Gorilla - description, habitat, lifestyle

Gorillas are impressive animals, the most massive primates of mammals. Their DNA is similar to human. Visually, habits and some habits remind people too much. And this makes scientists think about the relationship of man and a monkey.

Habitat

Mammals that prefer plant food live primarily in the tropics. Tropical forests of Central Africa, the best conditions for the habitat of gorillas. One of the species settled in the rift forests of Albertin and Virunka at an altitude of about 4,300 meters in a tropical climate, and some lowland inhabitants of other species lead their comfortable existence in swamps and densely planted forests. Eastern humanoid species are found in the Congo, and Western representatives flooded the center and west of the African continent.

The inhabitants of the western regions are characterized by moderate tones in color (gray, brown, red). Oriental - more saturated colors, have a wide chest and elongated face, mountain people - bright and more exotic, do not differ in a special harmony in comparison with the lowlands.

Sivapitec classification

Gorillas are divided into subspecies:

1. The western plain - occupies a large area of ​​habitat, with a population of about 35,000 individuals.
2. The eastern plain - occupy an area of ​​about 900 km and their number reaches up to 5,000 copies.
3. Mountainous - long-haired, with especially warm wool for warming in the mountains (620 individuals).

Each subspecies has its own characteristics and characteristic differences. They are distinguished by color, face width, size, weight. Of the 100,000 inhabitants of the lowlands, only 4,000 do not live in the wild. Mountain representatives number about 600 individuals and are subject to extinction.

The puberty gorilla, a male, reaches sizes up to 1.8 meters and weighs up to 270 kg. The smallest individual can weigh 135 kg. Weight and height may vary by species. Gorilla Silverback - the largest representatives of primates. The span of the animal's hands is from 2 to 2, 6 m.

Females are a little smaller and their weight ranges from 68 kg to 113 kg, they have a short arm span in comparison with males.

A characteristic feature of the gorillas is a prominent sagittal crest on the head. It should also be noted that the animal can move on two legs, but mainly overcomes the distance on four limbs. In this case, the emphasis is not on the pads, but on the back of the fingers, which allows us not to injure the delicate skin of the palms.

Similarity with man

It should be recognized that the similarities between the great apes and humans are obvious, moreover:

1. The humanoid animal has various shades of eyes, from light tones to dark brown.
2. In terms of genetic composition, it differs from people only by 1.6%.
3. The similarity is also monitored due to the death of the Sivapitecs - mainly primates die from myocardial pathologies and blood flow.
4. Monkeys tend to exist collectively, they live in groups of sexually mature males and females, while females are particularly aggressive towards each other.

Weekday gorilla

Mammals primates live an interesting life, consisting of three main types of activities - eating, exploring the countryside and resting. The first half-day the gorillas sleep, and then walk around the neighborhood. Children walk, adults - catch insects from each other. By the end of the day, the leader builds a rookery for himself on the ground, the rest settle down for overnight stay in the trees. This is explained by the fact that the leader is the largest individual and usually the branches on the trees do not maintain a lot.

Interesting fact - Gorillas are rather unclean animals. During sleep, they do not get up from the nest for the implementation of the natural needs of the body.

Mountain inhabitants consume young shoots of plants and fruits, juicy stems. Bamboo is considered to be a favorite delicacy, but the main percentage is still allotted to the fruit ration. All gorillas have strong jaws and can feed on roots and branches. Animal food does not attract them, except for infrequent cases of eating insects. Also, the need for salt is filled by eating clay. Water balance is replenished mainly through vegetable feed. It is worth noting that, getting into an unnatural habitat, a zoo or a human dwelling, monkeys can go to animal feed.

The only difficulty in the extraction of food is the need, after tearing the fetus down to the ground. Bulky monkeys can not afford to eat on a hill due to excessively large size and clumsiness. Usually the gorilla doesn't bother. Sitting in one place, she gets food from all sides, until she has gathered all the fruits placed nearby, only after that she moves to another place.

With food prey, monkeys do not have problems, as there is food everywhere and with daily walks to a distance of up to 500 m is always there than to profit. The meal takes about two hours, after which the whole group is placed around a large male with silver hair on his back for a rest.

Groups of individuals number from 5 to 30 gorillas, and as in any team, their main place is occupied by the leader - the leader. Also included are several males, females and babies. It is worth noting that animals are strong, powerful and have an awesome look, respectively, in tropical forests no one competes with them.

The fact that the animals have chosen to inhabit the humid climate of the tropics does not mean that they have a positive attitude to rain and water.Monkey avoids any water sources with water, since water is not particularly needed.

A large animal with a frightening look is in fact extremely rarely aggressive and, even if their aggression goes beyond, they do not attack people. The maximum that monkeys can do is bite. Usually the leader strengthens his authority with dreadful dances, but in reality these are friendly and kind animals.

In the monkey’s natural habitat, there are no enemies; the only existing species that represents a threat is man. The killing of primates is entertainment or hunting for collection fragments from the field of zoology.

Hygiene

Monkeys are usually not particularly worried about hygiene, however, females are more likely to put themselves in order, and they also clean their cubs, revising each villus, hairs by hair. Teens are even more cleanly than females, but over the years, this feature disappears.

Breeding gorillas

Females become sexually mature from 10 years, males reach maturity closer to 12. Gorillas can mate at any time of the year, but only the leader of the group can be the father of the female's offspring.Consequently, each sexually mature male must acquire his own group and become a leader or have a family.

Cubs are born with a weight of about 2 kg 8.5 months after mating, and one female has an interval between offspring of 4 years. The baby is born helpless and bald, and the mother presses him to the breast for the first months, after which he clings to the fur on his back. Thus, he runs a wet nurse for several years. Breastfeeding and full care of the mother lasts about three years. Further, up to 5 years of age, the baby moves behind the parents. It should be noted that the male does not participate in the educational process. A mother never punishes young when rearing, although they are quite active and playful until the age of 6.

Gorillas are an endangered species of animals. Extraction of exclusive furs, skulls, capturing monkeys for zoos destroys the species. In an unnatural environment, primates live much longer if they manage to avoid human types of infection. The lack of immunity to human diseases dramatically reduces the population of humanoid. Under natural conditions, monkeys live 35 years.

Interesting Facts

When changing the leader for any reason, the new leader eliminates all the descendants of the predecessor and takes a full place in his group. If the family is left without the head of the family, the females must join another group, since the independent existence of the gorillas is impossible and often ends in death. However, in the mountains of Rwanda lives a brave Gorilla Apiary, risking to save the baby from death and doomed itself to the struggle for survival. The life of a desperate female and her offspring is watched by the staff of the gorilla research fund and are always ready to intervene if necessary.

Gorilla males may behave aggressively, guarding their territory, beating young males to death, but the rocks, according to the observations of scientists, do not see the differences between their own and other youngs. Dominant fathers pay the same amount of attention without making any difference. This is explained by the fact that earlier this species created families from a male and several females, and the owner of the family did not need to separate children. After the groups expanded by other males, the attitude towards the babies did not change. Moreover, this species of gorillas is the most calm, and the leader takes care of his family rather than behaves like a dictator.

Primates use different postures, gestures, facial expressions, and sounds to communicate.Monkeys use more than 20 sounds for dialogue. The University of Stanford, during the “Koko project,” taught the Amslena to the gorilla and the animal adequately spoke to the person. They may also have different characters.

Video: Gorilla