Mountain gorillas truths and false: Mountain gorillas are the most popular primates on the land. The huge apes are not just incredibly amazing, but a wonder to see in their natural habitats and settings. They are the most visited primates in East Africa with each gorilla hub receiving over 10000 visitors are year.
Well, because of how famous these primates are, people tend to mix up facts about them and generally some come up with myths and theories among other things.
In this article, we share some common truths and false/ myths about the mountain gorillas at large.
We start with the truths.
Mountain gorillas live in mountainous forests
Mountain gorillas are primates and they are subspecies of eastern gorillas. The other subspecies of the eastern gorillas are the lowland gorillas.
Mountain gorillas are social animals living in groups of 10 to 15 or individuals led by a male gorilla known as a silverback.
Mountain gorillas are an endangered species.
Mountain gorillas are herbivores feeding on forest food majorly bamboo, leaves, shoots, in some cases fruits and insects
Mountain gorillas are huge animals weighing up to 220 kg for the male and 150 kg for the females.
Mountain gorillas live in high altitudes of their habitats.
Mountain gorillas are trekked in their forest habitats all year round as part of their conservation plan or efforts.
Mountain gorillas share about 90% of their DNA with humans, that’s why they have a couple similar behaviors and characteristics to humans. In Fact, that’s why they are intelligent and handy with the tools.
Mountain gorillas communicate using Sounds, gestures, vocalizations, and facial expressions.
Female mountain gorillas can give birth to 2 – 6 offspring sometimes slightly more in their lifetime.
Females are pregnant for 8.5 months.
When infants are born, they stay with the group of their birth for the first 5 years before they wander off to look for other groups. For the men, they make their own groups.
The gorilla habitat loss is a threat to their survival. This is true because mountain gorillas can only survive in forests so the more people encroach on the forests the gorilla habitat is reduced and hence affecting their survival.
Those are some of the truths about mountain gorillas. In the next writings, we expose some common false and myths.
Mountain gorillas are extinct. No, they are not. They are endangered but not extinct.
Mountain gorillas eat people. This is a total lie. Gorillas are not carnivores at all. However, they are known to fight, trampling on their opponent and tearing them apart. Be it a human or another animal.
Tourism harms mountain gorillas. This is a total lie. Actually, mountain gorilla tourism has helped save the gorillas as it has boosted more awareness about the gorillas to people, and through this private will do things that support the conservation of the mountain gorillas.
Mountain gorillas are not skilled climbers because they are huge and heavy. Total myth. Though mountain gorillas spend their time on their four knuckles moving on more like leveled ground. They can easily climb trees when needed.
Gorillas fear water. This is not true; mountain gorillas are actually great swimmers. But because they live in high altitudes, don’t expect them to be close to water a lot.
Female gorillas cannot fight. Well, disturb their peace and see how it will go. Female gorillas can fight to protect themselves but they don’t fight often because by nature of design, fighting and protecting the troop is the duty of the male gorillas the silverbacks. They are innately built like that.
If you want to know more about the gorillas you can also visit them in their habitats Bwindi National Park in Uganda, Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the democratic republic of Congo.
