How many gorillas are left in the world; Over all, Gorillas are land dwelling gentle giant whom share a close DNA of 98% to humans, they are our closest related great ape though for them they are inhabitants of the tropical forest of equatorial Africa. They are typically divided into two species the eastern gorillas and the western gorillas and are either four or five subspecies who share a closest gene to humans after chimpanzees and bonobos.
Furthermore, gorillas are the largest living primates that measures heights between 1.25 and 1.8 meters and other facts about gorillas they include;
They have weight that measures between 100 and 270 kilograms and arm that spans up to 2.6 meters but depending on species and sex.
Gorillas tend to live in troops with their leader called a silverback.
The Eastern gorillas look different from the western gorillas for then have darker fur color.
Those in the wild have a life span of between 35 to 40 years.
They cover a small percentage of Sub-Saharan Africa and also cover a wide range of elevations.
The great mountain gorillas live in the Albertine Rift montane cloud forests of the Virunga Volcanoes that ranges in altitude from 2,200 to 4,300 meters.
The lowland gorillas inhabit dense forests and lowland swamps and marshes as low as sea level.
Adult male gorilla is known as silverbacks due to the characteristic silver hair on their backs reaching on the hips.
The eastern gorillas have a longer face and broader chest than the western gorilla.
Just like humans, gorillas have fingerprints.
Their eye color is dark brown, framed by a black ring around the iris.
Gorillas uses Knuckle-walking while moving although they sometimes walk upright for short distances while carrying food. AS the study proves us right 2018 there was a study investigation about hand posture of 77 mountain gorillas at Bwindi Impenetrable National park in Uganda that 8% of the remaining population are found that knuckle walking was done only 60% of the time.
Wild gorillas have a lifespan of between 35 to 40 years yet those which live in the zoo live over 50 years.
Reproductions; Mature female gorillas in captivity can live up 10 -12 years.
Gorillas undergo gestation period of about 8.5 months
Ways of Communication; If the gorilla group attacked by human encroachments or any other animal, a silverback will roar, scream or signal alarm to protect the group.
The western lowland gorillas live in central West African countries and eastern lowland gorilla are found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo near its border with Rwanda.
Currently, the western gorillas in the wild are around 316,000 individuals and eastern gorillas their number looks to be small of about 5,000 individuals. Both species are identified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN; But with the exception of the mountain gorilla which is classified as endangered, How many gorillas are left in the world.
Habitat; However, gorillas live in variety of habitats and elevations. Whereby western gorilla lives in west central Africa whereas the eastern gorillas lives in east central Africa.
More so, there habitat ranges from montane forest to swampland.
Mountain gorillas in eastern subspecies live in montane forest at the higher end of the elevation range whereas eastern lowland gorillas live in sub montane forest at the lower end. More then, eastern lowland gorillas live in montane bamboo forests and lowland forest ranging from 600 to 3,308 meter in elevation.
In the wild mountain gorillas are left around 1,064 individual species. They can be found in three countries in the entire world which is Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.
In Uganda Mountain gorillas can be found two protected places that is Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla national park, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and Virunga National park in Congo.
Mountain gorilla permit costs; There is no way a visitor can access one of these gorilla destination without holding a valid permit; Uganda gorilla trekking permits cost USD700 for foreign nonresident, USD600 for foreign resident per person per day, Rwanda gorilla trekking permit prices double Uganda’s cost which cost USD1,500 per person per trek and Congo gorilla permits costs USD400 per person per day. You can opt to do a full day activity ‘’Gorilla habituation’’ with four hours given to the trackers to observe them as you learn about their interesting life style jungle. Gorilla habituation experience costs USD1,500 and can only be done in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park located in southwestern region of Uganda, approximately 8 to 9 hours’ drive, alternatively, you can use a domestic charter flight or schedule by Aero link Uganda at Entebbe International Airport and Kajjansi to fly you to Kihihi or Kisoro airstrip just few driving kilometers to the park, How many gorillas are left in the world.
Facts about diet of mountain gorillas
Mountain gorillas feed foliage like stems, pith, leaves and shoots while fruits make up very small part of their diets.
Eastern lowland gorillas feed on insects and ants, How many gorillas are left in the world.
Western lowland gorillas feed mostly on fruits more than other species.
Note; Gorillas rarely drink water just because they consume succulent vegetation that consists of almost half water as well as morning dew.
About Nesting;
Gorilla subspecies tend to build their nests for daytime and night use and such time of building is more interesting.
Unlike chimpanzees, gorillas tend to sleep in nest on the ground.
Though they suffer threats to their survival like poaching, habitant destruction and diseases. However, conservation efforts have been successful in some place where they inhabit.
Get started planning a safari to Gorilla destination and get amazing chance to meet up with intelligent great apes in their nature inhabitants, the tour is quite memorable and worth a visit on African continent.
Get started Now! To Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest where you can have chances of getting close to our closest related cousins ‘’98% DNA to humans ‘’in their protected nature environment.
