Many people all over the world wonder what do Mountain Gorillas Eat? We bring you a complete guide of what do Gorillas eat and their Feeding Habits for both Low Land & Mountain Gorillas
More than 85% of both Mountain and Lowland Gorillas‘ diety is a mainly vegetarian. Gorillas majorly feed on stems, buds of bamboo shoots and fruits. In searching for what does mountain gorillas eat, many people ask do gorilla eat meat?. Mountain gorillas are herbivores, which enables them to achieve their impressive stature on a mostly vegetarian diet. They have massive jaw muscles which help them chew tough vegetation. However the Western lowland gorillas, do enjoy eating termites and ants, they often break open termite nests to feed on the termite larvae
What Species of Plants do Gorillas Eat / What Plants Do Mountain Gorillas Feed On?
A Mountain Gorillas Eating Vegetation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Uganda
What gorillas do eat is dependent on the nature of their habitat and the season of the year. Primarily, Mountain Gorillas feed on parts of green plants unlike their counterparts the Western Lowland Gorillas which prefer a lot of fruit.
The Mountain Gorillas that inhabit the Virunga National Park, Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park shared by Rwanda, Uganda and Congo draw their food from about 38 varying species of plants.
Mountain Gorillas, as well as their counterparts the Western Low Land Gorilla families, feed on a variety of plant matter over 200 different plants that make up the bulk of what Mountain Gorilla feed or diet on including:-
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Bamboo Shoot
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Gallium Vines
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Wild Celery
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Gorillas eat roots
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Tree bark
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Pulp
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Fruits
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Leaves
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Thistles
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Nettles
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Seeds
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Stems
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Shoots
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Ants
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Insects e.g Termites
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Termites mounts soil
Western Low Land gorillas draw their food from majorly from arrowroot and ginger families.
What Species of Plants do Gorillas Eat During Dry Season? / What Plants Do Mountain Gorillas Feed On During Hot Seasons?
- It should be noted that during the dry season, there are few juicy fruits in presence which prompt the gorillas to consume a lot of seeds and tree barks – something always seen while on gorilla safaris in Uganda or in Rwanda.
- Besides plant species, Gorillas feed on or eat quantities of soil though irregularly which is considered to be neutralizing the poisonous substances contained in their food and that the soil contains some minerals that are missing in their plant foods.
Additionally, Gorillas consume small animals mostly insects though it forms like 0.1% of their food intake.
What do Infant Gorillas Eat / What Do Young Mountain Gorillas Feed on?
- Infant gorillas rely on their mothers’ milk for sustenance. Young Mountain and Western Low Gorillas occasionally feed on ants and other insects but in small quantity since they are full of proteins. Young/Infant Gorillas are only fully weaned at about 3 and a half years old when they can begin eating the adult diet.
What Are The Feeding Habits of Mountain & Low Land Gorillas?
- Considering the fact that fruits grow on trees, gorillas of all age ranges tend to climb up the trees in quest of these fruits. It should further be noted that although western gorillas prefer fruits to leaves pith, stems and shoots, they cannot surpass the percentage of fruit consumption exhibited among their colleagues – the Chimpanzees and Orangutans. The Chimpanzees and the Mountain gorillas can be seen on your gorilla trekking safari in Uganda and Rwanda.
- While feeding, Mountain Gorillas do not complete the whole vegetation in an area but they feed selectively, for example, they can consume stems from one plant, move to the next and preserve the remains for another feeding time.
How Much Do Gorillas Eat Per Day?
- Adult male Gorillas(Silver back Gorillas) eats about 30kg of plants daily while a mature female adult Gorilla can consume/east about 18kg. Given that Gorillas are mainly herbivores, Gorillas are mainly herbivores, eat leaves, stems, fruits, mostly consists of bamboo shoots, fruit, leafy plants barks,buds, some times small invertebrates such as termites, ants, worms, and larvae.
