They decide where the group will go, when they will eat, and where they will sleep. They are the male leaders of mountain-dwelling gorillas. Many of them live in the forests and swamps, some live in the mountains. Let’s learn more about these gentle giants … Awesome Gorilla Facts For Kids A Gorilla is a fearsome, but beautiful, creature These intelligent animals have also been observed using branches and other objects as simple tools. Gorillas make nests out of branches and vegetation. Gorillas are herbivores (plant eaters), and eat a variety of fruit, shoots, and leaves. Females are significantly smaller.ĭespite their fearsome appearance, gorillas are generally non-aggressive, and very rarely attack humans. Male gorillas are large, powerful animals, and can grow to be 1.8 m (almost 6 feet) tall, and weigh up to 180 kg (400 lbs). Silverback gorillas protect their troops against threats from other gorillas, and potential predators such as leopards. Larger troops may also contain one or more adult males, known as ‘Blackbacks’. The other members of the troop are females and young gorillas. They live in small groups, led by a male gorilla known as a ‘Silverback’. Gorillas live in the mountain and lowland forests of Central Africa. This is because its population is declining faster than that of the Eastern Gorilla. The Western Gorilla, despite having a larger estimated population of around 95,000, is rated Critically Endangered. The Eastern Gorilla is rated Endangered, and fewer than 6,000 survive in the wild. There are two species of gorilla: the Eastern Gorilla, and the Western Gorilla. This family is also known as the ‘Great Ape’ family, and also includes three other types of primate: orangutans, chimpanzees, and humans. They are members of the Hominidae family. Gorillas are the world’s largest primates. This article is part of our African Animals series.

Want to know more about one of your close relatives? Read our gorilla facts for kids to learn about these fearsome, but peaceful, animals.

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