Western Lowland Gorillas

Western Lowland Gorillas: There are two kinds of gorillas. The other species is the Eastern gorilla. They can be told apart from each other by their unique physical traits and the way they talk to each other.

What the Western lowland gorilla looks like: A fully grown male western lowland gorilla can weigh up to 185 kgs and stand about 5 feet 6 inches tall when standing on two legs. They fight with their big, broad chests and big muscles when they are arguing with other guys over territory. Most adult females are smaller than adult males, and they weigh about 95 kgs on average. Western lowland gorillas, both male and female, have long arms and short legs. This makes them great climbers, which is useful in tropical jungles.

The male silverback gorillas can weigh up to 185 kgs and lift 1810 kgs, which is up to 10 times their own body weight. They are the strongest ape species. Female gorillas are also known for showing off their amazing strength by throwing big things and breaking plants with a lot of force when they’re mad. But it’s important to remember that western lowland gorillas are also very smart and social. When you’re trekking through the bush, you should be careful and respectful of these animals.

How long do you think western lowland gorillas will live? Western lowland gorillas can live up to 60 years if they are kept as pets, but only 35 to 40 years if they are in the wild. Vila, the leader of the group, reached a big age milestone when she turned 60 in October 2017. There was only one monkey like her in the whole world. She died in January 2018, which was sad.

Where it lives:

You can find western gorillas in Cameroon, Angola, Gabon, Nigeria, and the Republic of the Congo, among other places, in the tropical jungles of West and Central Africa. They have done well getting used to life in these dense forests. During the day, they look for food, hang out with other animals in their group, and relax in the shade.

Lowland gorillas in the West They like dense primary forests and secondary forests that haven’t been disturbed. They need a steady source of high-quality herbs all year long, and they may build their nests near the edges of savanna forests.

Foods

Western lowland gorillas eat a lot of leaves because plants don’t have much energy for them. They tend to choose plants that are high in protein and low in fiber. Western lowland gorillas also like to eat ants, lizards, termites, and fruits like papayas, mangoes, and bananas. They also like to eat tree bark, tree roots, and fruit. People who are kept as pets are usually fed fruits and veggies.

Getting message:

The way western gorillas talk to each other is very interesting to watch because it is so complicated. They have more than 22 different sounds, like grunts, barks, screams, and hoots, that they use to tell their group members different things. They also talk to each other through body language and facial movements. Western lowland gorillas are very good at communicating visually, and their face expressions have been studied.

People have smelled “gorilla fear odor,” which is the smell of scared gorillas, in the air after western gorillas and leopards have met (Fay, 1995). According to experts Michelle Klailova and Phyllis Lee from the University of Stirling in Britain who studied a gorilla family for a year, the smells can not only show how the gorillas are feeling, like when they are scared, but they can also be changed and used to control how other gorillas behave.

What to do:

Western gorillas live in groups called troops because they like to be with other gorillas. These troops can have anywhere from two to thirty people. There is a strong male that runs the groups. He is called a silverback because as he ages, the fur on his back turns silver.

Western lowland gorillas that are at least 2.5 years old build nests where they sleep at night and sometimes rest during the day. The nests are usually built on flat ground. The plants are folded under and around the body. (Some tree nests)The whole process takes five minutes, but gorillas sometimes sleep on the ground.

Western Lowland Gorillas mate and have babies
Men can have sexual relations with each other as early as 9–10 years old, but they won’t be able to mate until they are fully grown to Silverback level, which is between 12 and 15 years old. Western lowland gorilla females are usually ready to mate between the ages of 5 and 7. They normally have their first child between the ages of 8.5 and 10 years. Two babies are born to female gorillas after they are pregnant for almost nine months.

Greening up:

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says that the western lowland gorilla species is extremely endangered. In the last few decades, the number of Western lowland gorillas has dropped by a large amount. This is because their environment has been destroyed, they are being hunted for bush meat, and some of their residents are not safe.

However, groups like the Gorilla Doctors, the Gorilla Conservation Fund, and the Dian Fossey International Gorilla Fund are working to protect western gorilla populations. They do this by making people more aware of the dangers the gorillas face and running conservation programs in several African countries where western lowland gorillas live.

Where can I go on a gorilla hike in the western lowlands?

There are a few great places to go if you want to see gorillas in the wild. Western lowland gorilla hiking is an amazing and exciting experience. It is only possible to see these beautiful gorillas in their native environment in a few places. One of them is Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Republic of Congo. Central African Republic is another famous place for tourists to go.

They can see gorillas in Dzangha Sangha National Park and other places where they live. Last but not least, Gabon is famous for Western Gorilla hiking. Loango National Park is one of the few places you can see wild western lowland gorillas that are used to people.

In conclusion:

The Western Gorilla is a very pretty animal that is also known for being smart, strong, and charming. Even though these lowland gorillas are having a hard time, there is still hope for these beautiful primates. Protecting them is still important to wildlife lovers and activists all over the world.