What kind of animal is a gorilla? We will explain its characteristics, ecology, and habitat. They are classified into two species, the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, and both have suffered serious habitat destruction and poaching, and both are designated as endangered species.
What is a gorilla? About basic status
Gorillas are mammals that belong to the genus Gorilla in the order Primates and family Hominidae. The body length is 150-180cm and the weight is 80-100kg. The scientific name is Gorilla gorilla. The list of information is as follows.
| Japanese（和名） | ゴリラ |
| English（英名） | Gorilla |
| scientific name(学名) | Gorilla gorilla |
| classification（分類） | Mammalia、Primate、 Hominidae、Gorilla 哺乳綱、霊長目、ヒト科、ゴリラ属 |
| IUCN Status(保全状況) | ENDANGERED |
| Length（体長） | 150 – 180cm |
| Weight（体重） | 80 – 100kg |
About classification
There are the following subspecies of gorillas: Western Lowland Gorilla, Eastern Lowland Gorilla, Cross River Gorilla, Mountain Gorilla, etc. They are apes, with females and males forming families, and are no different from humans in terms of image. Recently, research has been progressing greatly in Africa.
Western gorilla
The western gorilla is a primate classified into the genus Gorilla, in the order Mammalia, order Primates, and family Hominidae. It lives in Angola, Gabon, and Nigeria, and its head and body length is 103 to 107 cm, and its weight is 145 to 191 kg. It is listed on Appendix I of the Washington Convention and is designated as an endangered species. The Ebola virus has decimated the population to the point of no return.
Eastern gorilla
The eastern gorilla is a primate classified into the genus Gorilla, in the order Mammalia, Primates, Hominidae, and lives in Uganda, Congo, and other countries. They live in natural forests and secondary forests, and are designated as an endangered species due to habitat destruction due to farmland development and timber extraction, as well as the spread of infectious diseases. It is listed on CITES Appendix I, which places strict restrictions on international trade.
About habitat
Gorillas mainly live on the African continent.
🌍 Main Gorilla Habitats
① Western Lowland Gorilla
Habitat:
Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, etc.
Environment:
Lowland tropical rainforests, swamp forests
Characteristics:
The most abundant gorilla
② Cross River Gorilla
Habitat:
Border region from eastern Nigeria to western Cameroon
Environment:
Mountain forests and hill forests
Characteristics:
Very small population, the rarest
③ Mountain Gorilla
Habitat:
Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Environment:
Mountainous areas (mist forests) at altitudes of 2,000-4,000 meters
Characteristics:
Famous for tourism conservation efforts (populations are recovering)
④ Eastern Lowland Gorilla (Grauer’s Gorilla)
Habitat:
Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
Environment:
Lowland to mountain forests
Characteristics:
Large body size, but populations have declined dramatically due to civil war and other factors
🌿 Commonalities
Living in forested areas such as tropical rainforests and montane forests
They are herbivorous, eating fruits, leaves, and stems
They are an endangered species due to deforestation and poaching
feature is? What kind of creature is it?
Gorillas mainly live in forest areas. Basically, they are highly social animals and live in groups. A gorilla’s chest-beating gesture is called “drumming,” and it is a means of communication and negotiation with the other person. This can be seen when avoiding conflicts with males or asserting oneself. It is characterized by a quadrupedal gait called knuckle walking, in which the forelimbs are clenched into fists and hit the ground.
① Physical Characteristics
Weight:
Males: 140-200kg or more (maximum nearly 250kg)
Height:
Standing height: Approximately 160-180cm
Extremely high muscle mass (several times that of humans)
Mature males have silvery fur on their backs
→ Known as silverbacks
👉 Although they look quite intimidating, they generally avoid conflict.
② Personality and Behavior
Very gentle and timid
When they sense danger, they first
beat their chest
growl
→ This is a warning signal and they do not attack suddenly
Only attack when truly cornered
👉 They have a much more patient personality than humans.
③ High Intelligence
Uses tools (such as measuring water depth with a stick)
Expresses emotions through facial expressions and gestures
Some individuals have learned simple sign language
Understands family relationships and hierarchical relationships
👉 Their intelligence is said to be close to that of a 5- or 6-year-old human child.
④ Sociality and Family Structure
They live in families (herds) of 5-30 individuals centered around a single silverback.
Silverbacks
protect the herd
mediate disputes
decide where to move
become very protective of their females and young
What is your personality like?
Like humans, gorillas value social connections with their fellow gorillas. Some primates have a strict hierarchical relationship, but in the case of gorillas, all relationships are flat. They also have very high intelligence, comparable to humans.
① They are generally very calm.
Usually laid-back and quiet.
They do not like conflict and avoid fights as much as possible.
They are calm around other animals and their peers.
👉 They are among the more gentle wild animals.
② They are very timid and cautious.
They are sensitive to unfamiliar sounds and movements.
They first signal “stay away” by
glaring.
growling.
smacking their chest.
They almost never attack suddenly.
👉 Chest smacking is a warning, not a threat.
③ They are family-oriented and responsible.
Pack leaders (silverbacks)
Protect their young.
Stop fights.
Take the lead in times of danger.
They are very kind to their young and will play with them.
👉 They are close to the ideal father figure.
④ They are highly emotional.
They express joy, anxiety, anger, and sadness through facial expressions, voice, and gestures.
They embrace and comfort each other.
👉 Their emotions are very similar to those of humans.
⑤ Individual differences exist.
Gentle type
Curious type
Nervous type
👉 Every group has its own “personality differences.”
