Western gorilla

Gorilla gorilla

Mammalia · Primates · Hominidae

Fig. 1. Western gorilla

Fig. 2. Range

Length or height	Standing about 1.4-1.8 m
Weight	About 70-200 kg
Food	Herbivore: leaves, stems, fruit
Lifespan	About 35-40 years
Society	Family troops led by a silverback
Habitat	tropical rainforest
Range	Africa
Wild or tame	Wild

The gorilla most often seen in zoos (the western lowland gorilla).

Observe: Watch the silverback's calm control of the group, and the young playing.

Modern data

Status today

CRCritically endangered AZA SAFE: Gorilla status to verify

Conservation	Critically endangered by hunting, disease (Ebola) and logging.
Keeper's note	Gorillas get browse, hay nests and a choice of indoor and outdoor rooms.
Kingdom · phylum	Animalia · Chordata
Genus	Gorilla

Check the record: IUCN Red List · GBIF · ITIS

See it elsewhere in the museum

For classes

Lessons: The Primate Learning Lab: Open the field notebookPreviewThe Primate Learning Lab: Watch one primatePreviewThe Primate Learning Lab: The stick in the termite moundPreview

Drawer: Zoo: Primates

Quiz: Primates quiz · 5 questions