The females can only give birth to 2-6 offspring in a lifetime. Female Mountain gorillas can produce the age of 10 and give birth to twins each birth after gestation period of 8.5 months which is less than human being’s gestation period. The heaviest silverback was killed in Ambam, Cameroon and weighed 267 kg (589 lb).įemale Mountain gorillas weigh about 100 kgs with a height of 140cm.
It had height of 1.95 m (6ft 5 in) with arm length of 2.7 m (8ft 10in), a chest of 1.9 m (6ft 6in) and weight of 219kg(483 lb). Silverbacks weigh 195 kg with a height of 168cm, according to the history of silver backs, the tallest silverback to ever live was shot dead in may 1938 in Alibongo (northern kivu). Male mountain gorillas are referred to as silverbacks because of their silver strips on the back which becomes more visible as they grow old and the strips are always shorter than the rest of the fur on the body. Crests anchor powerful temporalis muscles which attach to the mandible (lower jaw). In males these rest bones are more visible than in females. Each mountain gorilla has a unique nose print different from the others and also have bony crests on the top of their backs. Due to their fur covered bodies, mountain gorillas are able to withstand the colder temperatures in mountains (higher altitudes). Mountain gorillas are fur covered primates with thicker and longer fur when compared to other gorillas. Mountain gorillas’ arms are longer than legs and they move by knuckle-walking meaning they use the backs of their curved strong fingers to support its weight. Mountain gorillas are primarily terrestrial and quadrupedal, they climb trees in search for fruits and can run for 6 meters on two legs. Mountain gorillas are non-nocturnal animals most active during day between 6 am to 6 pm, they spend most feeding on fruits, roots, leaves, vines and shoots since they are herbivores animals. Gorilla classification has gone through constant modifications, by 1847 the genus was referred to as TROGLODYTES, renamed to GORILLA in 1852 and in 1967 a taxonomist by the names of Collin groves came with a proposition suggesting all gorillas be regarded as one species (gorilla gorilla) with three subspecies that is western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla), eastern lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla graveri) and mountain gorillas (gorilla gorilla beringei). This is proved by evidence of hominoid primate fossil found in East Africa 22-32 million years ago. Classification of Gorillas Gorillas are descendants of ancestral monkey and apes of Africa and Arabia from 34 million years ago and there early relatives are tracked back to early ape PROCONSUL AFRICANUS.