Western Lowland Gorillas

In remote lowland forests there is a quiet gorilla subspecies known as the western lowland gorilla. We are home to a troop that includes a silverback male, four adult females, and a male infant.

Gentle giants roaming thick forests

While these gorillas have impressive size and weight, western lowland gorillas are the smallest of the gorilla species. Living together in close-knit family groups, a gorilla troop is led by a dominant male called a silverback who has a saddle of silver hair on the small of his back. Gorillas can climb but typically keep to the ground and move around on all fours, walking on their knuckles.

IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered (at extremely high risk of extinction in the wild)
Type: Mammal
Habitat: Tropical rainforests of central and western Africa
Diet: Herbivore – leaves, shoots, and fruits
Size: 1.2 to 1.5 metres tall
Weight: 68 to 181 kilograms

Care & Conservation

Cross River Gorilla Initiative

Our work in gorilla conservation doesn’t stop at the zoo. We work with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) to protect the Cross River gorilla, a Critically Endangered subspecies of the western gorilla.

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facts about our animals

Fun Facts about Gorillas

Silverback gorillas are responsible for leading the group in nesting, eating, and traveling across their native range.

These gorillas are typically quiet animals but have up to 22 different kinds of vocalizations.

Newborn gorillas only weigh 1.8 kilograms and ride on their mother’s backs, chest, and legs until they are three years old.

Western lowland gorillas are distinguished by a prominent ridge on their brow.

An adult male will eat 18 to 22 kilograms of food every day, while an adult female will eat between half and two thirds of that amount.

Gorillas have unique nose prints in the same way that humans have unique fingerprints.

How You Can Help

Gorillas on the Line

The mining of the ore coltan to build cell phone parts is leading to the habitat loss and endangerment of gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. By recycling electronic devices through Gorilla SAFE programs, we lessen the demand for coltan and help protect gorillas in the wild.

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