Fact Book – What Is A Gorilla? (Characteristics Of Gorillas)

A gorilla (or gorillas) is a gentle giant that lives in the African continent’s equatorial regions. They have various human-like emotions and personalities or behaviors, such as grief and laughing, and what distinguishes them is that they share approximately 98 percent of their DNA with humans, making them similar to chimps, man’s closest living relative.

Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

The Characteristics of Gorillas

• Gorillas are the largest of the great apes, having muscular bodies that include wide chests and strong shoulders.
• They have hairy faces with small eyes, and their limbs and hands are strikingly similar to those of humans.
• They live in groupings as families of 5 to 15 members, with some families having as many as 40 members.
• Each family is led by a male adult ‘silverback,’ and it is he who shapes the family’s social life based on his relationships with the females.
• Female gorillas sexually mature at roughly 7 or 8 years of age, while males may take longer, and these give birth to one infant (though twins have been observed) every 4 to 6 years.

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