- To supplement their diet some times western lowland gorillas eat small insects to make the volume of their daily consumption ranging between 27-30kg for the Adult male and 16-18kg for the adult female.
Gorillas process these quantities of food with the help of their chewing muscles that are quite strong and their teeth that are much like human teeth except the long pointed canines that are only possessed by mature male gorillas which are not used for feeding but rather for fighting other competing gorillas.
GORILLA FACTS FAQs
- what is a gorilla?
- Where do gorillas get their name from?
- How many species of gorillas are there?
- Where can you see gorillas in Africa?
- What is the size of the Mountain gorilla?
- What’s the biggest type of gorilla?
- What makes mountain gorillas unique? |What is special about mountain gorillas?
- How do mountain gorillas look like/What special features do mountain gorillas have?
- What is special about a mountain gorilla’s nose? /Do gorillas have unique nose prints?
- What is the daily life of a gorilla like?
- How do mountain gorillas move?
- Can a mountain gorilla climb? /Can gorillas climb trees?
- Do gorillas live alone? /Do mountain gorillas live in families?
- Do gorillas live in nests? /Do gorillas build nests?
- How much does a gorilla eat per day?
- Why does gorilla have canines?
- How do Gorillas communicate?
- How smart is a mountain gorilla? How intelligent are gorillas?
- Why do gorillas beat their chest?
- Do female gorillas beat their chests?
- Why can’t you look at gorilla’s eyes?
- Can a gorilla be a pet?
- What is a baby gorilla called?
- How many babies do female gorillas have?
- How long do baby gorillas stay with their mothers?
- What is the average life span of a mountain gorilla? /How long does a gorilla live?
- Are mountain gorillas friendly? /Are gorillas gentle?
- Can mountain gorillas be aggressive? /Are gorillas aggressive?
- How strong is a mountain gorilla? /How strong is a silverback gorilla?
- What is a gorilla afraid of? /What do gorillas fear?
- Who are gorilla enemies? /Do gorillas have predators?
- Are there mountain gorillas in zoos?
- How many mountain gorillas are left in the world?
- Why are mountain gorillas endangered?
- How can we help save mountain gorillas?
More about Gorillas Facts
The gorilla facts give a summarized insight into the gorilla lifestyle and allow you to know about them like never before.
What illnesses do gorillas suffer from?
It has been noted that gorillas can acquire many human diseases and it is upon this background that those on gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda and Rwanda have to keep a minimum distance to reduce on this risk.
Mountain gorillas tend to inhabit the areas with a wet and cold climate which in turn tend to cause respiratory tract diseases especially Pneumonia thus claiming some of the Mountain gorilla lives. READ MORE
Where do gorillas live?
Gorillas like most of their primate colleagues, sleep in nests which they patch in the trees or on the ground in consideration of various variables like vegetation and the security conditions. It should be noted that every evening, gorillas construct new nests – something that is evidenced on your gorilla trekking safari in Uganda and this cannot be avoided even if it is very close to the nest that slept in the previous night. Another thing to note is that, Infants or call them baby gorillas are the only ones exonerated from the task of making nests as they spend overnights with their mothers. READ MORE
How much space does a gorilla group need?
Gorilla groups do not necessarily require distinct territories and neither do they defend such areas against conspecifics. Gorillas roam in what is called the home ranges whose size is dependent on food availability.
The home ranges are always larger where the food sources are widely dispersed. In case of abundance of nutritious and high-quality food plants, the distance in between the feeding sites reduces. However, the more members the gorilla family possesses, the further will it roam and the extension is the home range which at times causes variation in gorilla trekking times among different gorilla groups. READ MORE
How do gorillas sleep?
