Leena Watts
Gorillas are fascinating creatures, native to the Sub-Saharan African forests. They are warm-blooded mammals and part of the great ape family, closely related to humans. So, what do these mighty creatures eat? In this article, we will explore the diet of gorillas and discover the foods they love to eat. We will also learn about the different subspecies of gorillas and how their diets vary. From leaves and shoots to insects and fruit, get ready to find out what fuels these powerful animals!
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Diet composition | Varies by subspecies and seasonality |
| Western lowland gorilla diet | 67% fruit, 17% leaves, seeds, and stems, 3% termites and caterpillars, and parts of at least 97 plant species |
| Eastern lowland gorilla diet | Primarily herbivorous, occasionally eating small animals; 104 plant species |
| Mountain gorilla diet | 86% leaves, shoots, and stems, 7% roots, 3% flowers, 2% fruit, 2% ants, snails, and grubs, and parts of at least 142 plant species |
| Cross River gorilla diet | Fruit, leaves, stems, piths, and some invertebrates |
| Captive gorilla diet | More frugivorous than herbivorous; up to 40 pounds of food a day, including bananas, berries, guavas, apples, foliage, and rarely, processed cereals |
| Baby gorilla diet | Mother's milk until they are old enough to eat an adult diet; occasionally eat ants or insects |
| Food sources | Sense of sight and smell, binocular vision, colour vision |
| Water sources | Water from fleshy and juicy plant materials; occasionally from rivers or streams |
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What You'll Learn
Gorillas are omnivores but their diet is mostly vegetarian
Gorillas are omnivores, but their diet is predominantly vegetarian. They are native to the Sub-Saharan African region, occupying the forest floors of tropical rainforests. Their diet varies depending on their subspecies and the season.
The two extant species of gorilla are the more numerous western gorilla and the less numerous eastern gorilla. The western gorilla lives in the tropical forests of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of Congo. The eastern gorilla lives in the mountains and lowland forests of Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC.
The western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) consumes parts of at least 97 plant species. About 67% of their diet is fruit, 17% is leaves, seeds, and stems, and 3% is termites and caterpillars. The eastern lowland gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri) consumes parts of at least 104 plant species. The mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) consumes parts of at least 142 plant species and only three types of fruit due to the high altitude of their environment. About 86% of their diet is leaves, shoots, and stems, 7% is roots, 3% is flowers, 2% is fruit, and the remaining 2% is ants, snails, and grubs. The Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) is not as well studied, but its diet includes fruit, leaves, stems, piths, and some invertebrates.
Eastern lowland gorillas, also known as Grauer's gorillas, are primarily herbivores but sometimes eat animals, so they are classified as omnivores. They eat green leaves, nuts, and wild berries from about 100 plant species daily. Occasionally, they eat small animals such as insects, lizards, rats, and other rodents. Western lowland gorillas are mainly herbivores, too, with fruit being their primary food source.
Mountain gorillas eat the least amount of fruit and termites because their high-altitude environment is not conducive to fruit or many termites. In contrast, western lowland gorillas have more fruit in their territory and are fond of termites, often breaking termite nests to eat the larvae.
Gorillas are very selective foragers. They usually only eat parts of vegetation, such as the leaves, pith, stalk, or roots of a particular plant. They use their agile lips and dexterous hands to manipulate the vegetation to consume the portion they want. Gorillas do not overexploit an area for food. Instead, they crop the vegetation in a manner that allows for quick replenishment.
Gorillas have strong chewing muscles and teeth, including long, pointed canines, to help them efficiently digest large amounts of plant material. Male gorillas use their canines primarily for fighting other males.
While gorillas can eat bananas, they typically do not because they are not accessible in their natural environment. However, when they venture out of their protected forests into neighbouring communities, they can be destructive to banana plantations, eating not only the bananas but also the leaves and stems of banana plants.
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They eat a lot of leaves, shoots, stems, and vines
Gorillas are omnivores, but their diet is predominantly vegetarian. They are very selective foragers, and will usually only eat certain parts of vegetation, such as the leaves, pith, stalk, or roots of a particular plant. They use their agile lips and dexterous hands to manipulate the vegetation to get to the portion they want.
In the jungle, more than 85% of a gorilla's diet comprises leaves, shoots, stems, and vines, with the rest made up of roots, flowers, and fruits. The mountain gorilla's diet consists of about 86% plant materials such as leaves, stems, and shoots, with 7% roots, 2% flowers, 2% fruit, and 2% ants, snails, and grubs. The western lowland gorilla's diet is about 67% fruit, 17% leaves, seeds, and stems, and 3% termites and caterpillars. The eastern lowland gorilla consumes parts of at least 104 plant species, including green leaves, nuts, and wild berries.
