INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT MOUNTAIN GORILLAS.

A brief description of Mountain gorillas

Also known as the Gorilla Beringei Beringei, mountain gorillas are a subspecies of the renowned eastern gorilla. Mountain gorillas are descendants of the ancestral monkeys and the African apes. They inhabited Africa and the parts of Arabia at the start of the Oligocene epoch which occurred about 34 to 24 million years ago.

Mountain gorillas are have fur on their bodies that is way much thicker as compared to the other counterpart gorillas and the primates at large. The fur on their bodies makes it easier for them to adapt to the cold temperatures in their habitats.

Mountain gorilla males grow up to a height of approximately 63 inches, have a girth of about 54 to 64 inches, with an arm span of 2 to 3 meters and an overall weight average of approximately 120 to 190 kilograms.

WHERE TO FIND MOUNTAIN GORILLAS.

Mountain gorillas in Uganda inhabit Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga National Parks in the Southwest of the country. In Rwanda, they inhabit Volcanoes National Park in the Northwest of the country. On the other hand, in Congo, a section of the mountain gorillas live in Virunga National Park.

Interesting facts about Mountain gorillas.

Mountain gorillas are incredible primates with a wide range of interesting facts about them. Some of the interesting facts about mountain gorillas include;

There are only 1063 mountain gorillas left in the wild today. Half of the population of the mountain gorillas are found in the South of Uganda in Bwindi and Mgahinga outbacks. Bwindi alone has 21 habituated gorilla families while Mgahinga only has one family called Nyakagezi. The second largest population lives in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park while Virunga National Park in Congo has the least of the population.

In addition, mountain gorillas live in isolated groups. The groups are similar to the human extended families. Mountain gorilla families are led by dominant silverbacks. The silverbacks are responsible for the feeding and migration patterns of the gorilla families. The adult aunties in the group are responsible for the grooming of the young gorillas.

Mountain gorillas share 98% of the human DNA. This is evident in the likeliness between some of their body parts and intelligence close to that of humans. Mountain gorillas’ limbs look like those of humans.

Mountain gorillas are one of the largest and most powerful living primates on the planet. They have a girth of about 54 to 64 inches, with an arm span of 2 to 3 meters and an overall weight average of approximately 120 to 190 kilograms.

They can eat all day long. The gentle giants enjoy eating. 85% of the mountain gorilla diet comprises shoots, leaves, and stems. However, they also showcase an appetite for invertebrates, especially snails, ants, and worms.

Lastly, the mountain gorillas are facing a big threat of extinction. This is due to the degradation of their habitat and the high reduction in numbers that is mainly attributed to poaching activities. Gorillas also contract illnesses from human beings especially in terms of colds. However, of late the national parks have been given more protection. This has reduced on the poaching and encroachment on their habitat cases.

Best time to visit and trek mountain gorillas.     

The dry months of the year stand out as the very best moments to visit the mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. The mountain gorillas live in intact dense tropical rainforests in mountainous regions. During the dry seasons, it is easy to maneuver through the rain forests and meet the gorillas, unlike the wet seasons. The dry season is usually on from June to September and in the December to February window.

However, it is important to remember that they are not the only times when one can visit and trek the gorillas. The national parks are always open for visits all year round. The wet seasons can as well provide unforgettable experiences.

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