They are very strong and can lift over 1,763 pounds--sometimes they topple entire trees to get to the fruit at the top. Typically, a family of mountains gorillas has one silverback as the leader and mate of the females.
The first gorillas we saw were the silverback male, a mama gorilla and a three-month-old baby. They were lying in a leafy cave, hiding from the sun. They were so majestic and yet so familiar. At one point, we got too close to the baby, and the dad gorilla (silverback) started to charge at us. It was terrifying, but the trackers knew which sounds to make to show the gorillas we meant no harm. As we continued, I met one gorilla I could have watched eat leaves all day.
Mountain gorillas are found in only three countries: Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Specifically, they are found in the Virunga Mountains, which are a range of active and extinct volcanoes, and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, so called because it's so thick and difficult to pass through. Since mountain gorillas live at very high elevations (8,000 to 13,000 feet), they have much thicker fur than other primates.
Everything a mountain gorilla needs to survive is in the forest. They can spend a quarter of their day eating--usually plants with some ants and snails sprinkled in for protein. Using the same leaves and shoots, mountain gorillas make nests on the ground or in the trees to help them stay safe and warm each night.
