How Strong Is a Gorilla? A Gorilla is more powerful than any human being. Although a mountain gorilla is a powerful primate, it does not show much of its power most of the time because it is a gentle and peaceful creature.
A mountain gorilla prefers spending its afternoon lounging around rather than causing trouble and destruction.
However, it can cause damage and harm to those that deserve it, such as poachers.
Gorilla families that you will see in the national parks are habituated and are unlikely to cause harm to you unless you provoke them and make them feel threatened, for example when you constantly use flash photography.
Therefore, it is recommended that you follow the rules and guidelines set out in the guide book for a successful gorilla trekking in Africa.
A Gorilla weighs more than you and I combined, in fact, a Silverback weighs more than 20 adult humans.
A gorilla can lift or throw as much as 815 kgs, while a well trained man can only lift 400 kgs.
An adult gorilla can lift as much as 450kgs, even with a body size of 200 kgs, and a single bite from the mountain gorilla will have you running for your life.
It has large canines that bite like no other carnivore like lions or crocodiles.
A gorilla bite can cover about 1,300 pounds per square inch, which is way higher to the predatory lions which have 650 pounds per square inch.
It’s best not to let a gorilla play around with your ears, because you might just lose them.
Because it moves on all four legs most often, its arms are hard and therefore very strong and have grips that can tear just about any plantation down.
While a gorilla’s physical strength comes from its body shape, its diet and how much food it eats is just as important.
A Mountain gorilla can eat up to 34 kgs of food daily! Its diet mainly consists of vegetation, fruit and small insects such as ants which equally contribute to their general health and physical condition.
Gorillas share 98% of their DNA with humans and they also have emotions. They have about 25 different vocalizations for when they feel threatened or endangered.
When a mountain gorilla feels attacked or threatened by humans, it will simply shout, scream or bellow out in response.
A gorilla also laughs when it finds something funny, its chest thumping is also a symbol of strength and a reminder to its opponents that it is stronger and can conquer them.
Now that you are familiar with a gorilla’s strength and capabilities, it’s important that you be more careful not to see its bad side.
If you are attacked by a gorilla, whether it’s a silverback or just any giant gorilla, the best thing to do is to bow your head in submission with your eyes lowered to remain calm.
Following your ranger guide’s is very important as well as following instructions are equally important, please kindly follow them while on your gorilla trekking safari.
Travelers should remember to maintain a 7 meters distance away from the mountain gorillas as getting so close to gorillas could make them fear and feel threatened and hence become aggressive that they would attack you.
After finding a gorilla family, do not surround it. Know your boundaries and stay in your group and leave them at the other side of the forest.
Surrounding them may be interpreted as an attack on them and they will attack you.
Do not use cameras with flash because flash photography on gorillas can lead to an attack. This is so because gorillas are not used to flashes.
Do not stare straight into the eyes of mountain gorillas since this threatens them.
Do not make any form of sign language because gorillas may interpret it in a different way and then have them attack you.
Do not carry or touch the gorillas most especially the curious young ones who are playful and can come on to play with you.
Their mothers and their fathers (the dominant silverback) do keep an eye at them and they are very protective.
Do not make unnecessary noise while in the rainforests and in the presence of the mountain gorillas.
This is because they might misinterpret those sounds hence leading to an attack.
In conclusion, A mountain gorilla is strong in nature and it is stronger than humans however, a gorilla is a gentle giant that will always keep itself out from commotion.
Embark on your journey to Africa to witness how calm and gentle this great ape is.
