There are two gorilla species, the Western gorilla (G.gorilla) and the Eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei).A silverback gorilla’s weight and size varies for both sexes. Due to habitat impacts, the bodyweight of male and female mountain gorillas weigh more in captivity than in the wild.Our closest relatives, sharing up to 98% of our DNA, are silverback gorillas. However, they weigh and eat a lot more than humans do. They do share our intelligence, use tools, and communicate effectively. Gorillas are also called mountain gorillas. The leader of the troop of a gorilla is usually referred to as silverback due to gray or silver hair on his back. The troops consist of females and their babies, with one leader as a silverback. Females and males emigrate from their natal troops. Female mountain gorillas disperse from their troop, than males. Pith and leaves are the usual diet components of gorillas, including fruits that make up almost 25% of their diet. Gorillas move around using knuckle-walking, and sometimes they do walk upright but only for a short period. Males will go off and live alone or in a group of males after they hit puberty. The life expectancy of silverback gorillas is 35-40 years in the wild. In captivity, these animals can live up to 50 years of age. A possible predator of gorillas is leopards. This was thought to be true when gorilla fossils were found, scientists found leopard scat on these remains, but could be a mark left due to leopard scavenging.If you enjoyed reading these facts about how much does a silverback gorilla weigh, then make sure to read some more interesting facts about how much does a baby elephant weigh, and how long do rabbits live, here on Kidadl.What does a silverback gorilla look like?The silverback gorilla is easily recognizable by the silver-colored hair on his back.Silverback gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), also called mountain gorillas, are subspecies of the Eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei). The gorilla beringei beringei subspecies is currently listed as endangered. This subspecies is divided into two populations. One wild population is in Bwindi Impenetrable National park, Uganda. Some even consider this population as a separate subspecies. The other wild population in Virunga volcanic mountains, Central Africa, is enclosed in three National Parks: southwest Uganda, Virunga, and volcanoes located in northwest Rwanda. The habitat range of this subspecies includes the giant Senecio zone, Hagenia forest, and bamboo forest. Adult males are called a silverback due to silver or gray-colored saddle hair on the back as they grow older. When compared to other species of gorilla, Gorilla beringei beringei has a longer and thicker coat of hair, which allows them to adapt to colder temperatures. Gorillas have unique nose prints that differ from one individual to another. These subspecies of the eastern gorilla are smaller compared to the other subspecies like the eastern lowland gorilla.Similar to all gorilla species, G. beringei beringei also has a dark brown eye with a black ring around the iris. Unlike humans, G. beringei beringei has arms that are longer than its legs. Silverbacks are quadrupedal and terrestrial. These largest gorilla species will climb into fruiting trees only if the branches have the strength to carry this gorilla’s average weight. The bony crests on adult male silverbacks on the back and top of their head, which give the head a more conical shape. These crests are less pronounced on adult females.The Average Weight Of A Baby Silverback GorillaThe average body weight of a baby silverback gorilla species is 3-4 lb (1.4-4.8 kg).A baby Gorilla beringei beringei is called an infant. Young baby gorilla size range is less than human babies. The wild baby gorilla is almost two times smaller compared to human babies. Due to their tiny size, these animals weigh between 3-4 lb (1.4-4.8 kg). All gorillas build their own nest every evening but infant gorillas sleep in their mother’s nest. Baby female and male gorillas have hair on all parts of their body except the fingers. Like all the other adult females, the females of these largest gorilla species also give birth once or twice in a decade on average. The adult female will nurse the infant until three or four years of age. Around three months, babies learn to sit and start to crawl around the age of six months. The adult female gorilla will feed milk to her baby until two and a half years.The baby western lowland gorilla also weighs 3-4 lb (1.4-4.8 kg) on average. The baby attaches itself to the adult female by holding on to her back hair. As babies all male and female gorillas are black so, they are not called silverbacks. The female gorilla reaches sexual maturity earlier than a male gorilla.Weight Of A Full-Grown Silverback GorillaThe average body weight of a full-grown adult silverback gorilla is around 350 lb (158.7 kg).Wild gorilla species are the largest primates. Gorilla beringei beringei gorillas are usually very shy and gentle though they have great strength and power. The ancestors of these gorillas are apes and monkeys of Arabia and Africa that belonged to the Oligocene epoch. A gorilla’s strength is 10 times its average body weight and six times more than a human’s strength. Their bite strength is stronger than a lion or great white shark. Of course, there are no accurate estimations available on the strength of a gorilla. The strength of gorillas that comes from heat is known as robusticity. Gorillas have a high muscle mass ratio with great jaw strength. Gorillas hum and sing when they come across their favorite food. Gorillas mainly feed on leafy plants, fruits, and bamboos. Also, gorillas can eat up to an average weight of 66.1 lb (30 kg). In a study done by Bwindi Impenetrable, first, it was recorded that the average weight of the food eaten by adult male gorilla species was 41 lb (18.8 kg) and the weight of food eaten by females was 33 lb (14.9 kg). All the gorilla species act as seed dispersers. The average weight of an adult male gorilla is 300-430 lb (136-195 kg) and a female adult gorilla weighs around 150-250 lb (86-113 kg). Gorillas have a good muscular body that supports their weight. The adult female easter gorilla weighs around 200-220 lb (90-100 kg). The average weight of an adult female cross river gorilla is 220 lb (100 kg).Mountain gorillas are the largest gorilla species. The heaviest gorilla (silverback) recorded in the wildlife was a silverback that had a bodyweight of about 589 lb (267 kg), which reached up to 6 ft (1.83 m) in height. Any adult male gorilla in captivity can be overweight, reaching up to 683 lb (310 kg). In captivity, Phil, an Eastern lowland male gorilla was the largest recorded who had a bodyweight of 860 lb (390 kg).How much weight does a male silverback gorilla weigh?Male silverback gorilla weighs around 346 lb (157 kg) and can reach up to 440 lb (199.5 kg).Adult male gorillas stand at 63-67 in (161-171 cm) tall with an arm span of about 79-106 in (2-2.7 m) and an average girth of about 54-64 in (138-163 cm). These male gorilla species have an average weight of 265-421 lb (120-191 kg). The average weight of a female gorilla is 154-216 lb (70-98 kg). These male gorillas can reach 67 in (1.7 m) tall when fully upright, with a bodyweight of 342 lb (155 kg) and an arm span of 91 in (2.3 m). Although gorilla species are specialized knuckle walkers, they can carry their weight upright whenever necessary. For weight-bearing and stability, gorillas have a number of adaptations. Male gorillas are usually larger and heavier than female gorillas. Eastern female and male gorillas are larger than adult male and female western gorillas. These gorilla species are relatively social, living in groups with a long-term relationship between a female and a male. However, relationships among females are considerably weaker. Silverback gorillas can get aggressive in certain settings. A male protects his group, so, if his group is being attacked or threatened by another group then he will get aggressive. Males will also get aggressive while establishing dominance.The oldest female western gorilla to be recorded was in Columbus Zoo and she lived for 60 years of age. The life expectancy of adult male and female gorillas is 35-40 years in the wild whereas, in captivity, they can reach more than 50 years of age. The tallest silverback recorded was 77 in (1.95 m) in height with a bodyweight of 342 lb (155 kg), arm span of 106 in (2.7 m), and chest measuring around 78 in (1.98 m).Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestion for how much does a silverback gorilla weigh, then why not take a look at how often do ducks lay eggs or silverback gorilla facts?
There are two gorilla species, the Western gorilla (G.gorilla) and the Eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei).
