The Mountain Gorilla
Endangered Species
Identification
The Mountain Gorilla has longer and thicker fur than other gorilla species. Adult males are called silverbacks because a saddle gray or silver-colored hair that are long, develops on their backs. They have dark brown eyes framed by a black ring around the iris. Males have a bony crest on the top and back of their skulls, while females have the same, but are less pronounced. Males weigh 195 kg. (430 lb.) and upright standing height of 150 cm (59 in) usually weigh twice as much as the females, at a mean of 100 kg (220 lb.) and a height of 130 cm (51 in.).
Location and Habitat
ae
Mountain Gorillas are found in Virunga volcanoes ranging in altitude from 2,200–4,300 meters (7,200–14,100 ft.). Most are found on the slopes of three of the dormant volcanoes: Karisimbi, Mikeno, Visoke. The vegetation is very dense at the bottom of the mountains, becoming more sparse at higher elevations, and the forests where the mountain gorilla lives are often cloudy, misty and cold.