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Gorilla

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Template:Taxobox begin Template:Taxobox image Template:Taxobox begin placement Template:Taxobox regnum entry Template:Taxobox phylum entry Template:Taxobox classis entry Template:Taxobox ordo entry Template:Taxobox familia entry Template:Taxobox genus entry
I Geoffroy, 1853 Template:Taxobox end placement Template:Taxobox section type species Template:Taxobox section subdivision Gorilla gorilla
Gorilla beringei Template:Taxobox end

Distinguish from guerilla.

The gorilla, the largest of the primates, is a ground-dwelling herbivore that inhabits the forests of central Africa. There are two species of gorilla, both in the genus Gorilla; each species has two subspecies.

Gorillas move about by knuckle-walking. Males range in height from 1.65 m to 1.75 m, and in weight from 140 kg to 165 kg. Females are about half the weight of males.

Gestation is 8 ½ months. There are typically 3–4 years between births. Infants stay with their mothers for 3–4 years. Females mature at 10–12 years (earlier in captivity); males 11–13 years, sometimes sooner if they assume leadership early. Lifespan is between 30–50 years. The Philadelphia Zoo's Massa set the longevity record of 54 years at the time of his death.

Gorillas are mainly herbivores, eating fruits, leaves, and shoots.

Both species of gorilla are endangered, and have been subject to intense poaching for a long time. Threats to gorilla survival include habitat destruction and the bushmeat trade.

Gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo

A silverback is an adult male gorilla, typically more than 12 years of age and named for the distinctive patch of silver hair on his back, and that has large canines that come with maturity. Blackbacks are sexually immature males of up to 11 years of age.

Silverbacks are the strong, dominant troop leaders. Each typically leads a troop of 5 to 30 gorillas and is the center of the troop's attention, making all the decisions, mediating conflicts, determining the movements of the group, leading the others to feeding sites and taking responsibility for the safety and well being of the troop.

Males will slowly begin to leave their original troop when they are about 11 years old, travelling alone or with a group of other males for 2–5 years before being able to attract females to form a new group and start breeding. While infant gorillas normally stay with their mother for 3–4 years, silverbacks will care for weaned young orphans.

If challenged by a younger outside male, he will scream, beat his chest, shake broken-off branches at the intruder, bare his teeth then charge forward. If he is killed by disease, accident, fighting or poachers, the group will split up or be taken over in its entirety by a male descendant or even an unrelated male; there is a strong risk that a new male may kill the infants of the dead silverback.

Gorillas are closely related to humans and are considered highly intelligent. A few individuals in captivity have been taught a subset of sign language (see animal language for a discussion) such as Koko, also known for being the only animal known to keep one of another species as a pet. Koko has taken care of several companion cats over the years.

An interesting fact about the gorillas, is that they all share a single blood-type, B.

A male, Silverback Gorilla

Classification

Primatologists continue to explore the relationships between various gorilla populations. The most recent publication (Primate Taxonomy, Colin Groves 2001 ISBN 1-56098-872-X) lists two recognized species, with four subspecies:

Gorilla gorilla, Western Gorilla

Gorilla beringei, Eastern Gorilla

Gorilla beringei graueri

Strength

In many cultures gorillas have always been renowned for their strength. But exact strength of the gorilla is currently unknown. Some estimate it to be 10 times the strength of a man while some other sources say they are 27 times stronger than a man. These however are only estimations and have never been tested. Gorillas are stronger than they look, having significantly more muscle mass than a human pound for pound. Some people have used muscle count testing to estimate the gorilla's strength. Animal Face-Off used this technique to estimate an adult silverback male gorilla at 20 times the strength of a normal man.

Because gorillas are so naturally strong, it is estimated that a silverback male gorilla has the ability to kill a leopard with just one strike from its massive arms.

Gorillas in pop culture

  • The gorilla suit is an eternally popular gag costume. On The Zone on YTV, a recurring character is Gorilla Stan, who is actually a person wearing a cheap Halloween costume.
  • The mascot of the NBA's Phoenix Suns is a man in a gorilla suit, called The Gorilla.
  • The giant gorilla is a recurring theme in film, especially in the various incarnations of King Kong and Mighty Joe Young.
  • The namesake of the Donkey Kong video game franchise is a gorilla.
  • Optimus Primal on Beast Wars and Beast Machines starts out as a regular gorilla. His beast modes get more technological in each incarnation.
  • The protagonist of Don Martin's Mad Magazine strip "National Gorilla-Suit Day" is ever beset by gorillas (or persons dressed as gorillas).
  • film Planet of the Apes
  • Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, is the only public college in the United States to have a gorilla as mascot.
  • Famed boarding school Phillips Academy, in Andover, Massachusetts, also has a gorilla as an informal mascot.
  • In the anime series "Sakigake! Cromartie High School," a gorilla is one of the more powerful delinquents at Cromartie High. He (she?) also plays backup guitar for "Freddie," a fellow student who may or may not be Freddie Mercury.
  • A well-known vacuum repair shop in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, The Hilly Billy Vac Shack, has a gorilla-costumed mascot who waves at motorists, holding a sign saying "Hilly-Billy likes you!" In recent years, the owner has had legal problems because his roller-blading gorilla mascot was found to be disturbing traffic by waving at them from the road. "Is a gorilla on roller-skates considered a pedestrian?" was the question on the minds of the court.
  • A gorilla teaches the protagonist about the history of humanity and the effect "civilized" culture has had on other species in the award-winning novel Ishmael, written by Daniel Quinn.

See also

External links

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