African Gorillas

Gorillas - lives in Africa. These are the largest apes. Body length of males is 180 cm, weight 250 kg or more. Females are significantly lighter and smaller than males. The body of a massive gorilla with a big belly, shoulders broad, his head is large, conical in adult males, eyes wide apart and set deeply under the brow, nose, wide nostrils are surrounded by "ridges", the upper lip, unlike chimpanzees, short, small ears, and pressed to the head, face bare, black. Gorilla hands are long, with a broad brush, the thumb is short, but can be contrasted with the others. The brush is used for gathering food, various kinds of manipulation, and for the construction of nests. Legs short, the foot with a long heel, big toe is well set aside the remaining fingers are connected to almost nail webbed phalanges. The coat is short, thick, black, adult male on the back is a silver band has a small goatee.
 The genus includes one species of gorilla Gorilla gorilla with subspecies: the western coast gorilla, or lowland gorillas, living in Cameroon, Gabon, Rio Muni, almost to the Congo (Brazzaville), and the eastern mountain gorilla from the mountain areas to the north and east of Lake Kivu and to the south. In addition, recently released a third subspecies - Eastern lowland gorilla from the low-lying areas upstream of the river Congo (Lualaba River) and north along Lake Tanganyika. Mountain Gorillas have hair longer and thicker than that of onshore, especially on the hands, adult males have a gray stripe on the back, face narrower and longer, shorter arms.
Gorilla coastal or lowland, eastern forms are somewhat smaller, but otherwise very similar and the differences between them are insignificant. Coast gorilla lives in the dense tropical rain forests. Few scientists are able to penetrate into inaccessible jungle. Therefore, the life of lowland gorillas in the wild are known only fragmentary information. Mountain gorillas live in the mountain forests of the temperate climate. Areas of habitat studied by many travelers and scholars.
 The life of anthropoids little was known. Only very recently has been described by their daily life in the wilds of Africa. Almost two years have been carried out by scientists of the gorillas in the mountainous forests of eastern and central Africa, where daily observed eleven groups of gorillas. Mountain gorillas live in small flocks (5-30 individuals) whose size varies in different areas. The group is relatively stable: the rule of a male with a silver stripe on the back, one or more of the younger male with a black back, several females, calves and juveniles. Yet the number of groups are constantly changing: new born babies, the group may join any extraneous female with a cub or some individuals, often in the group goes adults males. This composition of the herd and the western shore of gorillas. George Schaller studies have refuted the prejudices of the militancy and ferocity of gorillas in relation to man. Many hours of the scientist was in the neighborhood with the gorillas, and even slept in the 10-15 m away from them, but had never been attacked. They behave very friendly. In their herds gorillas also surprisingly peaceful and in relation to each other showing a rare tolerance. Serebristospinny overriding male gorillas behave as a leader and protector, not as a despot. If baboons, for example, the leader of the herd at the same time the head of the harem, then the leader of a group of gorillas is not the lord of the harem. He is not jealous, and sexual relations in gorillas are soft and are voluntary in nature, the female does not attack the males. Hierarchical relationships and the right to dominance in a herd of gorillas appear in the order following the trails, or during the occupation of parts of dry during rain. When the leader goes to a new place of feeding, the herd built up a chain behind him. Family members pay great attention to the leader. He is often away from the group. Females are not afraid of him, sit next to him and even rely on it. In the neighborhood are located and minor males. Cubs are playing with him. Sometimes the leader of a small baby caresses. Method of movement of gorillas on the ground and in trees is the same as that of chimpanzees. Relationships between members of the group carried out a variety of poses, facial expressions and voice. Schaller has over 20 different gorilla sounds of voices.
 Life is made up of gorillas eating, sleeping, relaxing and walking. Schaller notes the variety of characters and temperaments leaders of groups. On this depends the mood of the group and its relationship with the observer. In some groups, leaders are timid and can not be seen for a long time, while others allow you to watch a round the clock.
 Gorillas, like other large anthropoids, the night build their own nests, which are never used on the following night. Sometimes serebristospinnye males (at least the other members of the group) organize a nest under a tree on the ground. The eastern lowland gorillas in the rainforest rarely sleep on the ground than the Western. Day nests are found more frequently in the eastern gorillas than western. Gorillas do not differ cleanliness and pollute their nests at night. They sleep in different poses. Wake up quite late, when the sun rises. The day begins with a leisurely search for food. In the gorilla diet includes about 29 species of plants (including wild celery, bedstraw, nettle, bamboo shoots, fruits pigeuma blue, and sometimes the bark of certain trees, etc.). However, in captivity they eat and eat meat. After leaving the nest at night, gorillas disperse to feed. Each of them, sitting on the ground, his hands reaching for food in all directions around him, then gets up and goes to another place. They eat in silence. Cubs are kept near the mothers, watching their feeding. On food away for two hours. After breakfast, sated male gorilla lying around with a silver back. From time to time make their nests for midday rest. Sometimes the lead themselves in order - itching and cleaned, and the females do it more often than males, and teenagers are more likely than females. Little baby's mother cleans, fingering their hair in a hair. The mother tenderly cares for calves and never slaps them in punishment. Females are not searched each other, do not clean as a male with a silver back. Afternoon rest at the young is in play and survey the surroundings. The need for games lost gorillas to six years. When the cubs are not engaged in games, they're sitting next to his mother. Occasionally there are quarrels over trifles, often between females, and the leader calmly listens to them howl. Females are howling and barking hoarsely, abruptly, like a dog. Sometimes they scream and bite. Midday rest takes 2-3 hours, after which the team moved in single file to a new place, and this procession is headed by the leader, and the male with a black back closes it. Upon arrival at the new location of feeding a flock disperses and subordination violated. Gorillas roam over a large territory, overcoming various natural obstacles. These strong large animals do not know fear. Only in rare cases, when the situation seems dangerous to them, the leader starts to shake a branch hit in the chest with his fists and screaming loudly. By 17-18 pm, the group begins to gather around the leader, and gradually prepare for sleep. Accommodations are satisfied with where they would find the night. First, as a rule, the leader begins to build a nest, and followed by all members of the family.
 In all likelihood, gorillas breed all year round. After 251-289 days of gestation are born a naked, helpless baby, who is held up to three years with his mother, but sometimes it stops sucking, and in one year. It is now known about a dozen gorilla births in captivity. It is believed that gorillas in the wild can live to 30-35 years. Currently, the number of mountain gorillas is about 1500 individuals.