Female mountain-gorillas give birth to a child approximately every 4 years from an age of approximately 10 years. Gorilla babies weigh an average of only 2.2 kg at birth. After a few weeks they can hold on to their mother's belly by their own strength. They drink mother's milk for about 3 to 4 years (so long, until the mother gets new offspring), but also eat solid food from 8 months. In the proximity of the mother, they remain until they are adult.
The population of the mountain-gorillas researched by Dian Fossey still counts 355 animals today (January 2001) - that is 35 more than at the last census in 1989. Mountain-gorillas have only one natural enemy - the only predator, that can carry off a gorilla, is the leopard. The biggest threat is therefore poachers and the loss of their natural habitat.
In principle, mountain gorillas feed purely on plants. They like celery, nettles, bamboo or thistles. However, if they find an ant's nest, they don't spurn this food either. Wild fruits are a welcome change, but they are rarely found in their habitat.
