Gorillas are the largest living primates, native to the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. They belong to the genus Gorilla , which is divided into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, each with several subspecies
. Adult male gorillas, known as silverbacks, can weigh between 136 to 227 kg (300 to 500 lb) and stand about 1.4 to 1.8 m (4 ft 7 in to 5 ft 11 in) tall, with arm spans up to 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
. They are herbivorous and predominantly ground-dwelling. Gorillas are known for their impressive strength, especially in their upper bodies and jaws. A silverback gorilla can lift close to a ton and has extraordinary upper-body strength, which is a result of intense male competition for dominance and mating rights
. Despite their power, gorillas are generally gentle and calm, displaying complex social intelligence, including communication through vocalizations, gestures, and chest drumming, and they have shown empathy and cognitive skills such as using sign language
. Socially, gorillas live in troops led by a dominant silverback male, who maintains his position for years or decades. Females mature sexually around 7-8 years old but typically have only one baby every four to six years, resulting in a slow population growth rate
. Gorillas share a high percentage of their DNA with humans-between 95% and 99%-making them our closest relatives after chimpanzees
. Their lifespan in the wild is about 35 to 40 years, though they can live longer in captivity
. Conservation-wise, gorillas are critically endangered due to threats like poaching, habitat destruction, and disease. However, mountain gorillas, a subspecies of the eastern gorilla, have seen population increases thanks to dedicated conservation efforts, moving their status from Critically Endangered to Endangered
. In summary, gorillas are powerful, intelligent, and social great apes with significant evolutionary and ecological importance, facing ongoing conservation challenges but also benefiting from successful protection programs
