gorilla
(For the right pronunciation of gorilla, please click here.)
a gorilla relaxing
a kind of animal – mammal – primate – belongs to the ‘great apes’ (gorillas, chimpanzees, orang-utans, bonobos, gibbons and humans (?)) – hairy ape – large bulky body with a large head with small ears, tapered forehead with a crest, stub nose, long arms – arms longer than legs – with five fingers on each hand and five toes on each foot; wide, shallow chest and a large pot belly; without a tail; whole body covered with thick coarse dark brown or black hair – but without hair on face, armpits, palms, fingers, underside of feet; grows to 5-6 feet tall and weighs 140-200 Kg. – males are much larger than females; feeds on leaves, fruit, flowers, bulbs, roots of plants and trees, and occasionally insects – ants, termites, etc.; lives for 35-50 years; all in all four species (kinds) found in Africa
angry gorilla
female ~~ female
baby ~~ baby
group ~~ band, troop(?)
voice (call) ~~ cough, roar, hoot, scream
home ~~ nest (a bowl-shaped bed of leaves and bent branches, a new one each night)
movement ~~ knuckle-walk (walks on all fours, using the knuckles of hands and the flat of the feet)
gorilla chest beating/thumping
Gorillas are the largest of all the ‘great apes’. They are second close relatives to peoples, with 98% of identical DNA to that of the humans.
Though gorillas are large, they are shy and quiet. However, when threatened they roar and beat their chest, standing on their legs and screaming.
They also show their long sharp teeth to scare away their enemies.
The leader, the strongest mature male of the group (band), is called a ‘silverback’ because of the white (silver) colour hair that grows on its back. The silverback guards, controls and leads the band.
Gorillas have a thumb which is similar to our thumb, with which it can hold branches of trees and other things like people do.
a silver back
Gorillas are know to use simple tools, like a twig to fish out termites from their mound or a piece of round stone to crack open tough nuts, etc.
Gorillas have individual finger prints, like we all have!
Gorillas cannot walk for more than 12 feet on their legs, standing straight; they walk on all fours, using the knuckles of the hands.
Gorillas are still hunted for their meat, and for their body parts to keep as trophies!
Gorillas are used in scientific research and laboratory studies.
1.
gorilla (noun) =
(a) a stupid person
(b) a savage (brutish) man; a thug (= a man who beats up or even kills somebody under the instructions of somebody else just for money)
2.
a six hundred pound gorilla [said of great force or strength]
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