The lifespan of a mountain gorilla is quite long. Female mountain gorillas become sexually mature at around 8 to 10 years, while males mature later, between 15 and 20 years.
A female gorilla can have her first baby by the age of 10. The pregnancy period is 8 to 9 months, just like in humans. However, gorillas have a low fertility rate, with only 1 to 2 fertile days each month.
When a baby mountain gorilla is born, it is very weak and small, weighing about 4 pounds. The mother carries the baby for about 4 months before the baby starts clinging to her back. During this time, the baby feeds on breast milk and continues breastfeeding until about 3 or 4 years old.
By the age of 4, the young gorilla becomes more independent, but it is still not fully mature.
The male that leads the group is called a silverback. He gets this name because of the grey hair on his back that appears as he grows older. The silverback is in charge of all the group’s activities and has access to all the females in the group. He does not allow other males to take over.
When the young males grow up, they may challenge the silverback to lead the group or leave to start their own group.
It is the female gorillas who approach the males when they are ready to mate. After giving birth, a female will not mate again until around four years later.
Mountain gorillas do not have a specific mating season. They can mate any time of the year.
These gorillas cannot live long in zoos. In the wild, they live for about 35 to 40 years.
As they get older, some gorillas suffer from arthritis. This condition can damage their bones, hands, and feet.
The heaviest gorilla ever recorded weighed 267 kilograms, and the tallest stood at 1.95 meters.
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