Competition between males for mates likely led to their large size. The ebola virus might be depleting western gorilla populations to a point where their recovery might become impossible, and the virus reduced populations in protected areas by 33% from 1992 to 2007, which may be equal to a decline of 45% for a period of just 20 years spanning 1992 to 2011. Despite their name, the eastern lowland gorilla is not restricted to areas of low elevation. A gorilla must spend most of its day eating plants to maintain its large size. About 43% of african lion populations have declined in the last 21 years with current estimates at between 32,000 and 35,000 freeranging lions. African great apes africas great apes are faced with a deadly combination of. Found only in the virunga mountains of drc, rwanda, and. Despite its size, eastern lowland gorillas feed mainly on fruit and other herbaceous materials, just like other gorilla subspecies. The zoo is home to six western lowland gorillas that reside at the great ape house.
Gorillas are the worlds largest primate and are native only to africa. Pin home about the primates primate factsheets gorilla beringei graueri image primate factsheets. The western lowland gorilla is the smallest subspecies of gorilla but still has exceptional size and strength. When male gorillas get older their hair turns white on their back. They possess no tails and have jet black skin along with coarse black hair that covers their entire body except for the face, ears, hands and feet.
Eastern lowland gorilla gorilla facts and information. This subspecies inhabits mountain tropical forests and lowland tropical forests, although it is capable of. Remarkably strong, the mountain gorilla has a short trunk and a broad chest and shoulders. A gorilla s lifespan is between 35 and 40 years, although zoo gorillas may live for 50 years or more because they have more food. The distribution range of eastern lowland gorilla is small, it covers only the eastern part of the democratic republic of congo, with populations in the maiko national park, kahuzibiega national park, the tayna gorilla reserve and itombwe mountains region. They are slightly smaller than the eastern gorillas, enabling them to climb trees to eat fruit. The lush green dense forests of central africa where we hear the sounds of birds high in the trees, the shrill cries and sounds of monkeys, a distant plod and sway of shy forest elephants and the low buzz of insects in the air. Today, this subspecies is confined to the primary tropical forest of eastern drc most notably in kahuzibiega and maiko national parks, but a substantial portion of its habitat. Eastern lowland gorillas will thrive in the jungles of africa as they once did or if we are witnessin g the vanishing of one type of great apes.
The face, ears, hands, and feet are bare, and the chest in old males lacks hair. Most of the gorilla s day is devoted to eating and an adult can quite easily consume about 30kg of vegetation every day. The eastern lowland gorilla also known as grauers gorilla is the largest of the four gorilla subspecies. To avoid unwanted reflection it is useful to tilt the glass sheets a little bit towards the. Also known as grauers gorilla, the eastern lowland gorilla is the largest of the gorilla subspecies. Adaptations and biome changes eastern lowland gorilla. The gorilla is the largest species among primates and the male may weigh approximately 200 kilograms approximately 440 lbs. There are only about 5,000 of them remaining in the wild, which is a sharp decline from an estimated population of around 17,000 animals in the mid1990s. The mt tshiaberimu gorillas are morphologically different to the eastern lowland gorillas found elsewhere and may yet be reclassified as a distinct subspecies, gorilla beringei rexpygmaeorum. Western lowland gorillas are the most common variety found in zoos. Durrell wildlife conservation trust saving species from extinction.
Today, this subspecies is confined to the primary tropical forest of eastern drc most notably in kahuzibiega and maiko national parks, but a substantial portion of its habitat falls outside these areas in the vast, yet legally unprotected forest that separates. Eastern lowland gorilla gorilla beringei graueri cms. The eastern lowland gorilla is an omnivorous animal, but the majority of its diet is made up of eating fruit which the eastern lowland gorilla is known to travel vast distances through the forests to find. For example, the western gorilla has the lightest hair and the mountain gorilla has the darkest. Despite its size, eastern lowland gorillas subsist mainly on fruit and other herbaceous materials, just like other gorilla subspecies. To stay warm in the mountains, mountain gorillas have longer hair than their eastern lowland cousins, the grauers gorillas gorilla beringei graueri. The eastern lowland gorilla is well adapted to the tropical rainforest biome. The eastern lowland gorilla s noses have a unique print similar to human fingerprints and can be used to identify individuals. They have a black coat which covers their whole body except for their ears, feet and arms.
