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There
are only about 700 mountain gorillas and they live high in the mountains in
two protected parks in Africa. Lowland gorillas live in central Africa.
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You
may have seen baby gorillas being carried on the back of their mothers, but
for the first few months after birth the mother holds the baby gorilla to her
chest.
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An
adult male gorilla is called a silverback because of the distinctive silvery
fur growing on their back and hips. Each gorilla family has a silverback as
leader who scares away other animals by standing on their back legs and
beating their chest!
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Young
male gorillas usually leave their family group when they are about 11 years
old and have their own family group by the age of 15 years old. Young female
gorillas join a new group at about 8 years old.
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Gorillas
are herbivores. They spend most of their day foraging for food and eating
bamboo, leafy plants and sometimes small insects. Adult gorillas can eat up
to 30 kilograms of food each day.
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An
adult gorilla is about 1 meter tall to their shoulders when walking on all
fours using their arms and their legs.
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A
gorilla can live for 40 – 50 years.
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Gorillas
are considered to be very intelligent animals. They are known for their use
of tools and their varied communication. Some gorillas in captivity at a zoo
have been taught to use sign language.
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Gorillas
are endangered animals. Their habitat is destroyed when people use the land
for farming and the trees for fuel. Gorillas are also killed by poachers and
sometimes get caught in poacher’s snares meant for other animals.
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