Gorillas: Gentle Giants

            Gorillas are very shy creatures. They eat leaves, fruits, and sometimes insects.  Western Lowland gorillas are the most common type of gorillas. They can be found in tropical forests. Silverbacks are the only kind of males. Gorillas can be 6 feet tall and weigh over 300 pounds! Silverbacks make groups called  troops. Gorilla troops have five or ten or maybe even thirty gorillas. Silverbacks are the bosses of troops and they are involved in every fight.  If you threaten a gorilla or do anything that looks threatening, it will attack you. If you take a pictures, turn the flash off; when your even just watching gorillas, stay at a good distance from the troop and don't let them see you. They are gentle but very dangerous creatures that attack when provoked.

          Gorillas watch out for their predator, the leopard. Crocodiles are potential predators especially to the lowland gorillas. Poachers hunt baby gorillas for zoos. Sadly, humans also hunt gorillas for meat.

----------------------------

Nichols, Michael. Face to Face with Gorillas. DC: National Geographic Society, 2009. 

Fullbright, Jeannie. Exploring Creation with Zoology 3. IN: Apologia Ministries Inc. 2008.

Janssen, Paul. http://www.outtoafrica.nl/animals/enggorilla.html

Photo from: http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/chiefeditor/2009/03/