silverback gorilla drawing lifting weights

For Mountain gorilla groups, around 40% of them contain several closely related adult males.ĭespite this, many mature males are often “leftover” as groups typically contain more females than males. Gorillas, like many other social animals, are dependent on stable family groups for survival and well-being. They continue searching for food and building nests toward the end of the day. During the morning and afternoon, they forage for food, taking a nap at noon. Wild gorillas enjoy a peaceful daily life, with adult females usually competing to be near the leader for protection. However, in the case of eastern lowland gorilla groups, female gorillas can remain in the same place, waiting for a new dominant male to arrive and protect them. When a leader dies, other males take the opportunity to mate with the available females and potentially become the next leader. If unrelated females join a lone male, a new social group can be created. However, in some cases, blackbacks (immature males) can remain in their birth group, but they are subordinate to the dominant silverback gorilla. Males do it to avoid conflict with the dominant male and to prevent inbreeding. Social BehaviorĪt sexual maturity, both male and female gorillas leave their birth group and join other groups. Here is an overview of gorilla species’ behavior. Ongoing research on mountain gorillas in both the Virunga and Bwindi populations sheds new light on these fascinating creatures. They have larger ranges and consume vast amounts of fruit. The larger home ranges and travel distances of western gorillas may be related to their diverse diets and smaller group sizes, which may help to avoid competition for food resources.īwindi mountain gorillas and Grauer’s gorillas live at somewhat lower altitudes than Virunga mountain gorillas. The Cross River gorilla has a wider range of habitats and consumes a particularly high amount of seasonal fruit. Ecologyĭespite the lack of research, we do know that these subspecies primarily inhabit lowland forests and visit “bais” or swampy clearings for food. This flora is important since it can hold water in cells, enabling the plants to survive in dry conditions. Therefore, vegetation in these areas usually consists of prickly shrubs, trees, and succulent plants. In lowland regions of tropical forests, there’s often an extended dry season. Similarly, scientists estimate that the eastern lowland gorillas’ population has declined by more than 50% since the mid-1990s, with poaching and habitat destruction being the main culprits. Still, their numbers have drastically dwindled due to poaching and disease. However, significant populations can still be found in isolated swamps and swampy forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The population of Western lowland gorillas is unknown because they live in some of the densest and most remote rainforests in central Africa. Mountain gorillas live in forests at elevations of 8,000 to 13,000 feet, where temperatures often drop below freezing. Mountain (eastern) gorillas are found in the Virunga Mountains and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Uganda. It is theorized that there are just 200 or 300 of these gorillas left in their natural habitat, making them one of the most endangered primates on the planet. The Cross River is a critically endangered subspecies of the Western gorilla.ĭespite inhabiting rugged terrain, researchers have utilized alternative evidence, such as numbers and locations of nests, to estimate the gorilla population. The gorilla population has dwindled in a short time span.

Silverback gorilla drawing lifting weights