Mountain Gorillas Lifespan, Diet, Habitat, Weight, Top Facts

About the Mountain Gorilla

• Mountain Gorillas are endangered according to the IUCN Red List.
• Humans share about 95- 99% of DNA with the gorillas depending on what is included. They are the next closest living relatives to human beings after chimpanzees and bonobos.
• They are one of the largest living primates weighing about 150 Kilograms.
• They live in family groups with several individuals. A group of Gorillas is called a band or troop each led by a dominant Silverback who is the adult male in the group.
• Gorillas communicate by different calls. These include short barks when they are curious, roars, or hoots to intimidate rivals and struts.
• Gorillas are social, and not dangerous to humans.

Challenges

Humans are pushing mountain gorillas out of the wild and into extinction.

The primary challenges to the survival of this formerly severely endangered great ape are political instability, human encroachment, and deforestation. According to the last census, approximately 1,000 of these big apes persist in the wild. Their refuge in Virunga National Park is verdant and abundant in wildlife, rendering it one of the most densely populated areas in Africa. As individuals approach these endangered primates, they also introduce the potential for human infections, including influenza, pneumonia, and possibly Ebola. The growing human population and ongoing encroachment present significant risks to the habitat of this big ape.

A future marred by conflict.

The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has led to the loss of nearly four million lives in the past 14 years. The political instability and pressure from insurgent factions in the region exerted strain on Virunga National Park, positioning this giant ape amidst a social and economic catastrophe.

Residents rely on natural resources and wildlife tourism for their well-being, so directly associating the future of the apes with tranquilly and affluence in the region.

Behaviors

The silverback gorilla protects what matters most.

These apes are very social and inhabit groups ranging from two to 40 individuals, led by a dominant male known as the silverback, who serves as the primary leader and guardian. The bulk of males depart from their biological groupings at approximately 11 years of age. Some individuals migrate solo, while others associate with male companions for several years until they entice females to accompany them. The silverback directs the troop to the optimal locations for foraging and repose throughout the year. Typically, disagreements are addressed through standoffs and menacing behaviours intended to deter invaders without inflicting physical injury. A silverback, over ten times powerful than the largest American football players, defends its group from dangers, even at the cost of its own life.

Mountain gorilla infants develop twice as fast as humans.

The female typically gives birth at the age of 10 and produces kids every four or more years. Neonates are frail and often weigh approximately four pounds. Their initial motions are clumsy, akin to those of a human child, yet they progress nearly twice as rapidly. Infants breastfeed and are progressively weaned after reaching the age of three, when they exhibit greater independence. Regrettably, poachers frequently target infants.

Everything to Know About Mountain Gorillas

1. How many Mountain Gorillas are left in the world?

A specie once on the brink of extinction is now steadily increasing in numbers. The latest concluded census of the Mountain Gorilla population brings the total to 1063 individuals.

The Total Population of Mountain Gorillas as of 2019 is estimated to have increased to 1063 individuals following the 2018 census in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Sarambwe nature reserve ecosystem.

This is the largest population of mountain gorillas that have ever been recorded in these two habitats of the endangered great apes.

2. How do Mountain Gorillas look like

• Mountain Gorillas are more darkly colored (the darkest of all) than western gorillas.
• With its dark color, the Mountain Gorilla also has the thickest hair with a longer face and broader chest.
• Looking closely into the eye of a Mountain Gorilla, their eyes are dark brown in color with the iris framed by a black ring.
• Gorillas move by what is known as Knuckle walking and rarely move bipedal (upright) for short distances, especially during defensive situations.
• Some Mountain Gorillas are also known to use knuckle walking as well as use other parts of their hands, especially the back.
• Male wild adult Gorillas can weigh about 136 – 195 Kg whereas adult female Gorillas weigh about half of the adults with about 68-113 Kg. With height, adult males are about 1.4 -1.8 m tall, and females are a little shorter at 1.25 – 1.5 m tall.

3. Mountain Gorilla Life Span

The estimated Mountain Gorilla lifespan in the wild is 35-40 years. The Mountain Gorilla’s lifespan is 35 to 40 years in the wild or natural habitats. They only live in their natural habitat and have failed to adapt to survive in captivity or in zoos because of how much they feed.

Both the female and silverback Gorillas live for up to 35 years and more in the wild. Mountain Gorillas do not live well in captivity due to several unclear reasons but most probably thought to be because of the complex diet that they can have well in the forests.

4. Mountain Gorillas Habitat

They live in 2 isolated groups, one in the Bwindi forest and the other in the Virunga massif.

There are four National Parks in these three countries where Mountain Gorillas survive and can be trekked around the whole world.

Facts about Mountain Gorilla natural habitats are that they live in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The only way of seeing these gentle giants is by undertaking A Uganda Gorilla trekking safari, A Gorilla trekking tour in Rwanda, or Congo Gorilla trekking safari.

In Uganda, they live in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. In Rwanda, they are found in Volcanoes National Park and in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mgahinga, Virunga, and Volcanoes are all part of the great Virunga volcanoes.

5. Mountain Gorillas Diet

The Mountain Gorilla’s diet is mainly vegetables. They can eat all day long with the vegetation being mainly stemmed, leaves, fruits, bamboo shoots, pith, roots, moth, and grubs.

At times, termites, ants, and insects supplement their diet. They eat much more fibrous foods and consume up to 250 plant species. Mostly, gorillas rely on food availability rather than diet selection.

Another fact about the Mountain Gorilla diet is that since they consume a lot of vegetation, they rarely drink water.

6. What Makes Mountain Gorillas Unique

Unlike other Gorillas, Facts on Mountain Gorillas –  live at elevations of up to 1,500 m – 4,000 m above sea level. At these heights, the temperatures can drop below freezing point, their thicker and longer fur keeps them safe here.

They are the only subspecies of the genus Gorilla that have no capability to survive in captivity. To see them, you have to visit them in their natural habitat.

7. Why are Mountain Gorillas Important

Gorillas, just like all other wild animals are so important. They play a great role in the environment since these large-scale grazers eat lots of vegetation. Without them, the natural balance in the food chain would be disrupted.

For the people in the countries where these giants live, their presence has created employment to thousands in the tourism industry. It has also led to improvement of the standards of living for those employed and as well surrounding communities that share from the proceeds.

8. How do Mountian Gorillas sleep

Gorillas sleep in nests just like most of their primate colleagues. They sleep in nests that they patch either on the group or in trees depending on variables like vegetation and security. Each family builds a nest each day and they enter their nests before dark.

Infants that are too young or have no skill to build their own nest, will share the same nest as their mother. This happens until their mother has another infant which usually happens after 4 years. Before they leave their mothers’ nests, they will learn how to build their own nests during the day.

9. Why Are Gorillas Endangered

On the IUCN Red List, Facts on Mountain Gorillas – are marked endangered and therefore at risk of extinction. In a few years they were marked as critically endangered but thanks to great conservation efforts, the numbers increased and therefore move a step higher to endangered.

The main threats to the Mountain Gorilla population include habitat degradation, poaching, and disease.