Did you know Mountain Gorilla Diet
The mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) is the largest of all the gorillas and is the most endangered. The world’s remaining 820 mountain gorillas live in three different countries in Central Africa:Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. Although this makes their range seem large, the mountain gorillas actually inhabit a small geographic area where the borders of these three countries meet. Why called mountain gorillas becuase they occupy a volcano Massif that is shared by these 3 countries. The altitude is high and temperatures are low throughout the year. Its within such environment that these giants find what to feed on. Over half of the world’s mountain gorillas populations live in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with more than 400 members as par last census.
The diet of mountain gorillas largely consists of foliage. Over 142 different plants, whose leaves, shoots and stems are eaten, constitute gorilla food. For the shoots, the gorillas enjoy mainly the rainy season mountain bamboos when still green and tender. Because the bamboo shoots are 84% water the supplement of trocatea, young bamboo leaves, tsile’s leaves, stems, flowers and roots, celery’s stem without the tree bark, urela cameronesis leaves and stem bark and dry season black berries grown on high attitude provides a nutritious delicacy for mountain gorillas.
The eating of mountain gorillas depends on the prevailing situation in a particular group. Normally gorillas have a three intervals of rest between each feeding, which amounts to 40% of an area that has plenty of food, they will feed and then rest for longer periods compared to times and movement into a sector of limited food availability. They also become dormant if it’s raining heavily. The mountain gorillas spend a lot of their time traveling and foraging in search of food, because plants and trees change with the seasons. Full-grown mountain gorillas can eat up to 60 pounds of vegetation a day. Travel Hemispheres conduct uganda safaris and mountain gorilla safaris in Uganda , Rwanda nad Congo. However Inside Congo there is still rebel activities going on and gorillas here have been at risk and we insure the life of clients so before going to track gorillas in Congo alot of caution must be taken.
