7 Quick Facts About Eastern Lowland Gorillas

The Eastern lowland gorillas are a few most fascinating creatures any primate enthusiast should count a must to see while on a primate safari in Africa. Also, popular as Grauer’s gorilla, the Eastern lowland gorillas are the largest of all the sub-species of gorillas. They belong to family Hominidae and scientifically called Gorilla beringei graueri. They come with robust bodies with males bigger in size than females.

1. Male eastern lowland gorillas have a maximum standing height of about 1.69 meters and weight of 163 to 210 kilograms. A mature adult female eastern lowland gorilla has a height of 1.60 meters and weigh over 81 to 100 kilograms.
2. The largest population of eastern lowland gorillas can be spotted in zoos. They are distributed within the lowland and Albertine rift montane areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) specifically in Kahuzi Biega National Park and Maiko National Park. Other places to see these unique apes include Itombwe Mountain ranges, Tayna Gorilla Reserve. Compared to previous years, currently, about 4000 of these creatures still exist.
3. The Eastern lowland gorillas have a strong skeleton with a huge skull compared to the rest of their bodies, short snout and jawbone. The arms are long with the males having longer ones than females. The thumbs are equally longer than other fingers. Just like other species of gorillas, the eastern lowland gorillas walk using knuckles.
4. Eastern lowland gorillas feature a deep layer known as the dermis and an outer layer-the epidermis. Their bodies are capable of regulating and keeping the temperatures stable. Their fur is shorter than those of the mountain gorillas.
5. Like most gorillas, the eastern lowland gorillas are largely herbivorous, depending on leaves, fruits, roots, bark, stems, small plants, flowers, vines and at times on termites, ants. An adult eastern lowland gorilla can feed on about 18 kilograms of food.
6. The social structure of eastern lowland gorilla is comprised on a family/group. One group is led by a mature adult male also called silverback with many females, infants. A family of eastern lowland gorilla can range from 2 to 30 individuals. Eastern lowland gorillas are social and humble creatures but when irritated, they can charge against you. Most of their day is spent foraging, socializing, relaxing and a silverback is responsible in protecting the rest of the members and leading them to areas with forage.
7. Females become sexually mature faster than males. They have gestation period of 8-9 months just like humans. It is the responsibility of females to take of females, feed them and the silverback plays part of safe guarding them. Infants spend a night with their mothers up to the period of 3 years. Females can give birth to single baby gorilla and on rare occasions twins. Females mature at 8 to 10 years and they can be in position to breed and males at 12 years.

The Eastern lowland gorillas are mainly threatened by many factors including among others habitat loss and degradation, wars, poaching for bush meat or trade. Today, these primates are listed among the critically endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.