How The Mountain And Lowland Gorillas Are Differentiated.
How The Mountain And Lowland Gorillas Are Differentiated: The largest known living primate in the world is still the mountain and lowland gorilla. There are two distinct species of gorillas that exist: the eastern and western gorillas, each of which has two subspecies.
The Eastern gorilla is a subspecies that includes the mountain and lowland varieties. Subspecies of the western gorilla include the Western lowland gorilla and the Cross River gorilla.
The Variations in Gorilla Names
Gorilla beringei is the scientific name for the mountain gorilla, while Gorilla is the name for the lowland gorilla. Just this alone points to a distinct gorilla subspecies.
Habitats for gorillas
The gorillas’ names alone indicate that they inhabit various environments. While lowland gorillas reside in lower altitude tropical forests, mountain gorillas endure subzero conditions at high altitudes of roughly 8,000 to 13,000 feet (1,500 to 4,000 meters).
Three national parks in East Africa are home to mountain gorillas: Rwanda‘s Volcanoes National Park, Uganda‘s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The Virunga National Park in Congo is home to mountain gorillas, whereas Kahuzi Biega National Park is home to lowland gorillas.
While lowland gorillas inhabit wooded lowland habitats, mountain gorillas inhabit densely forested areas.
The Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Congo, and Angola are home to lowland gorillas.
However, the only places where you can find mountain gorillas are in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Congo. For this reason, the comparison can only be made between a gorilla safari in Uganda or Rwanda and a gorilla trekking safari in the Congo.
Most mountain gorillas are found living in the wild under the shadow of dormant volcanoes. Conversely, the majority of lowland gorillas are housed in zoos all around the world. The western gorillas may be found in their natural habitat, while mountain gorillas must be trekked by tourists.
Differences in Structure Between Lowland and Mountain Gorillas
Similar to the gorilla names, their physical makeup differs slightly. Lowland gorillas have shorter hair on their heads and bodies, while mountain gorillas have longer limbs, bigger teeth, noses, and jaws.
Only a close comparison between a Uganda gorilla safari, a Rwanda gorilla trekking safari, and a Congo gorilla safari will reveal the differences.
Lowland gorillas have lighter, shorter hair, while mountain gorillas have darker, longer, and thicker fur.
In contrast to lowland gorillas, whose fur is considerably shorter and softer, mountain gorillas have longer, shaggier fur.
While senior male lowland gorillas frequently lose the gray hair on their hips and back, elderly mountain gorillas tend to keep their silver fur.
Variations in Gorilla Dimensions
The largest gorilla subspecies and largest living primates are the 180 kg Eastern Lowland Gorillas. The western lowland gorillas are the smallest but still remarkably large gorillas, followed by the mountain gorillas (150 kg).
Mountain gorillas are between 1.2 and 1.8 meters (4–6 feet) tall, while males from the eastern lowlands can reach a maximum height of 1.7 meters (5.6 feet). About 90 kg (200 Ib), or half the weight of the males, is carried by the females.
Variations in Gorilla Nutrition
As herbivores, gorillas are all. More specifically, plant materials like leaves, shoots, branches, flowers, and tree bark make up the diet of mountain gorillas.
In addition to vegetation, fruits, insects, and tiny reptiles are included in the diet of western lowland gorillas. High up in the trees, lowland gorillas are frequently spotted removing leaves and bark in search of food.
Social Life of Gorillas
Since gorillas are sociable animals by nature, they all live in families or groups. Groups of up to 30–40 gorillas reside in both the eastern lowland and mountain regions.
Smaller groups of four to eight gorillas inhabit the lowlands of the West. They don’t live single lives, even in small groupings.
Kenya and Tanzania offer a plethora of wildlife for tourists to see, and are close to Uganda and Rwanda, making them excellent destinations for a unique wildlife experience.
Plan a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda, Rwanda, or the Congo if you’d like to have the adventure of meeting the largest living primate and seeing their peaceful, communal lifestyle.