Western Lowland Gorilla

Gorilla gorilla gorilla

### Regions

Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of Congo

## Habitat

### Water Area

780 m² +50 m²/ea. add'l
0 m²

### Temperature

40 m² +20 m²/ea. add'l
8‒42 ℃

## Social

### Fem. Bachelor

3‒6 (up to 1 male, up to 5 females)
3
3‒6

### Sterility

10 years
Unknown

### Interbirth

9 months
60 months

## Taxonomy

### Order

Mammalia
Primates

### Genus

Hominidae
Gorilla

The **Western Lowland Gorilla** (*Gorilla gorilla gorilla*) is a large African primate featured in the Standard Edition of *Planet Zoo*.

## Zoopedia Description

### General

**Population in the Wild:** 150,000-250,000

The Western Lowland Gorilla (or Gorilla gorilla gorilla) is native to Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo and Southern Niger, living and foraging in the rainforests, swamp forests, and abandoned farmland there. They have black skin dark forward-facing eyes, a prominent brow ridge, large nostrils and coarse hair which covers most of their body except the face, ears, hands, and feet. Males are much larger than females, and when they mature, the hair on their backs becomes grey and they are identified as 'silverbacks'.

The species is critically endangered due to deforestation, poaching and the spread of disease-young gorillas leave their home group for a new group when they reach adulthood, and this means that disease can spread very quickly among groups. The Republic of Congo is investing in conservation of their rainforests to prevent deforestation and species loss.

### Social

Gorillas are social animals, living in small groups with an approximately even split of male and females. There will usually be one dominant male, known as the silverback - although there can occasionally be two; a father and son - who leads the group when foraging or travelling. Despite individuals within groups being unrelated, the females will have very strong bonds with each other and their silverback, not leaving him in favour of another male once their group has been established.

### Reproduction

When a female gorilla is fertile, she will slowly approach the silverback and attempt to get his attention by maintaining eye contact and puckering her lips. If he does not respond, she will pound the ground near him; if the bid is successful, the male will mate with her. The mother is pregnant for 8.5 months before giving birth to one baby, which she will care for closely until the infants are around 4-years-old, when their offspring begin to gain significant independence. At between 9 and 10 years old, young gorillas both male and female will leave their family group; females will search for a group to join, whereas males will be solitary for some time until they are mature enough to become silverbacks and form their own group.

## Animal Care

 FEEDING STATIONS
 FOOD ENRICHMENT
Suspended Forager · Large Fixed Roller Feeder · Block of Frozen Fruit · Tool Puzzle Feeder · Forage Box Enrichment · Tree Forager
Climbing Frame · Large Ball · Sprinkler · Grab Ball · Cardboard Box · Ice Block · Mirror Mobile · Musical Keyboard · Bobbin · Small Ball · Large Snow Ball · Small Ice Ball Enrichment · Gift Box · Bobbin Drum · Small Ball Colourful · Small tyre · Rubber Duck

## Trivia

### Zoopedia Fun Facts

1. Gorillas are the largest primate species.
2. Gorillas are incredibly important to the forests in which they live because their feeding and roaming habits disperse fruit seeds.
3. Gorillas build nests daily that they sleep in at night; these nests are usually in trees.
4. Gorillas create and use tools, using branches they have modified to get food that is out of reach, or to measure the depth of water.
5. Gorillas have been taught sign language successfully - Koko the gorilla, born in San Francisco Zoo, learned over 1100 signs.