The etymology of the term “gorilla” can be traced back to the Punic language, where it originally denoted a “hairy man”.

Gorillas may perceive direct eye contact as threatening and potentially aggressive. Consequently, in certain zoos where gorillas are housed in open exhibits, visitors are provided with glasses that effectively simulate averting their gaze.

Despite their great physical strength, gorillas are good—natured and peaceful buggers who rarely show aggression towards other animals and people. They usually use intimidation tactics or diplomacy. Only a few cases of gorilla attacks on humans have been recorded, and in all these cases, the gorilla repeatedly gave warning signs before the attack, which were ignored.

Gorillas sing and murmur to themselves when they eat.

Gorillas are constantly in a state of «mild flatulence». This is because they primarily feed on plant-based food that is digested with the aid of intestinal bacteria. As a result, gorillas produce copious amounts of flatulence, as the bacteria generate gas.

Gorillas living in the wild hardly drink, because they feed on juicy greens. Gorillas do not like rain and avoid reservoirs.

Gorillas, like chimpanzees, do not rely on the palms and pads of their fingers when walking. Instead, they use the outside of their bent fingers to support their weight. This is because this method of movement helps keep the skin on their palms thin and sensitive.

Gorillas use sixteen different sounds to communicate with each other, which can be considered a kind of speech.

Gorillas live in «harems», which consist of an adult male gorilla, several adult females, and their offspring. The dominant male sets the example for the group, such as initiating the process of settling down for the evening. He also determines the daily schedule, including the location for feeding.

When the alpha male of the gorilla group is dissatisfied, he will demonstrate his displeasure. He will first make a loud noise, then scream, and finally start to move through the jungle, making a lot of noise and hitting the ground with his hands. However, the demonstration never leads to physical aggression – it is enough to frighten the entire group and restore order.

The same happens when another male’s harem is attacked. The males will show off until one of them scares the other away, and then the scared male – most often the new arrival – will leave, and the victor will return to the group.

Gorillas are the largest members of the primate family, with adult male gorillas reaching heights of up to two meters. Their shoulder width can be approximately one meter, and their average weight is around 150 kilograms. Female gorillas are significantly smaller, measuring about half the size of their male counterparts.

Gorillas seldom initiate an attack against a human being who stands their ground and confronts the animal face-to-face. However, should one turn their back and flee, the gorilla swiftly pursues the adversary on all fours, eventually catching up and delivering a bite akin to that of a dog.

Gorillas have great strength, but humans are slowly pushing them out of their natural habitats. Gorillas have long been a traditional food source and object of hunting for many people in Africa. Due to this, and also because of deforestation, gorillas are unfortunately at risk of becoming extinct.