Can you own a gorilla? Gorillas live in the wilderness, so there are very low chances of owning a gorilla. This is because gorilla habitats are protected by the authorities where gorillas are found.
Some species of gorillas, like the mountain gorilla, cannot survive for long in captivity.
Another reason why you can’t own a gorilla is that gorillas eat about 18-20 kilograms of assorted vegetation per day, commonly found in their home range areas.
The price per pound of Romaine lettuce is about $2, and the amount used per day would be too much and expensive.
In some countries, it’s legal to own a mountain gorilla, while in others, it’s illegal to own a gorilla. However, it’s illegal to transport a gorilla from the countries where mountain gorillas are found just for the purpose of ownership.
When thinking of trying to own a mountain gorilla, keep in mind that they are wild animals and can become extremely dangerous.
A silverback is capable of causing serious harm or even death to its opponent. It’s recorded that a gorilla bite has a strength of 1300 pounds per square inch, stronger than that of a lion and a shark.
In conclusion, it’s a very bad and dangerous idea to own a gorilla. Besides, gorillas love to stay in their natural habitats, and they are social animals that live in groups, so there is no need to take one mountain gorilla away from its family.
About Gorillas
Gorillas are primates found in Central and West African rain-forests. All species of mountain gorillas are critically endangered due to habitat loss, poaching, and many other reasons.
However, since conservation efforts were put in place and gorilla national parks were established, numbers are slowly rising compared to the past years.
Though mountain gorillas can climb trees, they prefer to stay on the ground most of the time.
They forage on the ground all day before building nests to sleep in during the evening hours. Gorillas build new nests on the ground every day, even if the nest from the previous day is nearby.
They use tree branches and leaves for nest building and occasionally build nests on top of trees, except in cases of rain.
Gorillas rarely drink water because most of their diet is mainly composed of water.
They also try to avoid water, which is seen by their use of logs to cross streams. Gorillas also fear some reptiles and animals for unknown reasons.
Baby gorillas, who are often found playing with moving things, will avoid chameleons and caterpillars.
Gorillas live in social groups dominated by a leading silverback that dictates all the group activities and is also responsible for the group’s safety.
A silverback will fight for its family even if it means risking his own life.
Gorilla Trekking
Not all gorilla species can be encountered in zoos, so to encounter the endangered mountain gorilla, you will have to visit Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in Congo, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – The best place for gorilla trekking in Uganda.
