Are gorillas Dangerous animals?

Are gorillas Dangerous animals? : As you are planning on doing a gorilla trekking safari on which you will have a face to face encounter with these great apes, the first question that comes into the minds of tourists is “are the gorilla dangerous animals” or “are gorillas dangerous to humans” and do they attack human.

Well, this article takes you through this topic in a deeper sense.

Gorillas are known to be non-aggressive and peaceful Animals that is why they are not necessarily dangerous to humans. However, gorillas may become very dangerous when threatened. There have been few cases of gorilla attacks on humans and this situation happened because the gorilla was previously provoked or intimidated.

Are gorillas dangerous?

Gorillas are gentle giants and because of their gentleness they are normally shy, gorillas are known to display a multitude of behaviors similar to humans including showing emotions. However, just like humans, gorillas can become dangerous at time most especially when provoked.

 Gorillas become dangerous when they are made to feel uneasy, threatened, and vulnerable and if they sense danger. There are some circumstances that can instantly trigger gorillas such as when they feel their family or group might be in trouble or danger and when they are taken by complete surprise by a human’s action.

Gorillas known as the largest primates on earth are very social animals living in groups often referred to as gorilla groups or gorilla families. Just like humans, gorillas are family oriented creatures and they love being left in peace though when agitated, they pose a threat most especially to humans. Gorillas do not charge unless provoked and when   disturbed they get agitated.

 When agitated, gorillas start showing signs of strength and warning as a sign of alerting the intruder that they want to be left alone, when the warning signs do not work, they are forced to attack.

For gorillas to fight among themselves, it is very common but them being dangerous to humans is a rare occurrence.

Are Gorilla Aggressive

Gorillas are typically non-aggressive and very friendly primates, however they can get very aggressive and violet towards humans and other animals when threatened, gorilla mainly show their aggressive among themselves. Silver back – an adult male gorilla is considered to be a leader of a gorilla family or group, the leader can get aggressive toward another leader from a different family when competing for females.

Gorillas are remarkable animals displaying peaceful behavior most of the time and they love spending majority of their time relaxing and communicating with each other, all of which happen around the silverback of the family. Though gorillas are kind and gentle creatures, they can be one of the most dangerous animals on the planet considering their size, strength and other powerful characteristics. The silverbacks are the strongest among the family and they are capable of causing fatal injuries using their long and strong canines, when two gorillas come into contact, it is the silverbacks of both of these groups fight possibly to take over the other group. When these incidents happen, they dominant silverbacks kill the baby gorillas in the group they just took over.

For humans, it is often the gorilla males who become aggressive to people, this normally happens when they sense a threat to their family. Because of this, the gorillas are slowly habituated in their nature habitant so to make them comfortable with human presence.  Before the gazetting of gorilla habitants as national parks, people living near the habitats of the gorillas used to hunt them and out of fear, they could harm them and their families.

However, the mindset of hunting gorillas was changed by Diani Fossey, an American Primatologist who tirelessly worked towards protecting and conserving these gentle gorillas in the forests of Virunga conservation Area.

Do Gorillas attack humans?

Gorillas do not attacks humans unless they feel threatened or have been put into danger previously, in recent history there have been only a few recorded cases of gorilla attacks on humans and it is important to note that. These attacks have happened as an act of gorilla’s self defense.

In addition to being shy, calm and gentle, gorillas are wild animals and like other wild creatures, they can get aggressive and dangerous. But when it comes to gorilla attacks on humans, these incidents are extremely rare and just like humans, primates do not attack unless they are provoked.

Before gorillas attack, they try their best to avoid any conflict which they practice by displaying threat behaviors to make intruders or oppositions know that they want to be left along and not intruded in anyway possible. Gorillas use threat behaviors to intimidate their threat without attacking, some of the behaviors include

• They stand up right with their legs, rather than standing on 4 or sitting
• They slap the ground with their palms
• They tear and throw things around them such as vegetation
• They roar or hoot in a high pitched voice
• They beat their chest with balled – up fists to show their dominance and as a way of asking to be left alone.

As trekker (human), when you understand and respect these threats and leave the gorillas alone, the threat ends there. But if these threat displays do not seem to work, chances are the gorilla may attack.

Do Gorillas Eat Humans?

No, gorillas don’t eat humans. Even though attacks on humans can happen on rare occasions, they, however, DO NOT eat humans. Gorillas do not feed on meat, they are mainly herbivorous animals that eat vegetation, and their diet usually includes fruits, leaves, bamboo shoots, roots, and stems.

Some gorillas, like the Western lowland variety, are also known to supplement their diet with ants, termites, and other insects.

In fact, more than 85% of gorillas’ diet comprises plant-based food, leaves, stems, and bamboo shoots. The remaining percentage includes small amounts of flowers, roots, fruits, and insects. Their intake of fruits is very less because of the high elevation of their natural environment.

FAQs on How Dangerous Are Gorillas?

Now that you know gorillas can be dangerous when provoked, we will be addressing a couple of frequently asked questions on how dangerous gorillas are:

Do Gorillas Bite?

Yes, gorillas do bite when they fight each other. They can deliver a powerful bite with their large canines, and one bite from a gorilla is estimated to be 1,300 pounds per square inch, which is way higher when compared to lions. In fact, gorillas have the strongest bite of any ape.

Even though they do not eat meat, gorillas have forceful jaws, which helps them with bitting through heavy twigs and bark. The secret of their strong bite lies in their large bodies and powerful neck muscles.

How to Survive a Gorilla Attack?

As discussed, gorillas may attack when they feel threatened or if they sense danger. If you fail to understand a gorilla’s threat display, you have no other option but to try and survive the attack.

Here is what you should do:

• When a gorilla charges, DO NOT attempt to run away. Instead, step back slowly and walk away from the primate steadily. Trying to run will only provoke the animal to chase you, and you cannot defeat the beast.
• It is advised to crouch down when you see a gorilla trying to attack you. This action makes you look small before the animal, which will show him that you are not a threat and do not want to challenge him.
• Fall down, avoid eye contact with the gorilla, and pretend not to show any interest in him. This way, the animal will not see you as a threat or challenger and will stop his charge.

Wrapping it Up

In summary, gorillas are highly cautious and reserved when they come across humans. However, they can be dangerous to people if they feel threatened, insecure, or surprised. During such circumstances, these apes can become violent and attack their intruders.

Even though gorillas do not pose an active threat to humans, it is better to be prepared and know how to stay on the safe side in case of encounters. Keeping yourself at safe distance and not trying to make gorillas feel scared will almost completely reduce the risk of being attacked.

And that’s all. I hope the “are gorillas dangerous” article was helpful, and If you ever come to visit these Africa’s giants, you now have a better understanding of their behavior.