Gorillas like most of their primate colleagues, sleep in nests which they patch in the trees or on the ground in consideration of various variables like vegetation and the security conditions. It should be noted that every evening, gorillas construct new nests – something that is evidenced on your gorilla trekking safari in Uganda and this cannot be avoided even if it is very close to the nest that slept in the previous night. Another thing to note is that, Infants or call them baby gorillas are the only ones exonerated from the task of making nests as they spend overnights with their mothers. READ MORE
Do gorillas have enemies?
This is a question to contemplate deeply about especially when it relates to the critically endangered mountain gorillas which are mostly sought of on Uganda gorilla safaris. It should be noted that apart from humans, the gorillas do not certainly have enemies.
Among the animals that have been registered to have an influence on life, gorillas are Leopards. This predator has been recorded in Virunga Volcanoes to have an effect on the lives of gorillas. For example, Walter Baumgärtel came across the remains of a range of gorillas that had lost their dear lives at the hands of dangerous leopards in the area. A similar case was recorded in Gabon where a leopard killed a sick young gorilla. READ MORE
Are gorillas afraid of water?
Gorillas like other apes including humans find it hard to swim naturally which prompts them to desist from expanse water masses like Lakes and Rivers. It has been recorded however that both adult and young gorillas like to play around with water. While in quest of their food, gorillas tend to walk through swamps on their two legs keeping water levels up to their waists. READ MORE
Do gorillas often climb trees?
Primarily, gorillas dwell on ground and can only spend 5 – 20% of their daytime in trees in contrast to their primate counterparts – Chimpanzees which spend 47 – 67% of their time in trees and Orangutans spending close to 100%. READ MORE
What do gorillas do all the day?
Gorillas are always active from 6am to 6pm. Gorillas tend to have daily routine and events seem to follow each other chronologically. Even on your gorilla safari in Uganda and Rwanda, you have a chance be part of this routine. Gorillas move out of their nests early in the morning to commence their foraging consuming as much vegetation as they can before resting in the late morning and midday. Gorillas forage again in the afternoon until they rest at night. Unless it is cold and overcast which prompts gorillas to stay longer in their nests, they tend to depart their nests at dawn 6 am. READ MORE
1 Day Rwanda Gorilla Tour; is designed to enable time-constrained Rwanda safari undertakers also to have an opportunity to track the critically endangered mountain gorillas.
2 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari Adventure; Meet our guide and exchange greetings after your breakfast from your lodge and then transfer to Volcanoes national park head offices.
3 Days Gorilla Safari to Volcanoes National Park; On arrival at Kanombe-Kigali International Airport you will meet our guide and then take Kigali city excursion to Rwanda Memorial Genocide.
4 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Tour; This Rwanda Gorilla Tour takes you for a 4 days mountain gorilla trekking tour in the Parc National des Volcanoes of Rwanda.
4 Days Rwanda Adventure Safari; exposes you to the climbing of Karisimbi Volcano 4,507m which is the highest point in Rwanda and the 6th in Africa thus giving you great views.
5 Days Rwanda Gorilla Tour; safaris involves chimpanzee trekking and Canopy walk in Nyungwe forest National Park, gorilla trekking and Dian Fossey hiking in Volcanoes National Park.
5 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking; At arrival you will be picked from the airport by our company representative who will transfer you to Parc Nationale des Volcanoes.
6 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari; includes gorillas, cultural encounters, Recreation, Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk in Nyungwe forest. You will encounter Kigali.
3 Days Uganda Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari; Entebbe/Kampala-Bwindi Gorilla Park From your hotel of residence, after breakfast our English driver guide will pick you from.
3 Days Gorilla Safari to Mgahinga National Park; Setting off from Kampala to Kisoro which is approximately 540 km from Uganda’s Capital city after being briefed about the safari.
4 Days Bwindi Gorillas Safaris & Mburo Tour; begins and ends in Kampala. The safari takes you to Lake Mburo National Park which is situated between Mbarara and Masaka in Western Uganda.
5 Days Bwindi Gorilla Tour & Kibale Chimps Trek; will start and ends in Kampala.You will first tour in Kibale because that it is one of Uganda’s enchanting forested parks having 766 km2 with.
