Dante Carrillo
Mountain gorillas are the largest primates on Earth and have a diet to match. Despite their size and strength, these gentle giants are mostly herbivores, and their meals consist mainly of vegetation. Mountain gorillas are selective foragers, eating different parts of different plants, and they rarely eat an entire plant, allowing it to regrow. So, what does the diet of these mighty creatures consist of?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Diet type | Herbivorous |
| Diet composition | Over 85% plants, including leaves, buds, seeds, stems, shoots, roots, flowers, bamboo, thistles, nettles, and other fibrous vegetation |
| Diet composition | 2% fruit |
| Diet composition | 7% roots |
| Diet composition | 2% insects, including ants, termites, grubs, and snails |
| Daily food intake (male) | 34 kg |
| Daily food intake (female) | 18-20 kg |
| Feeding times | Twice a day, in the morning and late afternoon |
| Feeding behaviour | Selective foragers, eating different parts of different plants |
| Feeding behaviour | Break and open plants with their strength |
| Feeding behaviour | Feed in their own 'zone' |
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What You'll Learn
Mountain gorillas are herbivores
Mountain gorillas rely heavily on fibrous vegetation like thistles, nettles, and bamboo shoots. They also consume a variety of other plant species, including leaves, stems, and roots, to meet their dietary needs. In total, they consume parts of at least 140-142 plant species, with only 3 types of fruit available to them due to their high-altitude habitat. About 86% of their diet is made up of leaves, shoots, and stems, 7% is roots, 3% is flowers, 2% is fruit, and the remaining 2% is made up of ants, snails, and grubs.
Mountain gorillas are very distinctive eaters, almost always eating parts of plants and never the whole thing. They will eat the leaves or buds of a plant but will go to another similar species to eat the roots. This allows the plants to regrow and be used for consumption in the future. They also have the ability to use their agile lips to only consume the specific area of the plant they want.
Baby gorillas rely almost exclusively on their mother's milk for the first few months of their lives. After this, they are slowly introduced to solid foods, starting with plant parts, and by the age of 8, they can fully ingest all solid foods.
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They eat a variety of plants
Mountain gorillas are herbivores, and their diet consists mostly of plants. They are one of the most powerful great apes, and their diet is rich in leafy greens and fibrous vegetation. Mountain gorillas rely on plants for nutrition and consume a variety of plant species, including leaves, stems, and roots.
Mountain gorillas have been observed to eat the leaves, buds, seeds, and stems of plants. They use their fingers and teeth to get to the parts of the plant they want to eat. They are very selective eaters and will almost always eat parts of a plant and never the whole thing. This means that they have very little impact on the environment around them. For example, if they have been consuming the leaves of one plant, they will not eat the roots of that plant but will eat the roots of a nearby plant. This allows the plants to regrow and be used for consumption by the gorillas in the future.
Mountain gorillas are known to consume parts of at least 142 plant species and only three types of fruit. About 86% of their diet is made up of leaves, shoots, and stems, 7% is roots, 3% is flowers, 2% is fruit, and the remaining 2% is made up of ants, snails, and grubs. They also eat bamboo shoots, thistles, and nettles.
Mountain gorillas do not overexploit an area for food. They crop the vegetation in a way that allows for quick replenishment. They spend much of their day searching for food or eating. The dominant silverback male leads the group to an area with plenty of food so that the whole group can eat.
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Their diet includes insects
Mountain gorillas are herbivores, and their diet mainly consists of plants. They are known to consume over 140 plant species, including leaves, shoots, stems, buds, seeds, and roots. However, their diet also includes insects.
Mountain gorillas live in high-altitude areas where fruit trees are scarce, so they rely on other food sources such as insects to supplement their diet. Ants, termites, and grubs are a common part of a mountain gorilla's diet. They also eat snails, which are a good source of protein.
Western lowland gorillas, in particular, are known to have an appetite for insects. They break open termite nests to eat the larvae and also consume other insects such as ants. This behaviour is less common in mountain gorillas, but they still include some insects in their diet.
