Gorillas are divided into two species: eastern gorillas and western gorillas. Mountain gorillas are a subspecies of eastern gorillas found in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is home to half of the world’s mountain gorilla population.
Gorillas share 98% of their DNA with humans, similar to Bonobos and Chimpanzees.
They inhabit the tropical and subtropical rain-forests of the Virunga range region.
Gorillas move by knuckle-walking, although they can sometimes walk bipedally while holding food or in defensive situations.
Gorillas have unique nose prints, just as humans have unique thumbprints.
They construct new nests daily, and the young ones sleep with their mothers until they are about four years old.
These nests are made of tree branches and leaves.
Size of Mountain Gorillas
Gorillas are the largest living primates in the world. Baby mountain gorillas are born vulnerable, much like human babies, and they can weigh about 3-4 kilograms and survive on their mother’s breast milk until the age of 4 years.
Mountain gorilla size changes as they grow.
Mountain gorillas are entirely herbivorous animals that feed on leaves, fruits, bark, bamboo shoots, stems, and pith.
They sometimes supplement their diet with ants, termites, and insects.
Mountain gorillas use sticks to collect termites in holes, and 25% of their diet consists of fruits.
Mountain Gorilla Weight
Gorillas have considerable weight with well-shaped muscular bodies.
Mature male gorillas weigh more than female mature mountain gorillas.
An adult male gorilla’s weight ranges from 136 kilograms to 196 kilograms, while females’ weight ranges from 68 kilograms to 113 kilograms.
The heaviest gorilla ever recorded was 267 kilograms and 1.83 meters tall; this gorilla was shot in Ambam, Cameroon.
Western gorillas in captivity can weigh up to 310 kilograms, but mountain gorillas can hardly survive in zoos.
Height of Mountain Gorillas
The average height of a mountain gorilla is 1.7 meters tall.
Adult male gorillas’ heights range from 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 9 inches, while females’ height ranges from 5 feet; they are shorter than the male gorillas.
Mountain gorillas move on four legs but can also stand on hind legs.
They can move up to 20 feet on two legs.
The tallest gorilla ever recorded was 1.95 meters tall with a wide chest of 1.98 meters and an arm span of 2.7 meters, weighing 219 kilograms.
This gorilla was shot in Alimbogo north of the Kivu region in 1938.
Gorilla Trekking & Habituation Experiences
To learn more about mountain gorilla size, weight, and height, tourists can visit Virunga National Park in Congo, Bwindi and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
Gorilla permits must be booked in advance, typically three months before the trekking date, especially during peak seasons due to high demand.
Tourists who are sick and under the age of 15 years old will not be allowed to visit mountain gorillas.
After finding a gorilla family, you will be given an hour of observation, and it’s essential to follow gorilla trekking rules and regulations while in the presence of gorillas.
Gorilla habituation is the process of making mountain gorillas get used to human presence.
This activity is only done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda and involves joining researchers and gorillas in the habituation process.
Gorilla habituation is more advantageous as you spend four hours with gorillas, unlike the normal gorilla trekking, which takes only 1 hour.
