Gorillas are the largest living primates on planet earth. Gorillas are widespread across ten countries in Africa. Until 2001, all gorillas were assigned to the species Gorilla gorilla split into three races; the western lowland gorilla, the eastern lowland gorilla and the mountain gorilla.
Basing on the conventional taxonomic classification of gorillas, there are two discrete species of gorillas.
Mountain gorillas were first known in 1903 when a German hunter Oscar Van Beringe shot a mountain gorilla on Mount Sabinyo in the Virunga Region. Mountain gorillas are confined to two ranges; the Virunga Volcanoes and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
It was not until 1950s that the mountain gorilla conservation was promoted to the European continent and the world through several studies of naturalists like George Schaller who studied their behavior for 20 years until 1959 and Dian Fossey during 1960-1970. ‘Gorillas in the Mist’, a diary and best selling book by Dian Fossey further introduced the giant apes to the world. A film in the same name was released in the 1980’s based on her works in Congo’s rain forests.
Nearly 900 mountain gorillas live in the lush forested slopes of central Africa’s mountains making Africa home to the last surviving mountain gorillas in the world. Due to extensive poaching and deforestation of the different gorilla habitats in Africa, the mountain gorillas have been classified as a critically endangered species that could soon be wiped out on the face of the earth.
Mountain gorillas are tracked during hours between 6am-6pm, it’s the best time to see them play, feed and rest with the young ones.
Physical Characteristics of Mountain Gorillas
Gorillas are interesting animals. The first study of gorilla behavior was undertaken in the 1950s by George Schaller, whose pioneering work attracted other researchers including Dian Fossey.
The mountain gorillas are the largest of all gorillas. These great apes are also adapted to living in high altitude areas. In terms of appearance, they have the most visibly longer and more luxuriant coat. On average they are bulkier than other races with the heaviest on record weighing up to 220kg.
Gorillas are sociable creatures moving in defined troops of anything from five to 50 animals. A troop typically consists of a dominant silverback male, blackbucks, female gorillas and the juvenile. A male gorilla reaches sexual maturity at 13 years while a female gorilla reaches sexual maturity at about 8 years.
Another exciting feature about the male gorillas is that when they age, their hair on the back turns to grey or silver. It’s from this ideology that these male gorillas are known as the silver backs. As the day comes to an end, the mountain gorillas make up a nest where to rest at night with the vegetation that is surrounding them. The nose prints is the only way you can identify these Uganda gorillas because they are a bit different from the rest.
The male gorillas can be identified by the bony skulls making them quite different from the females.