08/08/2024
Today has been a Thankful Thirstday!! Thirst to see the Gorillas has been Quenched!!
Below are some Gorilla facts that our Guests shared!
1. THEY’RE ONE OF THE BIGGEST, MOST POWERFUL LIVING PRIMATES
An average silverback gorilla can weigh up to 180kg (that’s almost 30 stone), and measure 170cm (over 5’5”) tall on all fours. In contrast, female mountain gorillas weigh 90kg, and measure up to 150cm (4’9”).
2. THEY CAN EAT ALL DAY LONG
Mountain gorillas spend about a quarter of their day eating, mainly plants. Around 85% of their diet is made up of leaves, shoots and stems, but gorillas can also eat larvae, snails, ants, and even roots, barks and rotting wood (a good source of sodium/salt).
3. THEY COZY UP AT NIGHT
At night, mountain gorilla groups sleep together in nests on the ground, or in trees, that they make from foliage. Infants will share their mother’s nests, staying safe and warm.
4. THEY HAVE 16 DIFFERENT TYPES OF CALL
This includes short barks when they’re mildly alarmed or curious.
To intimidate rivals, male gorillas strut with stiff legs, beat their chests, and use vocalisations like roars or hoots.
5. THEY LIVE IN FAMILY GROUPS
Most mountain gorillas live in stable family groups of around 10 individuals, with one dominant male and several females. Both males and females in the group care for their infants; hugging, carrying and playing with them.
When they get older, most males and around 60% of females then leave their birth group to join another troop. This helps prevent inbreeding.
6. IN THE WILD, GORILLAS CAN LIVE TO OVER 40 YEARS OLD
Gorillas are classed as infants until they reach around three-and-a-half years old, and adults from around 8 years.
Males between 8-12 years are called 'blackbacks'. Then from 12 years old, they develop a silver section of hair over their back and hips, earning them the name 'silverback'.
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