Gorilla Facts
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Taxonomy debates are still ongoing, however, recently gorillas were split into two distinct gorilla species, the Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei) and Western Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla), occupy a diverse set of habitats in equatorial Africa.
Both species, and their subspecies, exhibit some similar physical and social traits. For example, both species exhibit sexual dimorphism, with males averaging twice the weight as females.
Male philopatry, where males remain in their natal territories and females disperse to surrounding territories, also generally applies to all gorillas.
Despite their similarities, most primate researchers point to the fact that a gorilla's environmental surroundings account for a good deal of variability in the diet and behaviors of specific groups.
Eastern Gorillas, for example, live in both low altitude and high altitude climates. The Eastern Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla graueri) inhabits forest and grasslands of the eastern section of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Higher quantities of available fruit in their habitat mean they consume more fruit that their relatives the Eastern Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla beringei).
While they are known to be terrestrial animals, higher tree density in general, and fruit tree density specifically, translates into some Western Lowland Gorillas being more arboreally inclined than their Eastern Mountain counterparts. Some even nest in trees.
Finally, gorilla society is often characterized as a patriarchal society consisting of multifemale and multimale populations, with the leading Silverback serving as the primary breeding male. However, recent research reveals the existence of both single male and multimale troops, and in multimale troops paternity can be split between the dominant silverback and subordinates.
The IUCN listed the Western Lowland Gorilla as critically endangered, due primarily to poaching and an outbreak of ebola. In 2008, a substantial disease free population was discovered in the swamp lands of northern DRC. The discovery adds an element of hope for species recovery.
Eastern Gorillas are listed as endangered. In an unfortunate bout of circumstances, both the mountain and lowland populations got stuck between population pressures resulting from a mass migration of Rwandan refugees, civil war in the area and an increase in poaching activity. Continued conflict in Gorilla beringei territory adds an extra level of uncertainty to any population estimate.
A good deal of original gorilla research is available on the Internet. The following articles provide solid ground for ascertaining additional gorilla facts.
- Male and Female Western Gorilla Diet
- Nutritional Aspects of Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) Diet during Seasons of Fruit Scarcity at Bai Hokou, Central African Republic
- Impact of Ecological and Social Factors on Ranging in Western Gorillas
- Social Structure and Life-History Patterns in Western Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
- Patterns of Paternity and Group Fission in Wild Multimale Mountain Gorilla Groups
- Socioecological influences on the reproductive success of female mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei)
- Vulnerability of Habituated Grauer's Gorilla to Poaching in the Kahu-Biega National Park, DRC
- Eastern Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla graueri) Status report
© 2010 Patricia A. Michaels.