GORILLA

Gorillas are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of central Sub-Saharan Africa. The genus Gorilla is divided into two species: the eastern gorillas and the western gorillas, and either four or five subspecies. They are the largest living primates. The DNA of gorillas is highly similar to that of humans, from 95 to 99% depending on what is included, and they are the next closest living relatives to humans after chimpanzees and bonobos.Gorillas are the largest non-human primates, reaching heights between 1.25-1.8 metres, weights between 100–270 kg, and arm spans up to 2.6 metres, depending on species and sex. They tend to live in troops, with the leader being called a silverback. The Eastern gorilla is distinguished from the Western by darker fur color and some other minor morphological differences. Gorillas tend to live 35–40 years in the wild.

Despite having a population as high as 200,000 individuals, Gorillas are some of the most endangered apes in the world, and both the Eastern and Western Gorillas are classified as Critically endangered by the IUCN.There are many threats to their survival, such as poaching, habitat destruction, and disease, which threaten the survival of the species. However, conservation efforts have been successful in some areas where they live.

WHERE WILL YOU FIND THEM?

You will find the gorilla at pen G10, right next to the monkeys .