Despite these differences, though, all gorilla groups exhibit synchronized activities and, throughout the day, alternate between rest periods and travel or feeding periods stewart 2001. Come check out critter squads eastern lowland gorilla fact sheet, and learn all about these amazing primates. In many parts of the world, people and animals are increasingly coming into conflict over living space and food. Environmental crime and conflict in the congo basin pdf. Gorillas from different areas may have different colored hair. Western lowland gorilla, cross river gorilla, grauers gorilla, mountain gorilla, bonobo, central chimpanzee, eastern chimpanzee, western chimpanzee and nigeriacameroon chimpanzee.
Sadly, it just confirmed what many of us working in gorilla conservation have feared for some time. The western lowland gorilla is the smallest of the gorilla species. As the most widespread gorilla subspecies, the western lowland gorilla can be found across more than 270,000 square miles of central and west africaincluding cameroon, central. She lived at the barcelona zoo and was known as snowflake. Between the ages of 3 and 6 western lowland gorillas are regularly referred to as humanlike. The eastern lowland gorilla is the largest of the two species of the eastern gorilla subspecies. Gorillas are grounddwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central.
The habitat of eastern lowland gorillas is part of the ecosystem of the congo river basin. The eastern gorilla is found inhabiting the tropical jungles and forests of parts of eastern and central africa, along with lowland swamps and secondary forests. Nayembi, a female western lowland gorilla, was recently reunited with her mother after she was separated to recover from an injury. Gorillas and humans are close relatives, and share many things in common. The eastern gorilla is found in the trees in throughout the countries of rwanda, uganda and eastern congo. Grauers gorilla, also known as the eastern lowland gorilla, is found only in the democratic republic of congo drc. Results showed that this the eastern lowland gorilla subspecies was in fact. Eastern lowland gorilla, photo by joe mckenna courtesy flickr via cc 2. There are more than 600 species of trees in the area.
Gorilla factsheet fun factsheets kids durrell wildlife. An adult male gorilla can weigh up to 225 kilograms and stand 1. Last month, the iucn international union for the conservation of nature published its latest red list of endangered species. Sep 30, 2014 according to the iucn, the gorilla gorilla species western lowland gorillas and cross river gorillas is critically endangered, with a population reduction of more than 80 percent over three. The maximum size of a male eastern lowland gorilla can be over 250 kilograms 550 lb and when standing fully erect over 2 meters 6.
Important populations of this gorilla live in the kahuzibiega and maiko national parks and their adjacent forests, the tayna gorilla reserve, the usala forest and on the itombwe massif. As the most widespread gorilla subspecies, the western lowland gorilla can be found across more than 270,000 square miles of central and west africaincluding cameroon, central african republic. Gorilla gorilla gorilla physical characteristics and adaptations. The mountain gorilla is a critically endangered subspecies of the eastern gorilla, with the other subspecies being the eastern lowland gorilla. Results showed that this the eastern lowland gorilla subspecies was in fact two distinct subgroups. The eastern lowland gorilla is the largest subspecies of gorilla and the largest living primate.
Of the three subspecies of gorilla, the mountain gorilla is the largest and rarest. The considerable dietary differences between mountain, western, and eastern lowland gorillas impact home range size and social behavior. Eastern gorilla gorilla berengei animals az animals. They live together at the lincoln park zoo in chicago, il before the full reunion, the two were able to see and smell each other under the. The tropical rainforest biome was larger ten million years ago and through the years it has gotten much smaller causing the habitat of the eastern lowland gorilla to get smaller. Western lowland gorillas sexually mature in the wild between the ages of 7 to 8 and in captivity approximately 5 and a half years old. The western lowland gorilla gorilla gorilla gorilla is one of two subspecies of the western gorilla gorilla gorilla that lives in montane, primary and secondary forests and lowland swamps in central africa in angola, cameroon, central african republic, republic of the congo, democratic republic of the congo, equatorial guinea and gabon. The eastern lowland gorilla also eats leaves, nuts and berries, along with insects and occasionally small animals such as lizards and. They are found in several different parts of the continent and have been grouped into five types. The worlds smallest population of mountain gorillasa subspecies of the eastern gorillais split in two and scientists have debated whether they may be two separate subspecies. Western lowland gorilla gorilla facts and information. It is distinguished from other gorillas by its stocky body, large hands and short muzzle. Awf employs the following interrelated key approaches to conserve species and.