7 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari; safari exposes you the rich wild game of Akagera National Park including Giraffes, Elephants, Buffalo, Zebra, Antelopes among others.
8 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari; gives a cross sectional encounter of Rwanda as a safari destination. It involves exploring the city of Kigali – one of the fancy cities in the region.
9 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari; is designed to enable you explore the wildlife, culture, primates and scenic offerings of Rwanda as a safari destination. This 9 days Rwanda safari involves Kigali city tour.
10 Days Rwanda Gorilla Amazing Safari Tour; 10 Days Gorilla Trekking Tour in taking you to all Rwanda national park and cultural places.
6 Days Uganda Gorilla Safari & Chimpanzee Trek; This Uganda Tour starts and finishes in Kampala. The tour takes you to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Southwestern part of Uganda.
7 Days Chimps & Gorilla Safari in Uganda; Depart from Kampala by road and head south-West to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You will have a short stop at the Equator.
10 Days Uganda Gorilla Safari Tour; is designed to bring out the best in the famous Uganda safari parks of Murchison falls National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth NP.
11 Days Uganda gorilla wildlife and cultural safari; is structured to help you gain an insight of the wildlife, gorilla and cultural and scenic attractions of Uganda. It covers the Uganda’s.
12 Days Uganda Wildlife and Cultural safari; is a unique tour that opens you to the virgin wilderness of Kidepo National Park where the game is alive and enchanting in its natural environment.
12 Days Uganda Primates Tour – National Park Safaris; You will leave from Kampala to Lake Mburo National Park which is located in the Southern part of Uganda. Before you reach the park.
13 Days Uganda Gorilla Wildlife and Cultural safari; is a blend of wildlife, culture, scenery and gorillas. It brings out the best of Lake Mburo National Park well known for its horseback safaris.
14 Days Uganda Gorilla Safari; is a blend of Uganda’s wild game, Primates, adventure, culture coupled with great scenic views. It involves encountering Kampala city.
15 Days Uganda Gorilla, wildlife & Cultural safari; is one of those comprehensive Uganda safari packages that you can ever have. It gives you an opportunity to explore 3/4 of Uganda.
16 Days Uganda Gorilla Safari Tour; is a detailed package that involves adventure, culture, wildlife, scenery, Chimpanzees and Gorillas. It takes you through the cosmopolitan city of Kampala.
17 Days Uganda safari; entirely comprises of adventure, sightseeing, cultural, wild game and Chimpanzees. It takes you through the adventures of the Victoria Nile at Jinja.
18 Days Uganda safari incorporates gorillas, Chimpanzees, culture, wildlife and scenery. It includes encountering the heritage of Kampala city, adventures of River Nile, Rhinos in Ziwa sanctuary.
19 days Tour to uganda National Parks – Uganda Safaris to Uganda National Parks; This Uganda Tour begins and ends in Kampala. The tour takes you to Murchison Falls National Park.
21 Days Best of Uganda safari; is a comprehensive package that gives an all-round safari across Uganda. It takes you through the adventures of River Nile in Jinja including white water rafting.
3 Days Nyiragongo Mountain Hiking Safari in Congo; Standing at an elevation of 3,470m above sea level, Nyiragongo Volcano is part of the Great Virunga massif that comprises of.
3 Days Congo Mountain Gorillas; is short Mountain Gorilla Safari package that allows you to explore these World’s critically endangered species in the dense forest tract of Virunga NP
3 Days Congo Eastern Lowland Gorilla Safari; offers an encounter with the largest remaining section of the Eastern Lowland Gorillas in the world thriving in Kahuzi Biega National Park.
5 Days Gorilla Safari in Congo & Nyiragongo Volcano Climbing; is blend of Primate watching and Adventure. In fact, the Safari features two of the most popular Africa Safari activities.