Mountain Gorillas in Congo; Facts, Habitat, Characteristics

Mountain Gorilla Facts in Congo

Mountain Gorilla Habitat

Over one-third of the estimated 1,000 remaining mountain gorillas live in the protected forests of Virunga National Park. Compared to their eastern lowland cousins, mountain gorillas have thick hair, an adaptation that protects them against the sub-zero temperatures often encountered at altitudes of 7 – 14,000 ft.

Mountain Gorilla Behavior

Like most primates, mountain gorillas are social animals. They live in groups of fascinating complexity called troops or bands, led by a dominant alpha male known as a silverback. The silverback protects its members and directs troop activities such as nesting, feeding, and migration between seasonal feeding areas.

Mountain Gorilla Physical Characteristics

After nearly nine months of gestation, infants enter the world weighing only four pounds. From four months they begin clinging to their mothers’ backs, remaining there for two or three years. Despite beginning life so small, adult males typically weigh 430 pounds and can stand five feet tall.