| I have always been really drawn to the beautiful | | | | not completely destroyed has been undertaken |
| Gorilla, they are astounding creatures which have | | | | by many people over the years and now due to |
| many similar characteristics to man. Gorillas are | | | | the many Gorilla safaris that now bring money |
| big, gentle, shy apes that have their habitat in the | | | | into the areas, specifically to see the beautiful |
| continent of Africa. Gorillas have been made to | | | | gorilla the need for protection for these |
| look like monsters by the film industry in the past | | | | magnificent animals is much more important. Many |
| but are in fact quiet, shy, peaceful vegetarians. | | | | of these companies provide opportunities to go |
| These highly intelligent animals are at risk to | | | | mountain gorilla tracking in the many parks in the |
| extinction due to the massive deforestation of | | | | area, but this is on a permit basis to ensure the |
| their habitats. | | | | gorillas aren't disturbed to much. The habitat has |
| Gorillas that for whatever reason have been | | | | allowed these companies to also offer wildlife |
| placed in captivity have shown a great deal of | | | | safaris which ensures that interest and funding |
| intelligence learning sign language from people and | | | | keeps coming into the areas. |
| have been able to form simple sentences and | | | | Once upon a time the Gorillas would have lived in |
| communicate with people. Only Gorillas in captivity | | | | the trees but they have evolved into living on the |
| that have been taught have shown any ability | | | | ground mainly living at the forests edge and near |
| with tools this doesn't mean to say they haven't | | | | clearings within the rainforests. The life span of a |
| used them in the wild just that they haven't been | | | | wild gorilla is around 35 years, but animals that are |
| observed. | | | | placed in captivity have been known to live till |
| As I mentioned earlier Gorillas are mainly quite | | | | around 50. |
| animals but they communicate with each other | | | | By around 10 or 12 years of age gorillas are able |
| using many complicated sounds and gestures this | | | | to mate, the gestation period of a female gorilla is |
| is normally to teach the young the many skills | | | | around 8 to 9.5 months and will have around 3 |
| needed to survive and to communicate to other | | | | babies in their lifetime. The newly born baby is |
| gorillas about social relationships, food, warning etc. | | | | normally half the weight of a human baby. Seeing |
| Gorillas are mainly herbivores, though occasionally | | | | a Gorilla mother raising her young is very much |
| they will eat termites and ants. The moisture they | | | | like that of a human mother with much care and |
| receive from the vegetation they eat is enough | | | | affection. Young gorillas once weaned build there |
| to rarely need a drink of water, which isn't that | | | | own nests near to there mothers and will |
| amazing if you think that a normal male gorilla | | | | eventually leave there side at about 3 to 4 years |
| eats about 50 pounds of food a day. | | | | of age. |
| The work to ensure that the gorillas habitats is | | | | |