Mountain Gorilla Facts: Habitat, Diet and Where to See Them

The mountain gorilla is a subspecies of the eastern gorilla living in two small populations in the mountains of East-Central Africa. Its recovery, driven by strict protection, veterinary care and well-managed tourism, is one of conservation’s greatest successes. Dian Fossey’s research in the 1960s–80s drew world attention to its plight.

Interesting facts

Mature males are called silverbacks because of the silver hair that develops on their backs.
A silverback can be around ten times stronger than an adult man.
Gorillas beat their chests to communicate size and strength; the sound can carry over 1 km.
They build nests of vegetation on the ground or in trees to sleep in each night.
Gorilla tourism funds conservation and local communities in Rwanda and Uganda.
Mountain gorillas were moved from Critically Endangered to Endangered in 2018.

Behaviour

Gorillas live in groups of about 5 to 30, usually led by a dominant silverback who decides where the group travels and protects it. They are generally calm and spend most of the day feeding and resting.

Breeding and young

Females give birth to a single infant after about eight and a half months, typically every four years. Infants ride on their mothers’ backs and are weaned at three to four years.