Mountain gorillas are a subspecies of primates and the largest in the world, inhabiting the Virunga mountain slopes and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.
There are fewer than 1000 individuals left in the world.
Through gorilla trekking safaris & tours, you can help this number grow.
Mountain gorillas move in social groups of 5-30 individuals dominated by a silverback who commands all the day-to-day activities.
They are entirely herbivores, feeding on leaves, bamboo shoots, stems, bark, and 25% of their diet contains fruits. Gorillas also eat ants, termites, and insects occasionally.
Mountain gorillas have a slow birth rate, with females producing only 4-6 offspring in a lifetime.
The gestation period for females is 8 and a half months. Female mountain gorillas have only 1-2 fertile days in a month.
During mating, it’s the female that follows the male when they are ready.
Predators of Mountain Gorillas
Leopards
In their range, leopards have the ability to kill mountain gorillas. They can kill an adult mountain gorilla with the help of their smart and big felines that can feed on meat from various animals.
Humans
Humans are the biggest predators of mountain gorillas, other than leopards. People mainly poach gorillas for bushmeat, which is consumed by those who enjoy bush meat.
They also poach gorillas for the illegal pet trade, as some people keep gorillas as pets or in private zoos.
Gorillas have also been poached by traditional healers who believe that some parts of gorillas can be used as charms.
Gorillas also die from traps set for other animals, like antelopes.
