The gorilla is the largest living primate found in Africa’s rainforests.
Gorillas are powerful, mostly ground-dwelling great apes native to equatorial Africa. The two living species are the western gorilla and the eastern gorilla, and each has additional subspecies. Their habitats include tropical rainforests, montane forests, swamps, and woodland.
Adult male gorillas are called silverbacks because mature males develop a patch of silvery hair across the back. They lead groups, protect members, settle disputes, and help decide where the group feeds and rests. Gorillas mainly eat leaves, shoots, stems, fruit, and other plant material.
A common mix-up is confusing gorillas with orangutans. Orangutans are generally more arboreal and live in Asian rainforests, while gorillas are African apes that spend much more time on the ground. Despite their size, gorillas are primarily herbivorous and are not natural predators of humans.