Gorillas are the greatest apes. With their bodies erect and knees depressed, gorillas can grow up to 2.30 metres. Gorillas have short, broad hands and feet. The type gorilla comprises only one type with two subtypes: 1. lowland-gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and 2. mountain-gorillas (Gorilla gorilla beringei).
Gorillas only exist in Africa. Lowland gorillas can be found in the lowlands in the west of Equatorial Africa, mountain gorillas in the lowlands and mountains up to 3500 metres high in central Africa in the border area between Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Virunga Mountains).
The mountain gorillas in the Virunga Mountains live in small groups (up to 50 animals), each led by a strong male, the silverback. Each group has a home, an own precinct of approximately 25 to 40 square-kilometers of size. In it, the group wanders around in search of food. Only recently it has been observed that gorillas also retreat into caves.
In the Virunga Mountains, gorillas like to eat the pulp of bamboo stalks. Otherwise, wild celery, bedstraw, thistles, berries and other vegetarian delicacies are also on the menu. Gorillas eat meat only in captivity.
