| NAME OF ANIMAL | DESCRIPTION |
| GORILLA | WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLAS ARE THE MOST WIDESPREAD GORILLA SUBSPECIES, THEY ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR DARK BROWN TO BLACK FUR, PROMINENT BROW RIDGES, AND RELATIVELY SMALLER SIZE COMPARED TO OTHER GORILLAS |
| MEASUREMENT | MALE | FEMALE |
| HEAD TO BODY LENGTH | 1.7 M (66.9 IN) | 1.5 m (59.1 in.) |
| SHOULDER HEIGHT | 1.8 METERS ( 6 FEET ) | 1.2- 1.4 METERS 4.O-4.6 FT |
| WEIGHT | 400-500 | 150-200 |
| CHARACTERISTICS | DESCRIPTION |
| RANGE | CENTRAL AFRICA IN ANGOLA (CABINDA PROVINCE), CAMEROON, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO, EQUATORIAL GUINEA AND GABON. |
| HABITAT | MONTANE, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY FOREST AND LOWLAND SWAMPLAND |
| PRIMARY DIET | HERBIVORE |
| FOOD HABITATS | THEY CONSUME PARTS OF AT LEAST 97 PLANT SPECIES, WITH ABOUT 67% OF THEIR DIET BEING FRUIT. OTHER COMPONENTS INCLUDE 17% LEAVES, SEEDS, AND STEMS, AND AROUND 3% INVERTEBRATES LIKE TERMITES AND CATERPILLARS. THEIR DIET ALSO INCLUDES ROOTS, SHOOTS, WILD CELERY, TREE BARK, AND PULP, PARTICULARLY DURING THE WET SEASON WHEN FRUITS ARE ABUNDANT. |
| CONSERVATION STATUS | THE WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLA (GORILLA GORILLA GORILLA) IS ONE OF THE TWO CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SUBSPECIES OF THE WESTERN GORILLA. THEIR POPULATION HAS DECREASED BY MORE THAN 60% OVER THE LAST 20 TO 25 YEARS, |
| REASON FOR THE STATUS | IN TROPICAL FORESTS, GORILLAS ARE HUNTED TO PROVIDE MEAT FOR THE BUSHMEAT TRADE. LOGGING ALSO DESTROYS GORILLA HABITATS, ALTHOUGH IT MAY ALSO PROVIDE INCREASED HERBACEOUS VEGETATION AS A RESULT OF GAPS IN THE TREE COVER. DESTRUCTION OF GORILLA HABITAT MAY HARM THE OVERALL FOREST ECOSYSTEM. WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLAS ARE SEED DISPERSERS, WHICH IS BENEFICIAL TO MANY OF THE ANIMALS IN THE FOREST, SO THEIR EXTINCTION COULD AFFECT MANY OTHER ANIMALS, WHICH COULD OVER TIME DESTROY THEIR CURRENT ECOSYSTEM.[32] |
| CHARACTERISTICS | DESCRIPTION: REPRODUCTION & BEHAVIOR |
| GESTATION PERIOD | 9 MONTHS |
| YOUNG PER BIRTH | ONE INFANT EVERY 4 YEARS |
| WEANING | 4.1 YEARS |
| LIFESTYLE | ACTIVITY: THEY ARE MOST ACTIVE IN THE MORNING AND LATE AFTERNOON, SEARCHING FOR FOOD AND EATING FOR SEVERAL HOURS. GROUP STRUCTURE: THEY LIVE IN GROUPS OF ONE TO 30 GORILLAS, LED BY ONE OR MORE ADULT MALES. THE GROUP STAYS WITHIN A HOME RANGE OF 8 TO 45 SQUARE KILOMETERS. FAMILY GROUPS: THEY FORM SMALL, NON-TERRITORIAL HAREMS CONSISTING OF ONE ADULT SILVERBACK, SEVERAL UNRELATED FEMALE GORILLAS, AND INFANT GORILLAS. NESTING: THEY REST IN VEGETATION-MADE NESTS ON THE GROUND OR TREE BRANCHES. COMMUNICATION: THEY COMMUNICATE VIA SOUNDS AND VISUAL SIGNALS. |
| SEXUAL MATURITY | 8-9 years |
| BEHAVIOR | SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND INTERACTIONS WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLAS (GORILLA GORILLA GORILLA) ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR DYNAMIC SOCIAL BEHAVIOR. THEY TYPICALLY LIVE IN GROUPS LED BY A DOMINANT SILVERBACK MALE, WHICH CAN CONSIST OF FIVE TO FIFTEEN INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING ADULT FEMALES, JUVENILES, AND INFANTS. THESE GROUPS MAY OCCASIONALLY EXPAND TO INCLUDE UP TO THIRTY MEMBERS. UNLIKE MOUNTAIN GORILLAS, AGGRESSIVE INTERACTIONS AMONG WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLAS ARE RARE, AND THEY OFTEN DISPLAY A HIGH DEGREE OF TOLERANCE AND PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE |
| MAIN PREADATOR | THE LEOPARD IS THE PREDATOR THAT CAN KILL AN ADULT GORILLA |
| LIFESPAN IN THE WILD | 35 YEARS |
| LIFESPAN IN CAPTIVITY | 60 YEARS OR MORE |
