How to Survive a Mountain Gorilla Attack – Mountain gorillas belong to the Eastern gorilla species. They live in the tropical rainforests of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mountain gorillas are found in the national parks of Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Gorillas live up to 35 to 40 years in the wild. They grow to a height of between 1.25 meters to 1.8 meters and weigh between 100 kilograms to 270 kilograms.
Gorillas live in families of 5 to 30 members, led by a dominant male called a silverback. There are about 1,063 mountain gorillas living in these three countries.
Mountain gorillas are listed as endangered by the IUCN due to poaching, habitat loss, and diseases.
Mountain gorillas eat plants like stems, leaves, bamboo, shoots, roots, and fruits. A male gorilla can eat up to 30 kilograms of plants per day, while a female can eat about 18 kilograms of plants per day.
Mountain gorillas are friendly apes with broad chests, hands, and legs, small eyes, and fearless faces.
However, they can become aggressive if they sense danger. When they feel threatened, they first react by beating their chests, thumping the ground, throwing plants, standing on two legs, and making loud noises to warn their challengers. If the challenger does not back off or show signs of aggression, the mountain gorilla will attack by scratching, biting, striking, or dragging with its legs or hands.
How to Survive a Mountain Gorilla Attack
Here are some ways to survive a mountain gorilla attack:
- Walk slowly and step back: Do not run away. This will help calm the gorilla.
- Crouch down: Stay calm, bend down, and make yourself smaller than the gorilla. This shows the gorilla that you are not a threat, and it may leave you alone.
- Follow gorilla trekking rules: Stick to the rules and avoid actions that might scare the gorilla.
- Act like an ape: Chew plants, nap on the ground, pluck leaves, or throw plants to show friendliness. This can calm the gorilla and stop the attack.
- Avoid direct eye contact: Looking directly into a gorilla’s eyes can make it feel threatened.
These are some ways to survive a mountain gorilla attack.
