Differences between Gorillas and Humans

Differences between Gorillas and Humans : Gorillas, chimpanzees and monkeys are some of the primates that are known to share a percentage of DNA with humans. Gorillas on a general are believed to share the highest percentage of DNA with humans adding up to about 98% of the same DNA.

It’s for this reason that when you meet a mountain gorilla you will quickly notice a lot of similarities between the gorilla and a human. Similarities like:-

Both primates
have a similar sight
have a similar sense of smell
have a similar sense of hearing
have a similar level of intellect
Both are social beings and they live in groups/families
Both are affected by similar communicable diseases like flues, coughs and others.
have a similar kind of gestural language
Gorillas as well as humans have emotions
among other similarities

With all these similarities, it’s safe to say gorillas and people are actually alike, however before you make that conclusion here are some of the differences you need to consider, differences between the gorillas and People.

Gorillas walk by use of all their four limbs mainly moving by their knuckles to support their whole body structure and weight well as humans move on two legs using only two limbs.
Gorillas are herbivorous eating mainly fruits, shoots, bamboo, shrubs and many more well as humans are omnivorous eating both vegetables and non-vegetable food
The life expectancy of a human is about 60 -70 years some humans live even up to 100, well as the gorillas’ life expectancy is between 30-50 years, gorillas that live really long can go up 60 years.
Gorillas like other animals communicate with sounds, sighs and a few signs that can only be understood by only them well as humans have developed communication skills to pass on information amongst themselves and other creatures.
Humans are responsible for the loss of gorilla habitats because of their numerous activities, well as mountain-gorillas don’t contribute anything to the loss of human habitats.
Gorillas can only survive in their habitats or environments about 90% similar to their habitats, well as humans are able to survive in most of the environment.
Though humans are also strong and can fight another to death, Gorillas are quite stronger than humans, they always fight to kill.

These are the top differences but of course there are many more that have been discovered and featured in different wildlife research and gorillas studies.

In East Africa you will find gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda and these gorillas live in the mountainous forests of northern Rwanda and south western Uganda respectively. The Democratic Republic of Congo that borders Uganda and Rwanda but found in Central Africa is also home to gorillas and is home to both the lowland and mountain gorillas.

The gorillas found in Rwanda and Uganda are the mountain gorillas and they live in Volcanoes National Park for Rwanda, Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda.

People have a chance of seeing these human relatives on mountain gorilla trekking sprees that take place all year round in any of the above mentioned parks. Mountain gorilla experiences in Rwanda cost USD 1500 and the experiences take about 4 to 6 hours with one hour spent in the presence of the mountain gorillas. In Uganda mountain gorilla experience cost USD 700 and they last for about 6 to 8 hours depending on how the gorillas are deep in the forest, you also spend one hour with the gorillas.