How are mountain gorillas different from other gorillas? Mountain gorillas are uniquely great apes which were legendary primatologist by Dian Fossey who made them famous and we still appreciate the great work that she played in the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda and her unsolved murder which captured the west’s imagination. This accounts for a great ideal of the mountain gorilla’s popularity as a safari attraction renowned as the world’s most photographed apes. Truly they are a subspecies of the Eastern gorillas.
Their names ‘’Mountain Gorillas’ ‘suggests that they simply live on mountains, Mountain gorillas actually prefer forested mountain. Furthermore, mountain gorillas are the most threatened race of gorillas that liter around the rainforest of southwestern Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National park and the Virunga Mountains which are found to the borders of southern Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Despite, they are inhabitant of the mountainous altitude of 2500 to 4,000 meters. At this altitude, there is much less oxygen and the night temperature is very cold. In such a cold climate, mountain gorillas have developed unique adaptions to help them survive.
To another extent, gorillas tend to look the same at a first glance and it is possible to tell the different subspecies apart. According to their habits and physical appearance of mountain gorillas differentiate them from other gorilla subspecies.
However, the better way to observe these intelligent apes is through engaging in Gorilla trekking experience where your given one hour to watch their unique physical appearance as well as enjoying gainful sights of how they longer and thicker fur than lowland gorillas. There long fur and large mass help to keep them warm in colder temperatures.
Facts about mountain gorillas
Mountain gorillas have black fur while lowland gorillas have brownish fur.
They cannot survive in captivity while lowland gorillas can survive in captivity.
Mountain gorillas also have broader chests and longer faces compared to other gorilla’s species.
You can trek gorillas in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Rwanda in Volcanoes National Park and Kahuzi Biega National Park and Virunga National Park.
More so, in the world there are a total population of about 1065 individuals and the half population mountain gorillas are found in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
Mountain gorillas can be trekked in their nature inhabits while holding a valid gorilla permits which are issued by the governmental body. In Uganda gorilla permits can be bought from ‘’UWA’’ Uganda Wildlife Authority, Rwanda from ‘’RDB’’ Rwanda Development Board and Congo direct from Virunga National Park.
Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda costs USD700 per person per trek for foreign nonresident, USD600 for Foreign resident and UGX250,000 for East African Members.
Gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda costs USD1,500 per person per day.
Gorilla trekking permits in Congo costs USD400 per person per trek.
Others factors about mountain gorillas;
Mountain gorillas don’t use tools as much as chimpanzees do but have been seen using sticks to gauge the depth of water, bamboo forest –tree branches that help infants climb and recently gorillas have been seen using sticks to eat ants without being stung.
They are darkly coloured with much thicker longer fur while the lowland gorillas have lighter and shorter hair. Fur on the mountain gorillas is longer and shaggier compared to the fur of the Eastern lowland gorillas which is much shorter and softer.
They are very impressive gorillas which have been recorded using over twenty-five distinct vocalizations to communicate through alarm, distress, contentment, aggression and group co-ordination.
Gorillas are intelligence which are often shown through their ability to fashion natural material into tools that help them in different ways.
Gorillas unlike chimpanzees tend to sleep in nests on the ground.
