Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo –
these are the major countries where you can see the
majestic mountain gorillas, one of the most threatened species on earth.
Known to be the largest living primates on Earth,
Gorillas are of three kinds; 1) Eastern Lowland Gorillas,
which reside in the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
2) Western Lowland Gorillas, which live only in West Africa and:
3) Mountain Gorillas, which are only found in Uganda,
Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Listed as one of the top 10 threatened / endangered species,
there are only 655 species remaining.
There are approximately 355 gorillas in the Volcano
and Virunga Mountains of Rwanda and Congo
and another separate group of 300 in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
There are no Mountain Gorillas
living outside of their native mountain forest home.
Unlike chimps, gorillas live in groups / families without
territorial boundaries in a range from 2 to 15 square miles.
The females decide who they are going to allow into their family.
Don’t we like that!
Female gorillas weigh approximately 350 pounds and
adult male gorillas can weigh approximately 700 pounds.
Adult gorillas can be seven feet tall with an arm span of eight feet.
Gorillas feed on 58 different types of plant species, including stems,
roots, leaves, flowers, thistles, ferns, tree wood, and bamboo shoots.
Gallium vines, fruits, and celery are their favorite foods.
And here’s where it gets really interesting.
Gorillas are like us, in so many ways.
They can be curious, bored, bold, annoyed, show pleasure
excitement, or fear, can worry, be affectionate, thoughtful or hostile.
They take their time to make friends too!
Gorillas communicate by stomach rumbling when they are contented.
A roar or scream when they feel threatened.
And chest beating and thrashing to show aggression.
Having endured decades of civil war in Central and East Africa,
gorillas are confronted by the devastating
consequences of increased habitat loss,
poaching for bushmeat trade and the spread of dangerous diseases like Ebola.
It’s time we show that sustainable tourism
can make a difference in their lives.
Check out our gorilla tracking tours in Rwanda
if you would like to get up close and personal with these amazing gorillas.
It would be the experience of a lifetime.
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