Western Lowland Gorilla
Gorilla gorilla gorilla
Location in Zoo 2
Congo Gorilla Forest
Habitat 3
Western Lowland gorillas reside primarily in heavy rainforests, as well as lowland swamps and mountainous forested regions.
animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/lowland-gorilla/?rptregcta=reg_free_np&rptregcampaign=20131016_rw_membership_r1p_us_se_w
Diet 3
Gorillas primarily eat seeds, steams, leaves and pith. They also sometimes eat small insects and caterpillars. Gorillas are seasonal frugivores which means their diet varies depending on the season: during the wet season they eat mainly fruits, and during the dry season they eat bark and herbs.
Adaptations 3
Western Lowland Gorillas are social primates that live in groups called troops, with one dominant male that dictates the actions of the other members of the troop. This hierarchal system helps maintain order within the troops. The gorillas are nonviolent but can intimidate aggressors by standing upright on their hind legs and thumping on their chest. If this technique is unsuccessful it will sometimes resort to charging at the aggressor. This type of confrontation regulates interactions between different troops and reduces the risk of injury. In terms of physical adaptations, gorillas also have opposable thumbs to grasp branches and food, as well as grasping feet. When on land they walk on their knuckles rather than their palms.
Conservational status/Threats 3
These creatures are considered critically endangered by the IUCN. Gorillas are threatened by habitat loss due to deforestation, bug game hunting and poaching, and sometimes babies are captured and kept as pets. In addition, gorillas are threatened by diseases such as the ibola virus, which thrives in central Africa.
Family Name/Living Relatives 3
Family Name: Hominidae.
Gorillas are related to others in the hominidae family, such as chimpanzees, orangutans, bonobos, and other gorillas.
Sources 3
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/western-lowland-gorilla
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Gorilla_gorilla/
https://www.scz.org/animal_exhibits-animal.php?a_id=385
N. Rowe, The pictoral Guide to the Living Primates ,
Sources and Credits
- (c) congobronxzoo, all rights reserved
- Adapted by congobronxzoo from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla_gorilla
- (c) congobronxzoo, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
