the iconic chest-beating manoeuvre. However, this act is generally performed only in self-defence, where the group’s leading silverback deters an undesirable intruder from approaching or threatening his pack. Aside from that, gorillas rarely exhibit loud or aggressive behavior, strongly preferring to be left to their own devices.
They Can Use Tools!
One of the most interesting facts about gorillas is that they have shown some propensity for using basic tools to assist in daily activities, like food foraging or checking water depth levels. This is a fairly recent discovery made only in 2005. Perhaps there are many more secrets that the gorillas can still surprise us with and show just how closely related they are to us!
Gorillas Are Around Nine Times Stronger Than Us
While precise estimates are, of course, difficult to obtain, many speculate that due to their naturally enormous muscle density, a full-grown adult gorilla male can be up to nine times stronger than an adult human man.
They Eat Away 50% of Their Day
On average, a gorilla will consume 23 kilograms of vegetation daily – that’s a copious amount of food! As such, they spend around half of their time awake to forage and get through it all every day.
Fun Facts About Gorillas: The Takeaway
Which of these fun facts about gorillas was the most surprising for you? Though this list merely scratches the surface, we believe it showcases precisely why these wonderful animals are so deserving of our love, protection, and respect. If you think so, too, consider going on a gorilla trekking adventure with Home to Africa and witness the magic unfold before your very eyes!
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