The western lowland gorilla, also called Gorilla gorilla gorilla, is one of the two subspecies of the western gorilla. It is the smallest of the four types of gorillas, and it’s also the gorilla species you are most likely to see in a zoo.
Western lowland gorillas live in thick forests, mountain forests, and swampy lowlands across Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, and Angola.
An adult male gorilla stands about 1.5 to 1.8 meters tall and weighs between 140 and 270 kilograms.
Physical Features
These gorillas have large hands with nails on each finger, short faces, wide nostrils, large mouths and ears, and a heavy brow ridge, along with strong jaw muscles. Western lowland gorillas often stand upright but usually walk on all fours, using their knuckles to support their weight.
They are the only type of gorilla known to have produced an albino individual. This rare gorilla was called Snowflake, born in Equatorial Guinea and later moved to a zoo in Barcelona in 1966.
Range, Diet, and Behavior
Western lowland gorillas move within a home range of 8 to 45 kilometers and usually travel 3 to 5 kilometers each day.
They eat shoots, leaves, roots, wild celery, pulp, and tree bark, with an adult eating up to 18 kilograms of vegetation daily.
These gorillas are notably intelligent. They use tools like sticks to check the depth of water, and branches to pull termites and ants out of holes.
Appearance and Group Life
Their bodies are covered with greyish-brown hair, except for their faces, ears, hands, and feet. As they grow older, male gorillas develop grey hair on their backs, becoming silverbacks that lead the group and make decisions for it.
People often assume gorillas are aggressive, but they are largely gentle animals. They live in groups of 5 to 30 members, led by a silverback who guides the group’s daily activities.
Gorillas have a relatively low birth rate, and female gorillas become sexually mature between the ages of 8 and 12.
Gorilla Classification
The western gorilla species is made up of two subspecies: the western lowland gorilla and the Cross River gorilla. The eastern gorilla species includes the eastern lowland gorilla and the mountain gorilla, the subspecies most commonly seen on gorilla tours in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
