什麼是大猩猩

最大的類人猿。為粗壯有力、原產於非洲赤道地區的林棲動物，屬猩猩科，僅大猩猩（Gorilla gorilla）一個種。面板和被毛黑色，鼻孔大，眉脊突出。成體臂部長而有力，腿短而粗壯，胸部極厚且強壯，腹部突出。雄性成體頭頂有一突出的骨冠，在下背部有一「片」灰色或銀白色毛（故稱「銀背」）；重135～275公斤，約比雌體重一倍，身高可達1.7公尺。主要在地面活動，通常四肢著地行走。在穩定的家庭小組中生活，該小組由6～20頭大猩猩組成，由1～2頭銀背雄體帶領。以植物的葉、柄和幼莖等為食。大猩猩常被描述成凶猛的動物，但研究表明，它並不愛尋釁，甚至膽怯，除非受到過分的騷擾。與黑猩猩相比，大猩猩更鎮靜且固執；適應能力雖不及黑猩猩，但具有很高的智慧和解決問題的能力。因為人類破壞其森林生境及將其作為大獵物而獵殺，大猩猩在分佈範圍內變得越來越稀少，《紅皮書》中將大猩猩列為生存受威脅的種，山地大猩猩則列為瀕危的亞種。

gorilla

Largest of the great apes. A stocky, powerful forest dweller native to equatorial Africa, the gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) has black skin and hair, large nostrils, and prominent brow ridges. Adults have long, powerful arms; short, stocky legs; an extremely thick, strong chest; and a protruding abdomen. Adult males have a prominent crest on top of the skull and a “saddle” of gray or silver hairs on the lower part of the back. Males, about twice as heavy as females, may reach a height of about 5.5 ft (1.7 m) and a weight of 300-600 lbs (135-275 kg). Gorillas are mainly terrestrial, walking about on all four limbs. They live in stable family groups of six to 20 animals that are led by one or two silverbacked males. They eat leaves, stalks, and shoots. They are unaggressive and even shy unless provoked. They are calmer and more persistent than chimpanzees; though not as adaptable, gorillas are highly intelligent and capable of problem solving. Hunted for its meat, and with its habitat disappearing, the gorilla is an endangered species throughout its range; the mountain gorilla subspecies is critically endangered.