ENDANGERED MOUNTAIN GORILLAS Endangered species project APPEARANCE The

ENDANGERED MOUNTAIN GORILLAS Endangered species project!

APPEARANCE The Mountain Gorilla is a large animal. It has a large trunk with a thick chest, large head, long arms and short stubby legs. They also have large canine teeth. Mountain gorillas have long thick fur to keep them warm when it’s cold. Mature male Mountain Gorillas are called Silverback gorillas. When they are around 13 or 15 years old male Mountain Gorillas start growing silvery fur down their backs. That’s when they are called Silverbacks. When on their hind legs they are about five and a half feet tall. They weigh between 300 and 400 pounds. However, the females are only about five feet tall and 200 pounds.

SPECIAL HABITS! They walk on their hands and legs They rarely attack humans but don’t stare or point at them because they may feel threatened and may charge at you. They groom each other They sleep in nests They live in groups up to 30 members

WHY ARE THEY ENDANGERED? Some of the reasons that the Mountain Gorillas are endangered are loss of habitat and deforestation, poaching, and civil wars. 1. People are invading their areas and cutting down the forests they live in which causes them to move to more remote places where it is hard to find food. 2. Humans poach them for no reason except for some people will pay lots of money for parts like heads, hands, and feet. 3. Their habitat happens to be where lots of civil wars are so that means they are used for food and, they will sometimes get caught in the middle.

Mountain gorilla’s favorite food’s are. . - Wild celery - Bamboo Shoots - Thistles - Stinging nettles - Bedstraw - Certain fruit These provide a good amount of moisture so they don’t need to drink water. The only enemies they have are leopards, humans and crocodiles. They are not predators because they are vegetarians they are only prey.

FAMILY LIFE! Mountain gorilla family groups have around 30 members including at least one adult male, a few females, and a few kids. When a female is 6 or 7 it mates with a male Silverback gorilla. They are usually shy and gentle animals but when it or it’s family are threatened it will valiantly strike back. Mountain gorillas can live for about 53 years. Silverbacks often build their nest to sleep in away from their group so they can see if intruders are coming.

NATURAL HABITAT/ ENVIRONMENT Mountain gorillas live in the mountainous regions of Rwanda, Uganda, and Congo. They like lowland tropical forests. The tropical forests have a temperature of around twenty -three degrees Celsius. The daylight in those topical forests lasts for around twelve hours.

RELATIONSHIP WITH HUMANS! People didn’t know they existed until 1902, so that means that humans didn’t have very much to do with them. At first people were the blame for their near extinction but now that we know that they are almost extinct people doing things to help them. People are now donating money and going on tours to see them.

HOW MANY ARE LEFT? THERE ARE BETWEEN 600 AND 700 MOUNTAIN GORILLAS LEFT! MOST OF THEM NOW LIVE IN NATIONAL PARKS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SAVE THEM AND THEIR HABITATS. THERE NUMBERS ARE INCREASING, BUT VERY SLOWLY.

HOW CAN WE HELP? � We can donate to campaigns that are trying to save Silverbacks and Mountain Gorillas. � Support the ban of the sale of gorilla parts and baby gorillas. � Help educate people on what humans are doing to them.

FUN FACTS! � People didn’t know Mountain gorillas existed until 1902 � Scientific name is, Gorilla Beringe � Swahili name is Gorilla or N’gagi

I hope you have enjoyed it and learned something about the mountain gorilla and maybe you can do something to help them!

Ehow. com Science Kids Save our Species (book) Gorillas in the Wild (book) Out of Africa