Interesting Facts about Mountain Gorillas
Silverback mountain gorillas, named for the striking silver saddle of fur that develops on the backs of mature males, are the world’s largest apes living in the African rainforest. These gentle giants, known for their immense strength, complex social structures, and surprising intelligence, have captivated the imagination of scientists and nature lovers for generations. Yet, these majestic creatures, who call the lush volcanic slopes of Central Africa their home, face numerous threats to their survival.
Where do mountain gorillas live?
Like we already mentioned earlier, you can only see the gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mountain gorillas live in more extreme conditions and environments than their lowland cousins. They live in high altitudes that reach 4,500 meters. Mountain Gorilla tracking is an exciting activity that takes you to some of Africa’s densest forests to find these majestic apes.
The activity starts early in the morning with a briefing of participants. After the briefing, the participants are then led by Rangers and Guides through thick vegetation, plains, streams and valleys in search of a particular gorilla group. The activity can take between 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on the location of a group on a particular day. Once the group is located, visitors can only be with them for one hour. This is to avoid the spread of human diseases and agitating the primates. The one hour is a good time to observe the family and take some photos. By the time the one hour is done, you would have noticed that they indeed behave like we humans.
What is a silverback?
Silverback refers to the dominant male in a gorilla group. The name derives from the colour of the saddle of hair on his back, which turns whiter with age. All adult mountain gorillas are powerfully built, but silverbacks are simply enormous, with massive arms. The largest silverbacks weigh well over 200 kilos – twice the size of the average adult female gorilla – and measure almost two metres tall at the shoulder when standing.
When neighboring silverbacks meet, they rarely fight. Instead, they engage in ritualized bouts of roaring, hooting, chest-beating, plant-bashing and charging. Similar behavior is used to deter human intruders, predators, or large herbivores competing for food.
Social Behavior
Mountain gorillas live in social groups called troops, led by a dominant silverback male. The silverback is responsible for protecting the troop and is the largest and strongest member of the group. The troop consists of several females, their offspring, and sometimes one or two subordinate males. The females in the gorilla group are closely related to each other, and they play an essential role in the social dynamics of the group.
Mountain gorillas have highly developed social skills, and they communicate with each other through a variety of vocalizations, facial expressions, and body postures. They also use grooming as a means of bonding and socializing.
What do mountain gorillas eat?
Mountain gorillas are mainly herbivores, and their diet consists mainly of leaves, shoots, and stems from a variety of plants. They also eat fruits, flowers, and sometimes insects. They spend a significant amount of time each day foraging for food, and they have been observed using tools to extract food, such as using sticks to extract ants from their nests.
Mountain gorillas have a unique digestive system that allows them to extract nutrients from fibrous vegetation. They have large intestines and a long digestive tract, which enables them to break down tough plant material.
Silverbacks can weigh up to 500 lbs
Silverback gorillas are the largest and strongest primates on Earth, with adult males (silverbacks) weighing between 136-227 kg (300-500 lbs) and standing up to 6 feet tall. Females are significantly smaller, usually weighing half as much as the males.
Their imposing size is matched by their immense strength. Silverbacks are estimated to be up to 20 times stronger than an average adult human, capable of lifting or throwing up to 815 kg (1800 lbs)! However, silverbacks are not just powerful but also surprisingly agile and can run up to 25 mph in short bursts.
Additionally, their bite is incredibly powerful, with an estimated force of 1,300 pounds per square inch, exceeding that of a lion. Combined with their large canines, this impressive bite force makes them formidable defenders of their family groups.
They can live up to 40 years old
Silverback gorillas have a lifespan of 35 to 40 years in the wild. However, under the protection and care of captivity, they can often live well beyond 50 years. This increased longevity is attributed to a consistent food supply and the absence of natural predators.
Silverbacks face few threats from other animals in their natural habitat due to their immense size and strength. Leopards are among the few predators that occasionally pose a risk to gorillas, mainly targeting younger or weaker individuals. However, the most significant threat to silverbacks comes from humans. Poaching remains a persistent problem, with gorillas tragically killed for their heads, hands, and feet, which are sought after by collectors.
Mountain gorillas are very gentle
They live in calm and organized group and rarely attack unless threatened. They are very different from chimpanzees which are very aggressive and will hunt other smaller primates or antelopes for meat if a chance presents itself. Gorilla charging is very rare. Even when agitated, gorillas will first attempt to communicate their displeasure to an intruder. It is only when their displeasure is ignored that gorillas become aggressive.
Reproduction
Female gorillas give birth to one infant after a pregnancy of nearly nine months. Unlike their powerful parents, newborns are tiny-weighing four pounds and able only to cling to their mothers’ fur. These infants ride on their mothers’ backs from the age of four months through the first two or three years of their lives.
Young gorillas, from three to six years old, remind human observers of children. Much of their day is spent in play, climbing trees, chasing one another, and swinging from branches.
There can be more than one silverback in group
Although each group has a dominant silverback, 40% of the groups have other silverbacks. When this occurs, a hierarchy is established among the silverbacks with the dominant male the absolute leader. Male gorillas do not always leave the group like the females. They will stay with the group and remain subordinate to the alpha male (who is often their father or brother) hoping to inherit power. A few will decide to leave the family and stay on their own or attempt to attract females away from larger groups to start their own family. In a situation where there are several males in a group, all of them share the responsibility of protecting the group. The dominant silverback sires most of the offspring but the subordinates will have a few of their own.
Mountain gorilla infants develop twice as fast as humans
The female usually gives birth when she turns 10 and has offspring every four or more years. Newborns are weak and weigh only about four pounds. Their first movements are awkward, like a human infant, but they develop almost twice as fast. Infants nurse and are gradually weaned after they turn three when they are more independent. Unfortunately, infants are often targeted by poachers.
In conclusion
The reward for spending so much on a safari is being in the presence of a creature that resembles and behaves like humans. It is very rare to find individuals who regret spending time with the primates and most remember the encounter for the rest of their lives.
Despite their critically low numbers, they continue to capture the hearts and minds of people worldwide. By learning about these incredible animals and supporting conservation efforts, we can help ensure they thrive in their natural habitat and play a vital role in the ecosystem.
Diet of Mountain Gorillas