There are two main types of Gorilla's, both are found in the central mountains of Africa. Gorilla's are the largest of the great apes, and are found only in Africa. There are two species with up to five subspecies.
The Mountain gorilla lives in the Albertine Rifte mountain cloud forests of the Virungu Volcanoes of central Africa. They are called the cloud forests because they are situated between 2100-3650m above sea level. These tropical rainforests are covered in a dense fog all year round, which give the plants the moisture they need. The trees in these forest are usully shorter with more thicker trunks, the abundant moisture allows ferns and mosses to grow.
The lowland gorilla lives in a dense forest with a prolonged dry season, which consist of succulent plants able to contain water for a long time. the altitude of these forests can be as low as sea level.
The mountain gorilla is primarily a herbivore, meaning it eats mostly plants, it eats stems, roots, shoots and flowers of over 140 different plants. Less than one percent of there diet consists of small invertebrates like termites. The gorillas also eat fruit, if gorillas no longer existed some of these plants would die out. when gorillas eat the fruit they move on to different areas, when they drop feaces the seeds inside could grow into the plants. this ensure the survival of certain plants that make up the forest.
All species of the gorilla are legally endangered. they are protected against the law and killing them is illegal. There are three major factors why humans kill gorillas. One is poaching. poachers may kill the gorillas for trophies or food. A current situation threatning the ghorillas is the bushmeat trade. Hunters go into the rainforests killing the animals in order to retrieve cheap meat to sell to poor people. Another reason poachers may kill gorillas is that they can kill the parents of a baby gorilla in order to take the baby for private collections. Poaching is illegal and the game wardens in the National Parks are armed to try protect the animals from poachers who try to enter the parks.
In order to ensure the survival of these magnificent creatures we humans must create more areas for these animals to live safely. We also need to stamp out poaching by not buying any good come about by poaching, apply heavier penalties to deter people from poaching in the first place, and pay more people to guard the gorillas in their habitat.
Bio-Diversity