What is the ecology like?
Gorillas primarily eat fruit, plants, and termites. Regardless of species, they have a strong tendency to eat fruit, and in environments where fruit is abundant, they will primarily eat fruit. They reproduce by viviparity. The gestation period is 256 days. Their lifespan is approximately 40-50 years. They are gentle wild creatures who are polygamous and raise their young.
① Living in groups (social structure)
Living in groups of 5-30 individuals
Mature males dominate the group
👉 Silverback
Composition
One silverback
Several females
Children and young individuals
Division of roles
Silverback:
Determining migration routes, mediating disputes, and protecting from predators
Females: Mainly raising children
Young: Playing and learning
② Daily rhythm
Diurnal (active during the day)
Time of day Behavior
Morning: Eating while traveling
Lunch: Resting and grooming
Evening: Eating again
Night: Sleeping in the nest
👉 They have a very regular lifestyle.
③ Food (mostly herbivorous)
Leaves, stems, fruit, bark, bamboo shoots
Eats 20-30 kg per day
Often obtains water from food
👉 Eats large amounts, but does not hunt
④ Movement and Territory
Moves several hundred meters to several kilometers daily
Few clear territorial disputes
When encountering other groups,
they usually keep their distance without fighting
⑤ Sleeping and Nest Building
Builds a new nest every night
On the ground or in a shrub
Completes in about 10 minutes by breaking off leaves and branches
👉 Babies sometimes sleep with their mothers.
⑥ Breeding and Rearing
Gestation Period: Approximately 8.5 months
Births are single
Mothers carry and raise their young at all times
Weaning: Approximately 3-4 years
Grows slowly (lifespan 40-50 years)
Are there any natural enemies?
Its natural enemy is the leopard. Others include humans.
About Baby Gorillas
Baby gorillas are very affectionate and resemble human babies. There’s a stark difference between their appearance and behavior compared to adult gorillas.
① Immediately after birth
Weight: Approximately 2kg (roughly the same as a human newborn)
Thin fur, large eyes
Unable to walk immediately after birth, they cling to their mother
Fed exclusively by breast milk
👉 They look very “baby-like.”
② Around 0-1 year old
Always held by their mother
Crying to communicate their intentions
Still unstable in independent movement
👉 Completely dependent on their mother
③ Around 1-3 years old
Slowly walks around
Begins nibbling on grass and leaves
Begins playing with other cubs
(chasing and playing)
👉 Suddenly becomes more active
④ Around ages 3-5
Very active and curious
They climb trees and jump
They learn social skills by pretending to fight
👉 This is the equivalent of “kindergarten to early elementary school” in humans.
⑤ Relationship with mother
Mothers are very devoted
They are always kept within sight
They are immediately picked up if there is any danger
👉 They are highly overprotective.
⑥ Position within the pack
They are protected by the entire pack
The silverback (father figure)
They may play with them
Some mischief is tolerated
👉 Young are the idols of the pack.
⑦ Growth and Independence
Weaning: Ages 3-4
Males often leave the pack between ages 8-12
Females may remain in their birth pack
Are gorillas an endangered species?
Gorillas are listed as an endangered species. All of this is caused by humans, and habitat destruction is the biggest problem, and the number of individuals that can survive is rapidly decreasing due to the reduction of forest areas.
① Mountain Gorilla
Classification: Endangered (EN)
Estimated Population: Approximately 1,000
Status:
Recovering thanks to conservation efforts and ecotourism
However: Numbers are still very small
② Eastern Lowland Gorilla (Grauer’s Gorilla)
Classification: Critically Endangered (CR)
Status:
Pulpably declining due to civil war, poaching, and deforestation
Most endangered
③ Western Lowland Gorilla
Classification: Critically Endangered (CR)
Status:
Relatively large populations, but rapidly declining due to Ebola hemorrhagic fever
Defeat
④ Cross River Gorilla
Classification: Critically Endangered (CR)
Estimated Population: Fewer than 300
Characteristics:
The rarest gorilla
Why is it endangered?
Main causes
Deforestation (farmland development, logging)
Poaching (bushmeat)
Disease (human-derived infectious disease, Ebola)
Conflict and civil war
Climate change
👉 Human influence is particularly significant.
Can gorillas be kept?
Gorillas are designated as an endangered species, listed in the Washington Convention, and international trade is restricted, making it extremely difficult for the general public to keep them.
① Legally, it is almost impossible.
Gorillas are listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Commercial trade is prohibited.
Even in Japan, under the Animal Welfare Act and regulations related to invasive alien species, private captivity is not permitted.
Import and trade are generally illegal.
👉 Only permitted in zoos, research facilities, and other institutions with special permits.
② Extremely dangerous from a safety perspective.
Adult gorillas weigh nearly 200kg of muscle.
When they get serious, humans cannot resist.
Even if they are normally calm,
if they feel surprised or stressed, it could lead to an accident.
👉 Even if they become tame, they remain dangerous.
③ From an animal welfare perspective.
Gorillas
Live in groups.
Require a spacious environment.
Highly intelligent and emotional.
Private homes and small facilities can cause severe mental stress.
👉 Keeping them in captivity can be considered cruel.
So what about zoos?
Only facilities with the necessary equipment, specialized staff, and breeding programs can keep them.
Rather than just one animal, they are kept in groups of multiple animals.
Comprehensive medical, behavioral, and genetic management are also provided.
👉 Conservation and educational purposes, rather than “exhibition”
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