GORILLA SAFARI INFORMATION

FOLLOW THE LEADER

Hierarchy is clear and important within the gorilla family. The dominant silverback enjoys the highest rank and the adult females rule over the younger ones. Like with other species in the animal world, gorilla males achieve the high ranking because of their size. Male mountain gorillas can weigh up to 200 kg and can reach 1.70 meter when they’re standing upright. Besides the strength they also have to prove their experience and abilities. It is their duty to protect their family from danger and intruders.

It is not difficult to figure out where the name silverback comes from. Around the age of 12 years, they develop light grey hair on their back, giving them a ‘silver back’.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE GORILLA

An ordinary day in the life of a mountain gorilla starts at sunrise, around 6 am. They wake up and begin looking for food which covers a great part of the morning. In general, a gorilla spends about 30% of the day with feeding, 30% with travelling and 40% with resting. In contrast to many primates, the gorilla lives mainly on the ground. They travel not more than a kilometre per day within their home range of about 20 square kilometres.

Gorillas are vegetarians, though occasionally they may eat ants and other insects. Their daily meal consists of roots, leaves, stems and pith of herbs, vines and shrub, and some fruits. During certain months of the year bamboo shoots supply a major part in their diet as well. A male adult can even eat up to 20 kg per day! Because the gorillas receive a large quantity of water from its diet, they rarely have to drink.

The afternoons are mainly spent by resting and playing. This last activity is very important in the social life, especially for young gorillas, as it determines their integration into the group. They hug each other, bite, hit or wrestle till one is pulled down on the ground.

At the end of the day, just before dusk, the great apes start constructing a nest where they will spend their night. Every single gorilla has its own nest, except for the infants who sleep next to their mothers. Nests are built on the ground or in trees and are carefully constructed by branches of bushes and other plants.

PROTECT THE GORILLA

The existence of the gorilla was ‘discovered’ in 1902 by a German explorer. Nearly 60 years later the American scientist George Schaller was the first one to study the gorillas in the Virunga Volcanoes and Bwindi. Later Dian Fossey continued his research and she became famous because of her movie “Gorillas in the Mist”. She worked with the gorillas in Rwanda from 1967 till 1985 and thanks to her dedication the world began to learn about the mysterious beauty of these apes. To this day the Karisoke Research Centre in Rwanda can still be visited.

Even before the research started, an estimated of 450 mountain gorillas were living in the Virungas. Only 20 years later the population was decreased to 250 individuals. Although the gorilla has just a few enemies, the most dangerous one is the human being. Habitats were destroyed through deforestation, they suffered from wars, diseases were transferred and they were commonly hunted for meat or just as a trophy. The number raised again thanks to the conservation efforts of Dian Fossey.

It may be clear that the mountain gorilla is one of the most endangered species in the world. To make people aware and to protect the gorillas, it has been made possible to visit some gorilla families. In this way visitors will learn about the life of the gorilla and revenues will benefit the conservation.

Before gorillas safaris can be made they need to be habituated to the presence of human beings. This is a long and careful process and can take several years. Special trained rangers approach them carefully and spend increasing periods of time with them. The habituation can be risky for both gorillas and humans. Not only there is a chance that silverback will feel threatened, but also the gorillas can easily be infected with diseases. Therefore it is important to maintain strict rules when habituating and visiting the gorillas.

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