How long does a Gorilla live? – Lifespan of a mountain gorilla
How long does a gorilla live? – Gorillas are one of the animals that most people want to know much about. The Gorillas are endangered primate species inhabiting some of the tropical rainforests in Africa. Gorillas are the closest relatives to human beings sharing about 98% DNA. They are categorized into 2 species; the Eastern and Western Gorillas. The Eastern Gorillas have 2 sub species namely the Eastern Gorilla species and the mountain Gorillas and these are found in East Africa and in the Democratic Republic of Congo while the Western Gorillas are further divided into the Western lowland Gorillas and the cross River Gorillas.
The life span of Gorillas just like any other animals is longer if they are in captivity than in their natural habitat. However, generally, Gorillas are either lowland Gorillas or mountain Gorillas. Lowland Gorillas are able to survive in captivity (in Zoos) while mountain Gorillas do not. Lowland Gorillas are found in Cameroon, Gabon, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mountain Gorillas are the most endangered Gorillas subspecies and they are only found in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Maghinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic Congo.
How long does a Gorilla live? Generally, Gorillas live for 35-40 years in their natural habitats and can live for 50 years in captivity. They are prone to human diseases and they are protected as much as possible from colds and cough. One of the problems they face with their health is the damages of their hands, feet and bones and loss of teeth.
Female Gorillas become sexually ready at the age of 8-10 and can conceive and give birth at the age of 10 years while male Gorillas are ready at the age of 15-20. The gestation period of Gorillas is 8-9 months and it will have off springs every 3-4 years. Gorilla babies are very vulnerable and they will be carefully taken care of by their mothers and up to about 4 months. Mountain Gorilla babies become independent juveniles at the age of 4 years.
Lowland Gorillas have higher chances of surviving compared to mountain Gorillas because they can they survive both in the wild and in captivity while mountain Gorillas only survive in the wild. Mountain Gorilla lifespan is therefore shorter than that of lowland Gorillas.
This is a guide to everything you need to know about how long do Gorillas live and Great Adventure Safaris will provide you with more information and everything you need to know about the Mountain Gorillas in Africa. Drop us an email or whatsapp +256 704 228 361 and we take you through our Gorilla safaris and tours to Uganda and Rwanda.