Gorillas are one of those animals that truly fascinate humans. We are always trying to understand how much we have in common and how well we can communicate with them.
Gorillas are the largest of the living primates. They are ground-dwelling and predominantly herbivorous. They inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and (still under debate as of 2008) either four or five subspecies. The DNA of gorillas is 98%–99% identical to that of a human, and they are the next closest living relatives to humans after the two chimpanzee species.
Gorillas can be found in tropical or subtropical forests. Although their range covers a small percentage of Africa, gorillas cover a wide range of elevations. The Mountain Gorilla inhabits the Albertine Rift montane cloud forests of the Virunga Volcanoes, ranging in altitude from 2,200–4,300 metres (7,200–14,100 ft). Lowland Gorillas live in dense forests and lowland swamps and marshes as low as sea level.
Adz and Bish chatted to Dan Maloney, Senior Curator of Melbourne Zoo about gorillas in the wild and within Zoos Victoria. Click here to listen to the interview.
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