1
The name Gorilla is derived from the Greek word Gorillai meaning hairy women.
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2
Today there remains only 10 countries (all within the western, central and Eastern Africa region) with naturally occurring gorilla populations.
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3
The Latin name for mountain gorillas is Gorilla Gorilla Berengei
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4
Mountain gorillas are only found in three countries in the world – Uganda, Rwanda, and DRC
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5
Mountain Gorillas are critically endangered specie. There are only about 720 mountain gorillas left in the world.
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6
Over half the world’s mountain gorilla population is to be found in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda.
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7
Mountain gorillas are not known to survive outside their natural habitat, meaning that there are none to be found in zoos a round the world.
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8
Like humans, mountain gorillas have individual finger prints.
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9
The DNA of gorillas is 98%–99% identical to that of a human,[2] and they are the next closest living relatives to humans after the two chimpanzee species.
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10
Females usually conceive at around 8 to 9 years with their first baby being born before age 10. Pregnancy lasts 8 and-a-half months.
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11
Gorillas follow a very strict pecking order, with the dominant silverback enjoying key privileges and first rights to all that is desirable in a gorilla’s world. For example, if a blackback or adult female chances upon an ant mound and begins to feast on the ants, should a silverback come by, without question, the lesser gorilla will allow the silverback first feeding rights.
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12
Gorillas live in tight knit social units – families, usually headed by a dominant silverback who determines where the group will range, eat, and sleep among other things.
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13
A silverback is a mature adult male gorilla
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14
A silverback can weigh up to 120Kgs (260lbs).
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15
On average an adult male gorilla eats up to 25 Kgs (about 54lbs) of food a day.
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16
The average weight of an adult female gorilla is 90Kgs (198lbs).
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17
Every evening, each gorilla makes a bed of leaves to sleep on for the night
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