Gorillas have strong chewing muscles and teeth, including long pointed canines, which help them to efficiently digest these large quantities of plant matter. They also have binocular vision, which helps them to accurately gauge distances and depth when foraging for food.
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Gorillas also eat small animals, mostly insects
Gorillas are primarily herbivores, with vegetation constituting the majority of their diet. However, they are technically omnivores, as they occasionally eat small animals, mostly insects.
The composition of a gorilla's diet varies depending on the subspecies and the season. For example, the diet of the Western lowland gorilla consists of parts of at least 97 plant species, with about 67% of their diet being fruit, 17% being leaves, seeds, and stems, and 3% being termites and caterpillars. In contrast, the Mountain gorilla's diet consists of parts of at least 142 plant species, with about 86% being leaves, shoots, and stems, 7% roots, 3% flowers, 2% fruit, and 2% ants, snails, and grubs.
While the exact percentage may vary, insects are a part of the diet of most gorilla subspecies. For example, the Western lowland gorilla is known to eat termites, and the Mountain gorilla includes ants, snails, and grubs in its diet. Insects, ants, and termites make up less than 1% of a gorilla's diet in the wild, and some sources estimate that animal matter makes up only about 0.1% of their food.
In addition to insects, some gorillas have been observed to eat other small animals. A study in Cameroon found that gorillas have a high frequency of insect-eating and a higher prey diversity than sympatric chimpanzees. However, it is important to note that gorillas do not kill large animals, and their diet consists mostly of plants.
Baby gorillas may also eat small animals, as some infant gorillas have been observed to eat ants or insects in small quantities while they are still nursing.
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Gorillas rarely drink water
Gorillas are native to the Sub-Saharan African region, occupying the forest floors of tropical rainforests. They are omnivores, but their diet is predominantly vegetarian. In the wild, over 85% of a gorilla's diet consists of leaves, shoots, stems, vines, roots, flowers, and fruits. Insects, ants, and termites make up a very small portion of their diet.
Gorillas are very selective foragers and usually only eat parts of vegetation. They may eat only the leaves, pith, stalk, or roots of a particular plant. They use their agile lips and dexterous hands to manipulate the vegetation to consume the desired portion. Gorillas do not overexploit an area for food. They crop the vegetation in a manner that allows for its quick replenishment.
The diet of gorillas varies depending on their subspecies and the season. The Western lowland gorilla subspecies consumes parts of at least 97 plant species. About 67% of their diet is fruit, 17% is leaves, seeds, and stems, and 3% is termites and caterpillars. The Eastern lowland gorilla subspecies consumes parts of at least 104 plant species. The Mountain gorilla subspecies, which lives at high altitudes, has a diet that is about 86% leaves, shoots, and stems, 7% roots, 3% flowers, 2% fruit, and 2% ants, snails, and grubs. The Cross River gorilla subspecies is not as well studied, but its diet includes fruit, leaves, stems, piths, and some invertebrates.
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Captive gorillas eat a more frugivorous diet
Gorillas are omnivores, but their diet is predominantly vegetarian. In the wild, their diet consists of leaves, shoots, stems, vines, roots, flowers, fruits, and insects. However, compared to wild gorillas, captive gorillas eat a more frugivorous diet, meaning they consume a higher proportion of fruits.
Captive gorillas are typically fed fruits such as bananas, berries, guavas, and apples, which are readily available in zoos. They also have access to a wide variety of foliage, including leaves, stems, and shoots from various plant species. This helps to mimic their natural feeding habits. While some zoos may provide processed cereals as treats, these are not regularly included in their diet as they do not align with the gorilla's natural food preferences.
The diet of captive gorillas is carefully managed to ensure their health and well-being. They are usually fed up to six times a day, and their dietary needs and preferences change as they progress through different life stages. For example, baby gorillas primarily subsist on their mother's milk for around 2.5 to 3 years before gradually transitioning to the same diet as adult gorillas.
In summary, captive gorillas generally consume a more frugivorous diet than their wild counterparts, with a higher proportion of fruits and limited access to insects. Their diet is carefully balanced to meet their nutritional needs and respect their natural food preferences.
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Frequently asked questions
Gorillas are omnivores but their diet is predominantly vegetarian. In the wild, more than 85% of a gorilla's diet comprises leaves, shoots, stems, vines, roots, flowers, and fruits. Insects, ants, and termites make up less than 1% of their diet. The diet of a gorilla depends on its subspecies and the season.
An adult gorilla is capable of eating up to 40 pounds of food in a single day. A captive gorilla may be fed up to six times a day.
Gorillas rarely drink water as they get most of their hydration from the fleshy and juicy plant materials they eat, which are composed of 50% water. When they are near a river or stream, gorillas may take a sip of water.
