Gorillas are large mammals found living in dense forest in southwestern Africa. They possess fine brownish-black fur with reddish crowns and short muzzles with large nostrils; short muzzles with short nostrils; small eyes and ears which rest close to their head; they use all fours as locomotion using “knuckle walking”, as well as using their hands and feet for maneuvers such as grasping branches or objects with their limbs. They are one of two primates which use all fours as locomotion.
These herbivorous mammals consume stems, bamboo shoots, fruits and invertebrates as dietary staples; their diet also includes bark roots and invertebrates. They spend approximately half their day foraging for food before relaxing or resting. Communication occurs through vocalizations, visual signals and scent; foraging males grunt, growl, whimper or bark in response to being threatened; chest-beating gestures are used during these interactions – as are facial expressions ranging from anger joy fear or sadness when needed.
Gorillas play an invaluable role in forest ecosystems, yet are also highly intelligent creatures. They possess tools such as sticks for measuring water depth and twigs for scooping food; in addition, they build ladders from branches so they can climb trees easily. Recently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature upgraded mountain gorillas from critically endangered to endangered status; an excellent step toward protecting these magnificent animals.
Gorillas are often asked whether or not they travel along an invisible line above the trees, yet this is simply not the case; gorillas spend most of their time both on the ground and in trees. Adult male mountain gorillas known as silverbacks will sometimes climb fruit trees to collect leaves and fruit; this must only go up as far as their weight allows; unfortunately some have even lost their lives while climbing to get food; an example being Bitukura Silverback Ndahura who died while doing just this last December in Bitukura silverback Ndahura who tragically perished while climbing up fruit tree to retrieve leaves and fruit – an example that serves as a stark warning of this inherent risk in nature.
When visiting national parks like Bwindi Volcanoes National Park in Uganda or Mgahinga National Park in Rwanda, it’s important to remember that mountain gorillas you encounter won’t be as agile as those seen in movies depicting King Kong – this is due to their habitat being more rugged and difficult than lush lowland forests.
Noteworthy is also that unlike chimpanzees, who possess fingers specifically tailored for gripping branches, gorillas possess strong nails and thick palms designed to bear their weight – thus making them better at grasping branches without becoming attached; this allows them to grip them without fear of falling off a tree and losing their lives in an accident.
