Gorillas

By: Chris Smith

&

Darran Prewitt

Description

• The gorilla is a heavily built primate and is the largest of the living apes.

• Gorillas have a characteristic body shape with a broad chest, heavy neck and strong hands and feet.

• Mature males are known as 'silverbacks' due to the silvery-white saddle of hair extending from the back to the rump and thighs.

• Male gorillas have a larger skull crest than females and other apes, together with larger canines and a more pronounced ridge above the eyes

• Upright, males reach 5 ft 8 in in height, with an arm span of 7 ft 7 in and weigh 340 lb. The tallest silverback recorded was a 6 ft 4 in individual shot in Alimbongo, northern Kivu in May 1938 and the heaviest was a 6 ft silverback shot in Ambam, Cameroon which weighed about 590 lb.

Evolutionary History

Evolutionary History cont.

Food Chain #1Wild Berries Gorilla Poacher

Food Chain #2Thistles Gorilla Leopard Poacher

Abiotic Factors

• Water

• Clouds

• Soil

• Sunlight

• Wind

Biotic Factors

• Berries

• Bamboo

• Thistles

• Crocodiles

• Leopards

Mating Behaviors

• Silverbacks lead the group and control mating

• They mate for life

• Females usually initiate.

Human Impact On Gorillas (Poaching)

Gorillas are poached for three main reasons: meat, capture for collections, and trophies.

Forested areas in Africa are often referred to as 'the bush'. Meat derived from wildlife living in these areas is called ‘bushmeat’. Many bushmeat animals are either threatened or endangered, like the elephant, gorilla, and chimpanzee.

The vast majority of bushmeat consumers are low income families who cannot afford more costly meat alternatives such as pork and chicken.

All viable African ape populations may become extinct within the next 5 to 15 years due to the bushmeat trade.

Gorilla Skulls

Gorilla Skullls

Other Problems

• Deforestation- The constant need for more land has decreased the habitat in which the gorillas live in.

• Disease- Since gorillas and humans are genetically similar, the are susceptible to many of the same diseases as we are, but without the immunizations or built up immunity we have, gorillas are more likely to die from them.

References

• http://www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/mountaingorilla

• http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/mountain-grillas.html

• http://www.outtoafrica.nl/animals/enggorilla.html?zenden=2&subsoort_id=1&bestemming_id=1

• http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/canopy/3220/NewMG3.html

• http://www.gorillafund.org/mountain_gorillas/life_facts.php#eat