What Do Gorillas Eat?

There are numerous different species of gorillas, and each species eats different things and has slightly different habits. Therefore, to answer the question of what a gorilla will eat, it is necessary to look at a few different species of the primate in greater detail.

Western gorilla - their diet consists of fruit and vegetation
Eastern gorilla - are herbivores, and eat mainly foliage and fruit
Mountain gorilla - they eat leaves, stems, bark, root, flowers, fruit, and small invertebrates
Cross River gorilla - largely vegetarian
Western Lowland gorilla - plants and insects

Western Gorilla

The largest part of their diet consists of fruit. Other than fruit, the gorillas will subside on different forms of vegetation.

The western gorilla is the largest populated species of the gorillas, and is considered a great ape. Currently, the population of the western gorilla is at about three hundred and fifty thousand, and thus they are considered a critically endangered species. Their fur is a lighter shade than some of the other species, and can even be as light as a brown or a light grey.

The males’ length is at about one hundred and eighty-three centimeters, and they can weigh up to two hundred and seventy-eight kg. The females’ length can stretch to one hundred and fifty-five centimeters, and they can weigh up to one hundred and twenty kg. They’re smaller than some of the other species of gorilla.

Eastern Gorilla

They are herbivores, and eat mainly foliage and fruit. They forage for their food.

The eastern gorilla is the largest living primate. The face, feet, and hands of the gorilla are bald. Their fur is black, however the males have somewhat of a silver patch on their backs. However, as the gorilla ages, the fur will turn grayish in color. You might recognize the alternative name for these gorillas as “silverbacks”—due to the phenomena of their fur changing color.

The male gorillas are significantly larger than the females. The males can weigh up to four hundred and ninety pounds, and might grow as large as six feet. You can find them throughout the lowland and mountain rainforests of the Congo, and in parts of Uganda and Rwanda.

Mountain Gorilla

They are primarily an herbivore species, although they will occasionally eat small invertebrates. The diet consists of leaves, stems, bark, root, flowers, fruit, and the small invertebrates discussed above. The adult male might eat as much as thirty four kilograms of vegetation per day.

The mountain gorilla can be found throughout the volcanic mountains of Central Africa, and within three of Africa’s national parks. It has longer and darker hair than other gorillas, and thus it can live in hot weather or cold weather. This gives it more mobility than other types of gorillas.

The males weigh about twice as much as the females. The adult males also have a striking crest on the top and the back of their skulls, making them easier to identify from other types of gorillas.

Cross River Gorilla

Their diet is largely vegetarian, and they subside on leaves and other types of foliage in their habitats.

The cross river gorilla can be found on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon, and is found in the tropical and subtropical forests of those areas. It’s currently considered a critically endangered species.

The cross river gorilla has a different skull and tooth dimension than the other gorillas. They also have exhibited more intelligent behavior than other gorillas, and in 2007 there was a recorded instance of them fighting back against the threat of humans. This distinguished them from other gorillas who usually flee and run when presented with humans.

Western Lowland Gorilla

Eating up to twenty pounds of food per day, their diet mainly consists of plants, specifically bamboo, and sometimes insects.

The western lowland gorilla lives in parts of Angola, Cameroon, the Congo, and Gabon to name a few locations.

Now that you know a little more about gorillas and what gorillas eat, you might to continue to study this fascinating animal on your own.