Quite a good thought to ask if mountain Gorillas are part of the 5 great apes family in the world? Oh yes, Thats absolutely true: Mountain Gorillas take if not number One as the biggest among the Great 5 apes in the world.
Mountain Gorillas can be found in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Uganda, Volcanoes National Park Rwanda and the democratic republic of Congo. We will take you through the great apes and their descriptions.
1: Gorillas
There are five types of apes all along the world and yes a gorilla is a great ape. Gorillas are closely related to humans, sharing around 98% of our DNA. They live in the mountains especially while some are low land gorillas mostly found in West Africa and Congo
There are 2 species of gorillas, the eastern and western gorilla. These are found in the dense forests of east and central east Africa. Family groups have a harem structure, meaning groups are typically made up of 1 male, multiple females, and their offspring.
Mountain Gorillas are herbivorous, eating mostly vegetation and some fruits. Mountain gorillas specifically do not eat many fruits; I guess it’s because of the high attitude in the dense forests where they stay. Even if they eat much foliage they are 10 times stronger than any human being.
2: Chimpanzee
Most of us think about the gorillas only but chimpanzees share up to 99%DNA with humans. They are much closer to us than the gorillas. Chimpanzees are only of one kind, found also in the African forests. Chimpanzees are highly social and have a fission social structure, which means they form very large groups that can divide into smaller bands for traveling and foraging, especially when food availability is low.
Unlike the Mountain gorillas, chimpanzees are known to eat some meat most especially, small animals like monkeys, insects, and aunts. Though their diet is 70% fruits and foliage and they are considered omnivorous.
3: Orangutan
Orangutans are the only apes out of Africa territories and also their colour makes it so clear that they are surly not African apes. Their names means person of the forest and they share about 97% DNA with human race.
They have three species of which the two have been recently discovered. They are mostly found in Indonesia deep in the forest. This is the only ape also that lives solitary. The babies will stay with their mothers for some years and after they also be alone. These usually meet for mating and occasional follaging ant that’s it. Orangutans are considered frugivores, because they also eat a big percent of foliage but one in a while eat meat and aunts.
4: Bonobo
Just like the chimpanzee’s bonobos, and humans share about 99% of their DNA. Actually if you do not take a very close a kin look you may think it’s a chimpanzee. But the banobos are very small and slender faced.
They are found only in the Democratic Republic of Congo, south of the Congo River. Here relations or social bonding’s of the families now change a little bit, only the females lead the groups and take care of the children. They are considered omnivorous frugivores, with fruit making up about 57% of their diet. Like chimpanzees, they will occasionally consume meat, including small primates, but do not actively hunt them.
5: Human
Human is currently the only surviving human species. Just like the gorilla, chimpanzee, orangutan and the bonobos, human are also apes who originated very many years ago.
Human are the only apes that are not endangered, and actually the only ones on the big % putting the other apes in danger. We do not have any subspecies and we are just humans who have evolved and have much more brains than the other apes. Along the ages we have developed many things and changed the world so much that most of it is for the bad of others and good for only us. We are highly social primates and show an extraordinary variety of complex social structures and mating systems. Unlike the other great apes, humans are true omnivores, with skulls built to process many different types of food matter.
In relation to other great apes in the world, Mountain Gorillas stand out as the most powerful and strong among the 5 great apes in the world.
Mountain Gorillas having their home in the jungle forests of Bwindi Forest in Uganda and the volcanoes in Rwanda wit The Congo, A great arrangement is required to visit these stunning great apes in their natural environment. This requires purchasing Gorilla permits that permits you with rangers to descend and ascend into the jungles to trek these great apes.
Gorilla Walking Safaris as a Destination management company can organize the Gorilla permits on your behalf including the Ultimate wildlife encounter in some of the well-crafted journeys through Uganda, Rwanda and Congo Virunga’s.
Here are some well-crafted journeys that include mountain Gorilla Trekking experiences in Bwindi Impenetrable national Park or Virunga national park.
9 Days Primates In Style Uganda Safari: The 9 Days Uganda Safari starts from Entebbe to Kibale National park for chimpanzee trekking, wildlife and boat cruise experiences in queen Elizabeth National park. The tree climbing lions of ishasha sector are a must and later the ultimate Wildlife encounter of the mountain Gorillas in Bwindi. The lake Bunyonyi as the deepest lake in Uganda with super great views are jaw dropping while it is a place for unwinding off safari memories. See detailed itinerary here …
12 Days best Of Uganda Impressions safari: Our well crafted 12 days safari highlights the best impressions of Uganda and the major best places to visit. Murchison falls national park with spectacular wildlife with strong thunderous waters falls, Trekking chimpanzees in Kibale National park, Wildlife and boat cruises in queen Elizabeth national park, The tree climbing lions, Gorilla Trekking experience in Bwindi impenetrable national park, Lake bunyonyi excursions and the beautiful lake mburo national park. See detailed itinerary here
10 Days Great Migration and Gorilla Safari: Cross boarders flying on domestic flight from Masai Mara kenya to Uganda Bwindi impenetrable forest National Park and spectate at the great migration in Masai mara in combination with trekking Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This journey is suitable for family safaris and solo travels. See detailed itinerary here…
4 Days Fly in Mountain Gorilla Trekking. The Gorillas only safari presents you a chance and opportunity to fly into the gorilla next territories, trek the giant apes of Bwindi forest national park twice. One with Mountain Gorilla Trekking while the other is The Gorilla habituation Experience.. The 4 days presents slumbering in Top notch lodges on the outskirts of Bwindi Forest. See detailed itinerary here…