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western lowland gorilla
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A western lowland silverback gorilla stands on all fours in a grassy area with dense green foliage in the background. A western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) sits among dense green foliage in a tropical rainforest in the Central African Republic. western lowland gorilla Illustration of a male western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) standing on all fours, showing its muscular build, dark fur, and prominent brow ridge, with a scale bar below for size reference. Illustration comparing the body plans of representative anthropoids, showing a male western lowland gorilla, a male human, a male bonobo, a female Bornean orangutan, and male and female northern white-cheeked gibbons, all labeled and depicted to scale.
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western lowland gorilla

primate
Also known as: Gorilla gorilla gorilla
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A western lowland silverback gorilla stands on all fours in a grassy area with dense green foliage in the background.
western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) A silverback western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla).

The western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) is a subspecies of gorilla found in the tropical rainforests of equatorial Africa, from Cameroon to the Congo River. Gorillas are the largest of the apes and are close relatives to humans, sharing a common ancestor about 10 million years ago.1

These primates are robust with black hair and skin, strong chests, and protruding abdomens. Adult males, known as silverbacks, are significantly larger than females and develop a distinctive saddle of gray or silver hairs on their lower back.1

Western lowland gorillas live in stable family groups of 6 to 30 individuals, led by one or more silverback males. They are diurnal and primarily terrestrial, using knuckle-walking for locomotion. Their diet is vegetarian, with western gorillas consuming a significant amount of fruit.1

Despite being more numerous than their eastern counterparts, western lowland gorillas are classified as critically endangered due to poaching and habitat loss. However, a large population discovered in 2008 in the Republic of the Congo offered some hope.12

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. gorilla
  2. primate - Distribution and abundance

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