Gorillas Factfile: Observation by Sardius Team

Gorillas are large, quiet, gentle apes that live in Africa. Although gorillas are frequently portrayed as aggressive, dangerous killers, they are really shy, peaceful vegetarians. Because of massive loss of habitat, these majestic primates are in great danger of going extinct.

ANATOMY
Gorillas have very long arms (the arms are longer than the legs), and a short, bulky body with a wide chest.

Hair and Skin:
Gorillas are covered with brownish hair on most of their body (except their fingers, palms, face, armpits, and bottoms of their feet).

The Head:
Gorillas have a very large head with a bulging forehead, a crest on top (it is called the sagittal crest, and is larger on male gorillas), tiny ears, and small, dark-brown eyes. Gorillas have no tail. Adult gorillas have 32 teeth, with large molars (flat teeth used for chewing food) and large canines (pointy teeth used for biting), which are especially large in the male gorillas. Gorillas each have a unique nose print (like we have unique fingerprints).

Senses:
Gorillas have senses very similar to ours, including hearing, sight (they seem to be slightly nearsighted and to have color vision), smell, taste, and touch.

Hands and Feet:
Gorillas' hands are very much like ours; they have five fingers, including an opposable thumb. Their feet have five toes, including an opposable big toe. Gorillas can grasp things with both their hands and their feet.

SIZE
Male gorillas are much larger than the females, and are almost twice as heavy. Adult male gorillas are called silverbacks because they have a saddle-shaped patch of silver hair on their backs after they are about 12 years of age.

Gorillas Height Weight
Female 4.6 ft (1.4 m) 200 lb (90 kg)
Male 5.6 ft (1.7 m) 400 lb (180 kg)

DIET
Gorillas are predominantly herbivores, eating mostly plant material. They forage for food in the forests during the day. They eat leaves, fruit, seeds, tree bark, plant bulbs, tender plant shoots, and flowers. They have been known to eat various parts of over 200 different plant species. Occasionally, gorillas supplement their diet with termites and ants.

Gorillas rarely drink water; the water contained in their diet is apparently enough to sustain them.

An average adult male eats approximately 50 pounds of food a day.

INTELLIGENCE AND LANGUAGE
Gorillas are very intelligent and can learn extremely complex tasks.

Language:
Some gorillas have been taught sign language by people; these gorillas learned how to form simple sentences and communicate with people.

Tools:
Gorillas have never been observed using tools in the wild, although they have been taught to use them in captivity.

STSU 069 6 Days � Gorilla Trekking

Day 1 Arrive Entebbe / Kampala
On arrival , you will be transferred to the hotel and spend most of the day at leisure and overnight Dinner at the hotel.