Western Lowland Gorrilla
Gorilla gorilla
Where is it found?
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Temperate and tropical forest
Diet and foraging method
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Gorillas feed during the morning and afternoon, and will climb trees up to 15m in search of food.
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Key adaptations
Hands are modified for 'knuckle walking', and they possess longer arms than legs which also helps.
Thick bones help to support their large sturdy bodies.
Opposable thumbs and hallux (big toe) allow them to grip and manipulate objects. Having thumbs also aids in tree climbing.
Thick bones help to support their large sturdy bodies.
Opposable thumbs and hallux (big toe) allow them to grip and manipulate objects. Having thumbs also aids in tree climbing.
Social organisation and mating system
Groups normally consist of one dominant male, several females and their young. Other males (often brothers of the dominant male) sometimes try to join the group, but females usually maintain allegiance to the dominant male.
Polygyny
Did you know that...?
When nervous, Gorillas may 'yawn' and bear their teeth - a warning or display of aggression.
Dominant males are called 'silverbacks' as they are usually the oldest male and so hair on their back and rump has lost its colour and turned grey with age.
Dominant males are called 'silverbacks' as they are usually the oldest male and so hair on their back and rump has lost its colour and turned grey with age.
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Gorilla port lympne1" by Dozyg - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gorilla_port_lympne1.jpg#/media/File:Gorilla_port_lympne1.jpg
"Gorilla 498" by Ltshears - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gorilla_498.jpg#/media/File:Gorilla_498.jpg
"Gorilla port lympne1" by Dozyg - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gorilla_port_lympne1.jpg#/media/File:Gorilla_port_lympne1.jpg
"Gorilla 498" by Ltshears - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gorilla_498.jpg#/media/File:Gorilla_498.jpg
