Gorilla trekking is a unique experience that allows you to observe these incredible creatures up close. Their human-like behaviors and gentle nature make the experience unforgettable. Despite their endangered status, they continue to inspire people worldwide. By learning about them and supporting conservation efforts, we can help protect these remarkable animals and ensure they continue to thrive in their natural habitat.

Silverback Mountain Gorillas

Silverback mountain gorillas, named for the silver patch of fur that appears on the backs of mature males, are the largest apes in the world, living in the African rainforest. These gentle giants are known for their strength, complex social lives, and surprising intelligence. However, they face many threats in the wild, especially in the volcanic mountains of Central Africa where they live.

Where Do Mountain Gorillas Live?

Mountain gorillas are found only in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Unlike their lowland relatives, they live in higher altitudes, reaching up to 4,500 meters. Gorilla tracking, an exciting activity, takes you through some of Africa’s densest forests to find these amazing apes.

The trek usually starts early in the morning with a briefing. Rangers and guides then lead participants through thick forests, plains, streams, and valleys in search of a gorilla group. Depending on where the group is that day, the trek can last from 30 minutes to 5 hours. Once the gorillas are found, visitors are allowed to spend only one hour with them to avoid stressing the animals or spreading diseases. This time is enough to observe their behavior and take photos, revealing how much they resemble humans.

What is a Silverback?

A silverback is the dominant male in a gorilla group. The name comes from the silver-colored fur on his back, which appears as he ages. All adult mountain gorillas are strong, but silverbacks are especially large, with massive arms. The biggest silverbacks can weigh over 200 kilos (440 pounds) and stand almost two meters tall (over 6 feet) at the shoulder when upright.

When silverbacks from different groups meet, they rarely fight. Instead, they engage in loud displays like roaring, chest-beating, and charging. They use similar behaviors to warn off humans, predators, or other animals competing for food.

Social Behavior

Mountain gorillas live in groups called troops, led by a dominant silverback. The silverback is the largest and strongest in the group and is responsible for protecting everyone. A troop usually includes several females, their young, and sometimes one or two subordinate males. The females are often related and play an important role in the group’s social structure.

Gorillas are very social animals and communicate using various sounds, facial expressions, and body movements. They also groom each other as a way of bonding.

What Do Mountain Gorillas Eat?

Mountain gorillas mainly eat plants—leaves, shoots, and stems—but they also eat fruits, flowers, and occasionally insects. They spend a lot of time each day looking for food and have been seen using tools, like sticks, to get ants from nests.

Their digestive systems are specially adapted to break down tough plant materials, with large intestines and a long digestive tract.

Silverbacks Can Weigh Up to 500 lbs

Silverback gorillas are the largest and strongest primates, with adult males weighing between 136-227 kg (300-500 lbs) and standing up to 6 feet tall. Females are much smaller, usually half the weight of males.

Despite their size, silverbacks are agile and can run up to 25 mph in short bursts. They also have a powerful bite, stronger than a lion’s, which they use to protect their families.

They Can Live Up to 40 Years

In the wild, silverback gorillas live for about 35 to 40 years, but they can live longer in captivity, sometimes over 50 years, thanks to consistent food and no predators.

Silverbacks face few threats from other animals, with leopards being one of the few that occasionally prey on young or weak gorillas. However, the biggest threat comes from humans, particularly poachers who kill gorillas for their body parts.

Mountain Gorillas Are Very Gentle

Gorillas are calm and live in organized groups, rarely attacking unless provoked. Unlike chimpanzees, which are more aggressive and sometimes hunt smaller animals, gorillas are generally peaceful. Even when disturbed, they will first try to communicate their discomfort before becoming aggressive.

Reproduction

Female gorillas give birth to one baby after a nine-month pregnancy. Newborns are tiny, weighing just four pounds, and cling to their mothers’ fur. They ride on their mothers’ backs from four months old until they are two or three years old.

Young gorillas, from three to six years old, spend much of their time playing, climbing trees, chasing each other, and swinging from branches.

There Can Be More Than One Silverback in a Group

Although there is usually one dominant silverback in a group, about 40% of groups have more than one. In these cases, a hierarchy is established, with the dominant male as the leader. Subordinate males usually stay in the group and hope to take over one day, but some may leave to form their own groups. In groups with multiple males, all share the responsibility of protecting the group, though the dominant silverback fathers most of the offspring.

Mountain Gorilla Infants Develop Twice as Fast as Humans

Females usually give birth at around 10 years old and have babies every four years or more. Newborns are weak and weigh only about four pounds but develop quickly, almost twice as fast as human infants. They nurse until they are about three years old when they become more independent.