Gorillas are sub dived into two species of eastern gorillas and western gorillas. The two species are sub divided into western low land gorillas, cross river gorillas, eastern low land gorillas and mountain gorillas. They slightly differ in shape and are distributed to in western and east Africa.
Gorillas are herbivores animals whose diet compromises of fruits, leaves, shoots, roots, stems, bark and sometimes ants, insects and termites. They inhabit the tropical rainforest of Africa which offer a wide range.
Mountain gorillas share about 95-98 percent DNA with humans making them close like chimpanzees and Bonobos, they are usually shy and gentile animals but can become very aggressive when they are disturbed and this happens after warnings from a gorilla.
What is a group of gorillas called?
A group of gorillas is called a band or troop and sometimes referred to as family, gorillas normally move in groups of about 5-30 individuals mostly compromised of an alpha adult male dominating a group of females, black back males, juveniles and infants.
Gorillas mostly live in their families of origin in order to form their own in the future but in most cases the infant male gorillas fight the dominant silverback when they grow in order to take over group leadership or they grab some members of the group to start up their own. Some male gorillas just live the group as lone males and start fighting different groups to acquire members.
In case a group is made up of only female gorillas and one dominating silverback and that silverback dies, the females in the group will disperse to join solitary males or other gorilla groups. Sometimes females may remain socialising in the group for a short period of time until a male comes to dominate.
Most black backs gorillas live their birth troops because due to lack of breeding opportunities this because only the dominating males can breed with all females in the group, the first troop a female produces from becomes her permanent family.
Baby mountain gorillas have strong bonds with their off springs until around the age of six years, the first female gorillas to produce in a group have a higher advantage than the female gorillas who join later because a silverback gives high protection to its first off springs.
The dominating silverbacks are always aiming at expanding their family that’s why gorilla groups often fight when they meet because the silverbacks can feel threatened that the other will grab his family, they can fight and cause gapping injuries that sometimes later on lead to death.
Mountain gorilla groups can only be trekked in three countries in the world and that is in Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Virunga national park at the Democratic republic of Congo and Bwindi and Mgahinga national park in Uganda.
Gorilla trekking permits cost $1500 in Rwanda, $600 in Uganda and $450 in Congo. tourists are always advised to acquire gorilla permits in advance of three months before the gorilla trekking date.
Gorilla FAQs & Information
- Why Can’t You Look or Make Eye Contact with a Gorilla?
- Why Silverback Gorillas Fight
- Importance of Mountain Gorillas
- What to do when a gorilla charges on you
- What is The Largest Species of Gorillas?
- What is the Mountain Gorillas Role in The Ecosystem?
- The Mountain Gorilla Defense Mechanism
- How to Provoke/Annoy a Gorilla
- How Gorillas Greet Each Other
- Do All Gorillas Become Silverbacks?
- Do Gorillas like Humans
- Do gorillas Eat of Kill Their Babies?
- Do Gorillas Eat Humans?
- Can you Tame a Gorilla
- Can you Own a Gorilla?
- Do Mountain Gorillas live in Families & Groups?
- How to Protect & Save Mountain Gorillas
- Why Gorillas Are So Strong
- How Many Humans Does it Take to Beat a Gorilla?
- How do you call a Baby Gorilla?
- How Do Gorillas Sleep?
- How Mountain Gorillas Communicate
- The Gorilla Life Cycle
- Do Gorillas drink water?
- Are Gorillas friendly & gentle to humans?
- Why do Apes, Gorillas beat their chest & sound hollow?
- Gorilla Threats: Why Mountain Gorillas were endangered?
- Why were Mountain Gorillas going extinct?
- What is a Silverback Gorilla?
- Gorilla Species: Different Kinds/Types of Gorilla & Breeds
- Mountain Gorilla Diet
- Mountain Gorilla Size, Average Height & Weight Measurements
- Natural Mountain Gorilla Predators
- Mountain Gorilla Population
- Lifespan of Mountain Gorillas
- Mountain Gorilla Natural Habitat
- Mountain Gorilla Conservation Efforts
- Mountain Gorilla Behavior
- How to Survive a Gorilla Attack on Humans
- Are Gorillas Dangerous to the People
- Why are Gorillas Poached in Africa
- How Gorillas Adapt to Rain-forest Environment
- Interesting Facts about Mountain Gorillas in Africa
- Traits, Qualities & Characteristics of Mountain Gorillas
- How Strong is a Silverback Gorilla?
- Best Place to See Mountain Gorillas in Africa
- Uganda Gorilla Families
- Rwanda Gorilla Families
- Congo Gorilla Families
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