Eastern lowland gorilla gorilla berengei graueri animals. The template wikinews is being considered for merging. The species is categorized into three geographically distinct subspecies. Rick murphy previous image next image previous image next image. Western lowland gorillas are the most common gorilla in the world, but even so, they are considered. She is an incredibly intelligent gorilla and all of us are committed to bringing these two together and ensuring this infant becomes a beloved member of the troop. In fact, the elevation in their geographic range goes from. The male gorillas are regularly prone to cardiomyothapy. They live in troops of 520 animals and sleep on beds made of grass and leaves. The cross river gorilla differs from the western lowland gorilla in both skull and tooth dimensions.
The western lowland gorilla is the subspecies of the western gorilla with the largest number of individuals, the most popular and usually the one found in parks and zoos. A bit more than half live in the virunga mountains, a range of extinct volcanoes that border the democratic republic of congo, rwanda and uganda. This is mainly due to expanding human populations and the continued loss of natural habitats. The eastern lowland gorillas noses have a unique print similar to human fingerprints and can be used to identify individuals. Western lowland gorillas build a nest every night out of plant material to sleep in and a day nest for their midday rest. Poaching, disease and habitat destruction remain threats for gorillas. Gorilla beringei graueri eastern lowland gorilla photo credit. The gorilla is the largest living primate, with males weighing about twice the size of females. Gorillas, the largest living primates, make their homes in central africa. Monifa, bawang, and the infant are western lowland gorillas gorilla gorilla gorilla, which are critically endangered in the wild. This impressive animal is identified by a stocky body, large hands and a short muzzle. There are considered to be two separate subspecies of eastern gorilla which. In addition, eastern lowland gorillas live in montane bamboo forests, as well as.
This species of gorillas exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism. African great apes africas great apes are faced with a deadly combination of threats. This fact file is all about gorillas in the series mammals. Gorilla simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The great apeschimpanzee, gorilla and bonoboscontinue to be threatened as they are poached for the pet trade and bush meat, with approximately 1,000 mountain gorillas remaining on the continent. Most of the gorillas day is devoted to eating and an adult can quite easily consume about 30kg of vegetation every day. Eastern lowland gorillas are extremely intelligent and use many different types of communication from sounds to tools. In this lesson well take a look at the largest gorilla subspecies, grauers gorilla, sometimes called the eastern lowland gorilla. Baraka has a large crest on his head and a saddle of silver hair. Unusually, the gorillas thumbs are larger than the fingers. You will learn some interesting facts about them, as well as. The eastern lowland gorillaalso known as grauers gorillais the largest of the four gorilla subspecies. The eastern lowland gorilla gorilla beringei graueri or grauers gorilla, is a subspecies of eastern gorilla endemic to the mountainous forests of eastern democratic republic of the congo.
Despite eating a few species in each habitat, mountain gorillas have flexible diets and. They have a broad chest, wide shoulders, short legs, and long strong arms. This paper will address the ways in which the world can combat the threatened status of the eastern lowland gorilla, highlighting what has already been done and what remains to be done. They can be strong like chimpanzees and orangutans. Males develop a streak of silver hair on their backs when they mature and are called silverbacks.
It is also the most researched subspecies, so there is plenty of confirmed information about their biological characteristics. Baraka is an adult male, or silverback, who resides in the gorilla troop with mandara, calaya, kibibi and moke. This fact sheet is designed to give a broad overview of some of the threats faced by african great apes, and to give examples. The eastern lowland gorilla gorilla beringei graueri or grauers gorilla, is a subspecies of. The information contained in these eaza best practice guidelines has been obtained from numerous. Other articles where eastern lowland gorilla is discussed. Western lowland gorilla welcome to the cincinnati zoo. Eastern lowland gorillas are listed as critically endangered by the international union for the conservation of nature. Upload file special pages permanent link page information wikidata. Aug 24, 2016 welcome to another episode of natural world facts. He is the largest member of our gorilla troop, weighingin at more than 400 pounds.
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