There is no definitive scientific data on exactly how many bullets a gorilla can survive, as this depends heavily on factors such as the caliber of the bullet, shot placement, and the skill of the shooter. However, some insights can be drawn from related information:
- Gorillas are extremely strong and resilient animals with thick muscles and dense bones, including a thick skull, which can make it difficult for bullets to cause immediate fatal damage unless they hit vital areas like the brain or heart
- A .22 caliber pistol, for example, is generally considered insufficient to reliably kill a gorilla with a few shots unless the shooter is exceptionally skilled and hits critical areas such as the eye socket or brain. Four shots from a .22 might kill a gorilla if well-placed, but this is far from guaranteed. Missed or non-lethal hits could result in the gorilla surviving the encounter and potentially becoming more aggressive
- The gorilla’s durability and strength mean that it could potentially withstand multiple non-lethal gunshot wounds before succumbing, especially if the shots do not penetrate vital organs
In summary, a gorilla could potentially survive several gunshots depending on shot placement and bullet caliber, but a few well-aimed shots to vital areas could be lethal. The exact number of bullets a gorilla can "take" is not fixed and varies with circumstances, but it is clear that a skilled shooter with appropriate ammunition could kill a gorilla with relatively few shots, while poor shot placement or low-caliber rounds might require many more or fail to kill it outright
