Gorillas : Study
Scientists believe that gorillas could offer insights into future drug discoveries through their self-medicating behaviour, according to a new study.
- Gorillas are the largest of the great apes (there are 5 species of great apes, including, gorilla, orangutan, chimpanzee, bonobo and human).
- Gorillas share 98.3% of their genetic code with humans, making them our closest cousins after chimpanzees and bonobos.
- Gorillas and humans shared a common ancestor about 10 million years ago.
- There are two gorilla species in the world: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla. The mountain gorilla is a subspecies of the eastern gorilla.
- Gorillas live only in tropical forests of equatorial Africa.
- They are large powerful animals with strong prominent chests and shoulders.
- Males are about twice as heavy as females and may attain a height of about 1.7 metres and weight (in the wild) of 135–220 kg.
- They have large, human-like hands with muscular arms that are longer than their legs.
- They have dark skin and black to brown-grey hair.
- Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Both the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla are classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ under the IUCN Red List.
