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Wild gorillas are found in Central Africa, in tropical forests from Uganda on the east to Nigeria on the west. There are two distinct geographic groups: Eastern gorillas and Western gorillas. The eastern gorillas include Mountain Gorilla, Grauer's Gorilla and Bwindi Gorilla, whilet the western gorillas include Western Lowland Gorilla and Cross River Gorilla. Lowland gorillas have short, brown-orange color hair on their heads while mountain gorillas have long black hair and high crest on their heads. The gorilla is the world's largest primate. Males can weigh up to 600 pounds (270 kg) and stand 6 feet (1.8 m) on all fours [females usually weigh less than 120 kg-265 pounds]. Gorillas live in family groups consisting of one dominant silverback male, one to three sub-adult males, and several females and juveniles. A silverback male will have complete control over his group, dictating when to commence nest-building or forage, and how to accept intruders. Gorillas are gentle, intelligent animals that feed on leaves, stems, bamboo shoots, and fruits. Western Lowland Gorilla Scientific name: Gorilla gorilla gorilla Range: Tropical forests of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Congo, and Equatorial Guinea. Notes: The most abundant subspecies of gorilla. Groups keep a 10 to 15 sq. mile range. Wild Population: Around 90,000 Cross River Gorilla Scientific name: Gorilla gorilla diehli Range: Lowland and submountian forests of the upper Cross River region on the Nigeria-Cameroon border. Notes: The rarest gorilla. Wild Population: Around 200 Mountain Gorilla Scientific name: Gorilla berengei berengei Range: Mountainous border region of Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo. Notes: Mountain gorillas live in social groups as large as 50 individuals with two or three silverbacks. Wild Population: Around 350 Grauer's Gorilla / Eastern Lowland Gorilla Scientific name: Gorilla berengei graueri Range: Rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo [Kahuzi-Biega National Park-Kasese region]. Notes: Wild Population: Around 16,900 Cross River Gorilla Scientific name: Gorilla beringei Range: Bwindi - Impenetrable National Park in southwest Uganda. Notes: Wild Population: Around 300 Information about each gorilla subspecies was taken from "Zoo Atlanta" which used Great Apes and Humans, the Ethics of Coexistence edited by B. Beck, T. Stoinski, M. Hutchins, T. Maple, B. Norton, A. Rowan, E. Stevens and A. Arluke, Smithsonian Institution Press, 2001. Recent News: Gorilla Poaching Massive Gorilla die-off in Africa -- Ebola Suspected |
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Copyright Rhett Butler 1994-2003 |
