Gorilla Strength and Other Fascinating Things about Gorillas

Gorillas are typically portrayed in movies as dangerous, violent and aggressive animals. In truth, these large apes from Africa are actually quiet, gentle and peace-loving vegetarians that will not attack unless threatened. So, where did this wrong notion come from? People probably made this conclusion after discovering about gorilla strength. 

We all know that gorillas are extremely strong. But how strong are they? Think about this: one gorilla is 20 times stronger than one strong human. An adult male Silverback gorilla, which is one of the strongest mammals on the planet, will not have any difficulty snapping tree limps, ripping human arms apart, and ripping car doors open. That’s how strong gorillas are. 

Gorillas are the strongest primates alive. Despite that, they’re not aggressive and ferocious like other strong animals. They use their strength only for defending themselves, and never for hunting, killing or attacking. Yes, their fierce looks can be deceiving. One look at them and you’d think they’re violent and ferocious creatures. 

With their enormous power, it’s also easy to imagine gorillas feeding on other animals, which are essentially high in protein. Surprisingly, they’re mostly herbivores, meaning they eat plant materials such as leaves, fruits, tender plant shoots, seeds, tree barks, and even flowers. It’s only very seldom that they eat ants and termites. An average gorilla eats about 50 pounds of food per day. 

One way they show off their strength is through brachiating and pulling. An average silverback gorilla is six foot tall and 300 to 500 pounds. Their amazing ability to pull themselves from one branch to another with such ease is another testament to their extreme physical power. Even the world’s strongest human rock climber can never match the upper body strength of a gorilla. 

It’s not only the physical gorilla strength that is noteworthy. Gorillas are also popular for their high intellect that enables them to complete complex tasks. Some gorillas have been successfully taught sign language, and can communicate with people using simple sentences. And though they have never been seen using tools in the wild, they were able to learn after being taught to use tools in captivity.