Young gorillas may start consuming insects when they are around six months old and can eat solid foods. They learn to forage for insects and other food sources alongside their mothers, who will care for them for several years.
While mountain gorillas primarily eat plants, insects provide an important source of protein and other nutrients. In the wild, they will consume a variety of insects that are available in their environment. This adaptability ensures their survival in challenging conditions.
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Gorillas eat large amounts of food
Gorillas are some of the largest and most powerful great apes in the world, yet their diet consists mostly of plants. Mountain gorillas, in particular, are known to consume a large variety of plants—over 140 different plant species, to be precise. This includes leaves, buds, seeds, shoots, and stems, which make up about 85% of their diet.
Mountain gorillas are selective foragers, eating different parts of different plants. They may consume the root of one plant, the stem of another, and the leaves and fruit of yet another. They will almost always eat parts of a plant and never the whole thing. For example, a gorilla will not eat the roots of the same plant whose leaves or buds it just ate but will instead go to another similar species for the roots. This allows the plants to regrow and be used for consumption by the gorillas in the future.
Mountain gorillas also have very specific eating habits. They spend much of their day either searching for food or eating. They leave their sleeping nests early in the morning and go around the forest to find a suitable spot where they will spend some time eating and resting. The dominant male silverback gorilla is responsible for leading the group/family to a good spot with enough food so that they can all eat. Mountain gorillas eat two times each day: in the morning and the evening.
The large amount of food that mountain gorillas eat is due to their massive size, which requires extra energy throughout the day. An adult female mountain gorilla eats around 18 to 20 kilograms of food each day, while a male silverback gorilla eats up to 34 kilograms of food each day.
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They are very strong despite being herbivores
Mountain gorillas are herbivores, and their diet consists of a variety of plant matter. They are known to consume over 140 plant species, with leaves, shoots, and stems making up about 86% of their diet. Despite being herbivores, they are incredibly strong and powerful, with adult male gorillas weighing up to 440 pounds.
The strength of mountain gorillas is evident in their ability to break and open plants. They use their fingers and teeth to selectively consume different parts of plants, such as roots, stems, leaves, and fruits. This selective foraging ensures they do not deplete a single plant source and allows for regrowth, which is essential for their future food supply.
The large amount of food consumed by mountain gorillas contributes to their strength. An adult female mountain gorilla can eat around 18 to 20 kilograms of food each day, while a male silverback gorilla can consume up to 34 kilograms. Their massive size and strength are fueled by a diet rich in fibrous vegetation, including thistles, nettles, and bamboo shoots.
Mountain gorillas' digestive systems are designed to break down and extract nutrients from tough, fibrous plants. They can derive the necessary energy and nutrients from these plant sources to support their muscular bodies and massive muscle mass. This ability to efficiently process and utilise plant-based foods contributes to their overall strength and power.
While mountain gorillas primarily consume vegetation, their diet can also include small insects like ants, termites, and grubs. These insects provide an additional source of protein, further contributing to their overall health and strength. However, insects make up a relatively small portion of their diet, with plants being their main source of nutrition.
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Frequently asked questions
Mountain gorillas are herbivores, meaning their diet consists mainly of plants. They eat leaves, buds, seeds, shoots, and stems of plants. They also eat the roots of plants, but they will only eat the roots of a different plant than the one whose leaves or buds they ate.
An adult female mountain gorilla eats around 18 to 20 kilograms of food each day, while a male silverback gorilla can eat up to 34 kilograms of food each day.
Mountain gorillas eat a variety of plant species, including thistles, nettles, and bamboo shoots. They also consume flowers, bark, and herbs. In total, they consume about 140-200 different plant species.
Yes, mountain gorillas also eat insects such as ants, termites, and grubs, which provide them with protein. They also eat snails and, in rare cases, small animals.
Mountain gorillas use their strength to break and open plants. They then use their fingers and teeth to get to the part of the plant they want to eat. They will almost always eat only parts of the plant and never the whole thing.
