European Gorilla

The **European gorilla** (*Gorilla germanica*), also known as the **brown gorilla**, is a species of gorilla that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the wetlands, forests, and open woodlands across Europe to help boost biodiversity. The European gorilla is one of the smallest (sub)species of gorilla but still has exceptional size and strength. This species of gorillas exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism. They possess no tails and have almost-jet black skin along with coarse dark brown hair hair that covers their entire body except for the face, ears, hands and feet, hence the name "brown gorilla". Unlike most gorillas, the European gorillas have thicker fur and a layer of blubber to help keep the gorilla warm in the winter. The hair on the back and rump of males takes on a grey coloration and is also lost as they get older. This coloration is the reason why older males are known as "silverbacks". Their hands are proportionately large with nails on all digits, similar to those of humans, and very large thumbs. They have short muzzles, prominent brow ridges, large nostrils and small eyes and ears. Other features are large muscles in the jaw region along with broad and strong teeth. Among these teeth are strong sets of frontal canines and large molars in the back of the mouth for grinding fruits and vegetables. A male standing erect can be up to 1.8 meters (5 feet 11 inches) tall and weigh up to 270 kg (600 lb). Males have an average weight of 140 kg (310 lb), females of 90 kg (200 lb). European gorilla groups travel within a home range averaging 8–45 km2 (3.1–17.4 sq mi). European gorillas do not display territorial behavior, and neighboring groups often overlap ranges. The group usually favours a certain area within the home range but seems to follow a seasonal pattern depending upon the availability of ripening fruits, seeds, nuts, and leaves, and, at some sites, localised large open clearings (swamps and "bais"). European gorillas normally travel 3–5 km (1.9–3.1 mi) per day. Populations feeding on high-energy foods that vary spatially and seasonally tend to have greater day ranges than those feeding on lower-quality but more consistently available foods. Larger groups travel greater distances in order to obtain sufficient food. It is easier for males to travel alone and move between groups, as before reaching the age of sexual maturity, males leave their natal group and go through a “bachelor stage” that can last several years either in solitary or in a nonbreeding group. However, while both sexes leave their birth group, females are always part of a breeding group. Males like to settle with other male members of their family. Their breeding groups consist of one silverback male, three adult females and their offspring. The male gorilla takes on the role of the protector. Females tend to make bonds with other females in their natal group only, but form strong bonds with males. Males also aggressively compete for contact with females. The group of European gorillas is led by one or more adult males. In cases where there is more than one silverback male in a group, they are most likely father and son. Groups containing only one male are believed to be the basic unit of the social group, gradually growing in size due to reproduction and new members migrating in. European gorillas harvest most of their food arboreally, but less than half of their night nests are built in trees. They are often found on the ground and are made up of up to 30 gorillas. European gorillas live in small families compared with most gorillas, with an average of five to twelve members in each. The leader (the silverback) organizes group activities, like eating, nesting and travelling in their home range. Those who challenge this alpha male are apt to be cowed by impressive shows of physical power. He may stand upright, throw things, make aggressive charges, and pound his huge chest with open or cupped hands while barking out powerful hoots or unleashing a frightening roar. Despite these displays and the animals' obvious physical power, gorillas are generally calm and nonaggressive unless they are disturbed. Young gorillas, from three to six years old, remind human observers of children. Much of their day is spent in play, climbing trees, chasing one another and swinging from branches. Female European gorillas do not produce many offspring due to the fact that they do not reach sexual maturity until the age of 8 or 9. Female gorillas usually give birth to one infant after a gestation period of nearly nine months, although twins do occasionally occur. Female gorillas do not show signs of pregnancy. Unlike their powerful parents, newborns are tiny—weighing four pounds—and able only to cling to their mothers' fur. These infants ride on their mothers' backs from the age of four months through the first two or three years of their lives. Infants can be dependent on their mother for up to five years. A study of over 300 births to captive female gorillas revealed that older females tend to give birth to more male offspring as opposed to females under 8 years old. This pattern is a result from selective pressures on females to have males at a time when they can provision them most effectively, as male reproductive success probably varies more than that of females and depends more on the maternal role. Female European gorillas living in a group led by a single male have been observed to display sexual behavior during all stages of their reproductive cycle and during times of non-fertility. Three out of four females have been observed to engaged in sexual behavior while pregnant and two out of three females have been observed to engage in sexual behavior while lactating. Females are significantly more likely to engage and participate in sexual behavior and activity on a day when another female is sexually active. Female European gorillas participate in non-reproductive sexual behavior in order to increase their reproductive success through sexual competition. By increasing the female’s own reproductive success, she then decreases the reproductive success of other female gorillas, regardless of their reproductive state. Infanticide by adult male gorillas has occasionally been observed in this subspecies. Victims are never related to the killer. A male does this in order to have the opportunity to mate with the mother, who otherwise would have been unavailable while caring for her young offspring. The conservation status of the European gorilla is **Near Threatened** due to some habitat loss and historic poaching, however, thanks to the conservationists, the European gorilla is a protected species and is making a comeback.