Discover the World of Cross River Gorillas: Top 9 Fun Facts You Won't Believe!
1. Elusive Gorilla Paparazzi
Playing hide-and-seek on expert mode: Cross River gorillas are so elusive that conservationists only recently managed to snap clear images of them using camera traps in their natural habitat.
Source => onekindplanet.org
2. Nature's Salad Bar Enthusiasts
You might think Cross River gorillas are the original fruitarians, wandering through the forest with bananas in hand like a Tarzan-themed street festival: In reality, these whimsical creatures do have a penchant for fruity treats, and will travel great distances to pluck their favorites from trees, but they also diversify their diet with leaves, nuts, berries, and liana. When fruits are scarce, they chow down on ground vegetation and tree bark, and quench their thirst by sipping water from pooled leaves – who knew nature's salad bar could be so well-stocked?
Source => neprimateconservancy.org
Did you know the largest gorilla subspecies can weigh up to 550 pounds and stand nearly 6 feet tall? Meet the mighty cousin of King Kong!
=> Fun Facts about Eastern-Lowland-Gorillas
3. Gorilla-Style Human Scare Tactics
When life gives you gorillas, they give you projectile weapons like grass, sticks, and mud missiles: Cross River Gorillas have been uniquely observed displaying such tactical measures to scare off humans, a behavior not found in other gorilla subspecies, likely due to their frequent encounters with people in surrounding highland farms and fields.
Source => silverbackgorillatours.com
4. Earth-Hurling Superheroes
Who needs Hulk when you have earth-throwing gorillas? Consider them nature's sassy superheroes: Cross River gorillas, unlike other subspecies, showcase their shyness and wariness of humans by hurling clumps of earth, tree branches, and stones as their distinct defense mechanism.
Source => neprimateconservancy.org
5. Gorilla Gourmets
You wouldn't blame these party animals for wanting to take a break-they're quite the gorilla gourmet, making five-star meals out of forest goodies: Cross River gorillas have a fantastic culinary range, dining on fruit, leaves, stems, and even invertebrates like ants, snails, and grubs, while utilizing their nimble lips and hands to expertly select and consume their daily sustenance.
Source => seaworld.org
6. Chatty Tree Party Gorillas
If a tree falls in a Cross River gorilla's forest, you can bet they're discussing it at their next tea party: These savvy simians use a vocabulary of 22 different vocalizations to communicate everything from playtime invitations to predator alerts, and you thought your group chat was riveting!
Source => neprimateconservancy.org
7. Kings of Belly Laughs
Who knew that gorillas were such crack-ups? As it turns out, these gentle giants are more than just fur, muscle, and banana connoisseurs – they might just be the kings of belly laughs: When engaging in playtime with their fellow primates, cross river gorillas emit chuckles accompanied by a play face, indicating they're having a blast while tickling, wrestling, and chasing each other in their communal jungle escapades.
Source => gorillafund.org
8. Air Bed & Breakfast in Trees
Talk about an "air bed and breakfast": Cross River gorillas build their nests in trees during rainy seasons to stay dry and create a fresh one every single night!
Source => neprimateconservancy.org
9. Bark-eologist with a Fruity Twist
You might say the Cross River gorilla is a "bark-eologist" with an intermittent fruity disposition: These rare primates enjoy a highly seasonal diet, chomping on fruits when in season and switching to ground vegetation and tree bark – even consuming more liana and bark than any other gorilla subspecies – when the fruits are scarce.
Source => neprimateconservancy.org
