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Context :

1. A recent study found that gorillas like chimpanzees  are selfaware.
2. Traditionally, animals self awareness has been tested with the mirror test.
3. Where a mark on their body shows whether they recognize themselves or not
4. However, since gorillas don't rely heavily on vision. The researchers used a different test.
5. They asked chimpanzees & gorillas to open the lid of a box to get to food.
6. Both species were able to recognize that their own body was the obstacle.
7. This study suggests that gorillas may have more complex thoughts than previously thought.
8. Thats why  different tests are needed to study animals self awareness.

About Gorillas

• Largest of the Great Apes: Gorillas are the largest among the 5 species of great apes.
• This also includes orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos, & humans.
• Gorillas share 3% of their genetic code with humans
• It is making them our closest relatives after chimpanzees & bonobos.
• However, Gorillas & humans diverged from a common ancestor 10 million years ago.

Species

• 2 Gorilla Species:
  • Eastern Gorilla
  • Western Gorilla
• Mountain Gorilla: it is also a subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla.

Distribution

• Habitat: Gorillas live in tropical forests of equatorial Africa.
  • Eastern Gorillas: they are Found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, & Rwanda.
  • Western Gorillas: They are Found in Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Angola & parts of the DRC.

Features

• Size and Strength: Gorillas are large, powerful animals with heavy chests & shoulders.
  • Males are twice as heavy as females. They reach 7 m. in height & weighing between 135/220 kg in the wild.
• Distinctive Traits:
  • They are Large & they have human like hands with muscular arms longer than their legs.
  • They have Dark skin with black to brown grey hair.
  • Males develop silver gray saddles across their backs & thighs at sexual maturity. That is earning them the name silverback.
  • Their Faces shows large nostrils small ears, & brow ridges.
• Social Structure: Gorillas live in family groups of 5-10 members. It is led by a single adult silverback.
• These groups are polygamous with the silverback mating with the females.
• Locomotion: Gorillas are primarily terrestrial & they use knuckle walking for movement. This mode is also shared with chimpanzees.
  • knuckle walking means walking on all fours. supporting their weight on their knuckles
• Diet: They are vegetarian, feeding mainly on leaves, stems, fruit, & bamboo.

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Both Eastern Gorillas & Western Gorillas are classified as Critically Endangered due to habitat loss, poaching, & disease.

About Chimpanzees

• Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are one of our closest living relatives.
• They also share a common ancestor with humans that lived about 7-8 million years ago.

Subspecies

There are 4 recognized subspecies of chimpanzees:

• Central Chimpanzee
• Western Chimpanzee
• Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee
• Eastern Chimpanzee

IUCN Status

• Chimpanzees are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
• The Western Chimpanzee is classified as Critically Endangered due to habitat destruction and hunting.

Feeding Habits

• Chimpanzees have an omnivorous They consume a wide variety of foods such as fruits, leaves, & nuts.
• In dry environments, they may also use cave areas & mangrove leaves for food sources.

Source: DTE