samedi 15 novembre 2008

Gorilla




Family: Pongidae
Genus: Gorilla

Gorillas are divided into two species, each one divided into four subspecies:
Western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) :
-Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
-Cross river gorilla (Gorilla beringei dielhi)
Eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei):
-Mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei)
-Eastern lowland gorilla ( Gorilla beringei graueri)

Living place:
Western Africa: Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic (about 40,000 and 80,000 western lowland gorillas
Southern nigeria (about 250 cross river gorillas)
Eastern Africa: eastern Democratic Republic of Congo(12,000 eastern lowland gorillas)
Bwindi forest, Ouganda (about 600 mountain gorillas)

Habitat: Gorilla live in tropical or subtropical forests . Lowland Gorillas live in dense forests and lowland swamps and marshes whereas mountain gorilla inhabits the forests situated in altitude from 2225 to 4267 m.

Physical description: Gorilla walks on his knuckle. Gorilla males can reach 1.70 height on average and weigh from 140 to 200 kg.
As for Gorilla females, they are around 1,40 tall and weigh 100 kg.
Their coat depends on age and sex, even though adults have a clearly silver back.

Diet: Gorillas are folivores and eat especially leaves and vegetative matter, although they also eat smaller amounts of fruits, roots and insects. However lowland gorillas are foli-frugivores and eat more fruit, and more insects, than mountain gorillas. Gorilla spends most of his time eating.

Lifespan and reproduction: In general, their lifespan is between 35-50 years. Gestation lasts 8 and a half months and the children keep leaving with their mother until 3-4 years old. During her life, each female gives birth to 6 or 8 babies. Gorilla becomes adult when he is 12.

Group life: The most important figure in a group is the silverback. This adult male gorilla is the group leader and so, he is the one who takes all the decisions. What's more, he establishs a harem which he keeps all along his life. As female gorilla reachs adult age, she splits up with the group to find an other one.

More informations: Gorilla spends more time on earth than the other Great Apes. He often builds his nest on the floor.
We estimate that only 110 000 gorillas are still alive.
Thanks to specialist's work, some gorillas have developped a mean to communicate with human being: for instance koko who has learned sign language for 25 years.

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