Animal Fact Sheet
WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLA
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primata
Family: Pongidae
Genus: Gorilla
Species: gorilla gorilla
Credit: Ashley Clayton
Description:
The gorilla is the largest of all apes. They have short muzzles, stocky bodies,
large nostrils and small eyes. Their short hair ranges in color from gray to
brown or black. In older males, the back turns silver-gray in color. Gorillas
have black skin and no tail.
Size:
Males reach 6 feet in height and weigh up to 600 pounds. Females reach 5 feet
in height and weigh up to 250 pounds.
Life Span:
40 years in the wild and 50 years in captivity.
Diet:
In the wild: fruit, leaves, stems and other vegetation. Occasionally, they will eat
meat, insects and eggs.
At the Zoo: fruit, vegetables and primate biscuits.
Geographic
Range:
Gorillas are primarily found in coastal West Africa in the Congo, Zaire, Gabon,
Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon.
Habitat:
Rainforests.
Reproduction:
Gorillas do not have a distinct breeding season. Females give birth in 4-year
intervals. Females mature sexually at 7 to 8 years of age but do not usually
breed until around the age of 10. Males are infertile until they become
silverbacks at 11 to 13 years of age. The gorilla gestation period is 251 to 289
days. Gorillas develop twice as fast as humans. Baby gorillas have been known
to crawl and start to play by 8 weeks of age. A young gorilla remains with its
parents for 3 years after birth.
Special
Adaptations:
Gorillas can walk on all fours with their feet flat on the ground and their upper
body supported by their knuckles. When they are excited or want to frighten
intruders, gorillas will stand up on their legs and slap their chests with cupped
hands. Gorillas do not swim, and they are reluctant to wade across shallow
streams. Mature males have gray on their backs and are called “silverbacks.”
Behavior:
Gorillas are peaceful, gentle animals. They live in groups (called troops) of 1 or
more adult males and 10 to 30 females and their young. Silverbacks lead the
troops and make many of the decisions. They tend to keep to a 10 to 15 square
mile range. Gorillas use social grooming to reinforce group bonds. When
threatened, a gorilla may slap its chest and/or run sideways for 1 to 2 yards.
They primarily live on the ground, but many build sleeping nests either on the
ground or in trees for the night. Gorillas can make up to 20 different sounds
and can be heard up to 1 kilometer away.
Current Status:
There are an estimated 9,000 to 10,000 lowland gorillas left in the wild. They
are protected by law in Odzala National Park in Congo and Ofoue Strict Natural
Reserve and Okanda National Park in Gabon. The lowland gorilla is listed as an
endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the IUCN Red Data
Book. Hunting and habitat destruction are causing a decline in the gorilla
population. There are presently over 300 lowland gorillas in North American
zoos. Lowland gorillas are an endangered species and protected under an SSP
(Species Survival Plan).
Related
Species:
Mountain and Eastern Lowland Gorillas.
Where am I in
the Zoo:
The Lowland Gorilla can be found in the Main Zoo Building.