| Gorillas are large, quiet, gentle apes that | | | | |
| can be found in Africa. Although gorillas are | | | | Eastern gorillas - A total of approximately |
| frequently portrayed as aggressive brutes, | | | | 4,000, in eastern Zaire. |
| they are really peaceful and shy. Due to | | | | |
| large loss of habitat, these majestic | | | | Mountain gorillas - A total of approximately |
| primates are in great danger of going | | | | 620 in 285, and reducing all the time, square |
| extinct. | | | | miles in the rain forests of Rwanda, Uganda |
| | | | and Zaire. |
| There are 3 subspecies of gorillas living in | | | | |
| parts of Africa. The differences between them | | | | Gorillas are social animals in as much as |
| are small, the 3 subspecies are. | | | | they live in social groups of 2 - 30, in a |
| | | | typical group you will find one dominant |
| · Western Lowland Gorilla (gorilla | | | | mature silverback and he is the leader of the |
| gorilla) | | | | group, there are three - four adult females, |
| | | | an immature silverback, an immature male and |
| · Eastern Lowland Gorilla (gorilla | | | | 3-6 youngsters under 8 years old. |
| graueri) | | | | |
| | | | To reduce fighting within the group the adult |
| · Mountain Gorilla (gorilla berengei) | | | | males usually leave after sexual maturity and |
| | | | start their own group, although from time to |
| As with many differences between animal | | | | time a challenge is made to the silverback |
| species the differences between the mountain | | | | alpha male for dominance of the group, this |
| and lowland gorilla are the result of their | | | | can lead to one of the gorillas being driven |
| adaptation to the areas they live in, the | | | | out of the group. |
| high altitude of the mountain gorilla | | | | |
| necessitate longer body hair for added heat | | | | The gorillas only predator is humans, this |
| retention, higher foreheads, larger nostrils | | | | should be good news because you would assume |
| to aid breathing at high altitudes, broader | | | | that we would say to ourselves lets protect |
| chests to enclose the larger lungs, they also | | | | these gentle creatures and help them survive |
| have shorter arms, shorter, wider hands and | | | | but the problem is we are decimating the |
| feet possibly as a result there being less | | | | habitat they are living in and poachers are |
| dense forest at the higher altitude. | | | | murdering them too. |
| | | | |
| Extensive efforts have been made to guarantee | | | | Some forward thinking groups are attempting |
| the survival of the gorilla in the wild but | | | | to help stop this, money is the main driver |
| the destruction of habitat and poaching is a | | | | behind the Removal of the habitats, so using |
| cause of worry, gorilla numbers are only | | | | the land for echo tourism is a great way to |
| approximate but the 3 species have only | | | | encourage the local populations to preserve |
| 15,000 - 30,000 animals left. | | | | the land and animals that live on it. |
| | | | |
| The breakdown between species is along the | | | | What eco tourism aims to do is allow people |
| lines of | | | | to see the gorillas and other animals in |
| | | | their own habitat and educate and inspire |
| Western gorillas- A total of approximately | | | | these people to spread the word about the |
| 10,000-25,000 in Nigeria, Cameroon, Central | | | | amazing experience and the danger these |
| African Republic, Gabon, Congo, and Zaire. | | | | gorillas are in. |