About
Mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) live only in the Virunga Mountains spanning Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. With approximately 1,063 individuals remaining, they are critically endangered. Gorillas share 98.3% of their DNA with humans and demonstrate remarkable intelligence — learning sign language in captivity and using tools in the wild.
Gorilla societies are led by silverbacks — dominant males who mediate conflicts, lead foraging, and protect the group. They are gentle giants; aggression between groups is mostly display. Legendary primatologist Dian Fossey spent 18 years studying and protecting mountain gorillas before her murder in 1985.
# Top 10 Mountain Gorilla facts
- 1Mountain gorillas share 98.3% of their DNA with humans
- 2The entire mountain gorilla population — about 1,063 individuals — fits in a single stadium
- 3Gorillas can learn human sign language and have vocabularies of hundreds of signs
Fascinating Facts
- ◆Mountain gorillas share 98.3% of their DNA with humans
- ◆The entire mountain gorilla population — about 1,063 individuals — fits in a single stadium
- ◆Gorillas can learn human sign language and have vocabularies of hundreds of signs
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