Fast Facts for Kids
Gorilla Facts for Kids

Gorilla Facts for Kids

  • Common Name: Gorilla
  • Family: Hominidae
  • Genus: Gorilla
  • Total Species: 2 (Up to 5 subspecies)
  • Diet: Herbivorous (Plants)
  • Habitat Range: Africa
  • First Appeared: ~7 million years ago

22 Gorilla Facts For Kids

  1. Gorilla is the common name for two species of ground-dwelling great apes in the Gorilla genus.
  2. The two species are the eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) and the western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla).
  3. American Thomas S. Savage first scientifically described a gorilla (the western gorilla) in 1847.
  4. The habitat range for both the eastern gorilla and western gorilla is a small range in sub-Saharan Africa.
  5. The natural habitat for gorillas is subtropical and tropical forests in sub-Saharan Africa.
  6. Gorillas are found living at sea level (lowland gorillas) and all the way up to an altitude of 14,000 feet (mountain gorillas).
  7. There are an estimated ~300,000 western gorillas and ~5,000 eastern gorillas living in Africa today.
  8. Gorillas are herbivores and their diet includes fruit, leaves, pith, shoots, and stems.
  9. Gorillas are social primates and live together in groups known as troops.
  10. Gorillas are not territorial, so a troop contain multiple males, females, and young gorillas.
  11. In a gorilla troop, the strongest male is called the silverback and is the only male who breeds with the females.
  12. Gorillas are extremely intelligent and are able to use tools, problem solve and develop strong family bonds.
  13. Gorillas are the largest of all living primates.
  14. The weight of an adult male gorilla is between 300 and 500 pounds.
  15. The weight of an adult female gorilla is between 150 and 250 pounds.
  16. The height of an adult male gorilla is between 4.7 and 5.11 feet.
  17. The height of an adult female gorilla is between 4.1 and 4.11 feet.
  18. An adult gorilla can run between 20 and 25 miles per hour.
  19. The lifespan of a gorilla is between 35 and 40 years.
  20. Gorillas are one of the most popular zoo animals and there are hundreds of gorilla zoo exhibits around the world.
  21. The first gorilla born in captivity was Colo on December 22nd, 1956, at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
  22. Gorillas share between 95 and 99% of the same DNA as humans.

Select a Animal Facts Section

Gorilla Pictures

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the below images will be helpful for your research on gorillas. Below are three pictures of various gorillas. These pictures should help you better understand what gorillas look like.

Gorilla in the rainforest

A picture of a gorilla in the rainforest.

Baby gorilla in a tree

A picture of a baby gorilla in a tree.

Two male gorillas fighting

A picture of two male gorillas fighting.

Gorilla Resources

We hope you found the above gorilla facts, information, data, and pictures both fun and educational. You can continue to research gorillas using one of the below additional resources. They were chosen for their credibility and accuracy; you can trust their information when it comes to gorillas. Thank you for choosing Fast Facts for Kids.