What is special about a mountain gorilla?

Answer 1

Their noses are unique to each individual, so they can be identified by their noses. The wrinkles around gorillas' noses are called nose prints and are unique for each individual, much like a human's finger prints.

Answer 2

1) scientific name Gorilla beringei beringei
2) one of two subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei)
3) There are two populations. One is found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, within three National Parks. The other is found in Uganda\'s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Some scientist have suggested that the Bwindi gorillas may be a separate subspecies.
4) As of Spring 2010, the estimated total number of Mountain Gorillas worldwide is 790.
5) In light of fact #5, the Mountain Gorilla is classified as "critically endangered"
6) The fur of the Mountain Gorilla, often thicker and longer than that of other Gorilla species, enables them to live in colder temperatures.
7) Male mountain gorillas usually weigh twice as much as the females
8) This subspecies is on average the largest of all gorillas
9) Like all gorillas they have dark brown eyes framed by a black ring around the iris.
10) Adult males are called "silverbacks" because a saddle of gray or silver-colored hair develops on their backs with age. The hair on their backs is shorter than on most other body parts, and their arm hair is especially long.
11) Standing fully erect males reach 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in) in height, with an arm span of 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) and weigh 220 kg (490 lb).
12) They are normally quadrupedal, i.e. they walk on both their knuckles and feet, but they can stand up.
13) They are known to be capable of running on just their legs, i.e. bipedally, for up to 6 meters (about 20 feet).
14) The Mountain Gorilla mostly lives on the ground but it can climb trees to get fruit if the branches can support its weight.
15) The Mountain Gorilla is diurnal - active during the day and sleeping at night. It mostly eats in the morning, rests during the middle of the day, forages again for food in the afternoon and evening and then goes to sleep for the night.
16) Each gorilla builds a nest from surrounding vegetation to sleep in, constructing a new one every evening. Only infants sleep in the same nest as their mothers. They leave their sleeping sites when the sun rises at around 6 am, except when it is cold and overcast; then they often stay longer in their nests.
17) The forests where the Mountain Gorilla lives are often cloudy, misty and cold - which is where Diane Fossey, who studied the Mountain Gorillas, got the name for her book (which was later made into a movie) "Gorillas in the Mist".
18) Mountain Gorillas are primarily herbivores; the majority of its diet is composed of the leaves, shoots and stems (85.8%). It also feeds on bark, roots, flowers, and fruit, as well as small invertebrates. (The invertebrates - bugs, worms, etc, make up much less than 1% of its diet). It spends most of its time in the Hagenia forests, where gallium vines are found year-round. All parts of this vine are consumed: leaves, stems, flowers, and berries. It travels to the bamboo forests during the few months of the year fresh shoots are available, and it climbs into sub-alpine regions to eat the soft centers of giant senecio trees.
19) The Mountain Gorilla is highly social, and lives in relatively stable, cohesive groups held together by long-term bonds between adult males and females. Relationships among females are relatively weak. These groups are nonterritorial; the silverback generally defends his group rather than his territory.
20) The dominant silverback generally determines the movements of the group, leading it to appropriate feeding sites throughout the year. He also mediates conflicts within the group and protects it from external threats; when the group is attacked by humans, leopards, or other gorillas, the silverback will protect them even at the cost of his own life. He is the center of attention during rest sessions, and young animals frequently stay close to him and include him in their games. If a mother dies or leaves the group, the silverback is usually the one who looks after her abandoned offspring, even allowing them to sleep in his nest. Experienced silverbacks are capable of removing poacher\'s snares from the hands or feet of their group members.