Fun Fact Fiesta Logo

Discover the Wild: Top 5 Fun Facts About Eastern Lowland Gorillas You Never Knew!

illustration of eastern-lowland-gorillas
Get ready to go bananas over these fascinating tidbits as we dive into the captivating world of eastern lowland gorillas!

1. King Kong's Weightlifting Cousin

If King Kong had a cousin who was into weightlifting and protein shakes, this gorilla would be it: The eastern lowland gorilla is the largest subspecies of gorillas, with adult males weighing up to 250 kilograms (550 pounds) and standing at an impressive 1.8 meters (5 feet 11 inches) tall.
Source => labaafrica.com

2. Buffet Masters

Feeling peckish, they've got the buffet down to a science: Eastern lowland gorillas munch on a smorgasbord of over 104 plant species, devouring fruits, leaves, seeds, stems, and even treating themselves to a side of termites or caterpillars, without having a particular favorite on the menu.
Source => seaworld.org

3. Gorilla ID Cards

In a world where it's all about making a good first impression, did you know that eastern lowland gorillas carry around their very own ID cards? That's right, no bouncers needed at this jungle party: Eastern lowland gorillas have unique fingerprints and distinct nose prints, making each individual easily identifiable - a crucial tool for researchers studying this critically endangered species.
Source => virunga.org

4. Chomping Machines

Gorilla-geddon the buffet table: Eastern lowland gorillas can chomp down up to 50 pounds of vegetation each day, relying primarily on fibrous plants – thankfully, their digestive systems are custom-built for processing this tough-to-digest greenery.
Source => worldanimalfoundation.org

King Kong Bodybuilders

5. King Kong Bodybuilders

Talk about a real-life King Kong: the eastern lowland gorilla, also known as Grauer's gorilla, struts around with larger thumbs than fingers, stocky bodies, and sizable hands that make your average strongman quake in their boots! The serious reveal: besides these impressive appendages, they also sport shorter hair and teeth, longer arms, and short muzzles, making them somewhat distinct from their mountain gorilla cousins.
Source => wwf.panda.org

Related Fun Facts