Gorilla: San Diego Zoo Animal Byte

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Gorilla: San Diego Zoo Animal Byte
SanDiegoZoo.org

Mammals: Gorilla
Range: Africa, mainly along the equator
Habitat: Gorilla gorilla is found in lowland tropical rain forests; Gorilla berengei live higher in the rain forests, mountain slopes, and bamboo forests.

Breakfast in bed
Can you imagine waking up each morning surrounded by food? Almost everything a gorilla eats is plant material, so life in the forest is like living in a huge restaurant! Gorilla food includes leaves, stems, fruits, seeds, and roots. And gorillas love to eat—it’s their favorite activity! An adult male will eat up to 40 pounds (18 kilograms) of food each day. Gorillas’ large stomachs can hold the bulky food they eat. Strong jaws help them chew tough stems. At the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park the gorillas get a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables, plus banana and ficus leaves.

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